Gujarat has always been known for its splendid and evocative festivals. An estimated two thousand festivals are celebrated every year in the state, and more than two hundred of these are unforgettable occasions that attract thousands of people. Fairs in Gujarat reflect customs and traditions, ethics and values, faith and beliefs of the people of Gujarat. Though rooted in religion and mythology, with a focus on Gods and Goddesses, they are truly secular socials in which people of all faiths participate.
Renowned for its rich culture, Gujarat is well termed as the ‘Land of Fairs and Festivals’. With almost 3,500 of them being celebrated in different parts of the state every year, the festivities of Gujarat revolve around an occasion – be it the turn of a season, the time for harvesting a golden field, or a religious event from India’s extensive and rich mythological traditions.
One of the most celebrated festivals is Navratri, meaning ‘nine nights’ which has been a widely celebrated Hindu festival in many parts of India. The Navratri celebrations will start from October 16 and go on till October 24. Gujarat, however, is the only state that erupts into a nine-night dance festival, perhaps the longest in the world. Each night, all over the state, villages and cities alike, people gather in open spaces to celebrate feminine divinity, referred to as Shakti.
The dance form known as Ras Garba (also joined sometimes by Dandiya, which uses small wooden sticks), comes from Lord Krishna’s worship rather than Goddess worship, from the Gop culture of Saurashtra and Kutch. Stories of relationships between Krishna and the Gopis, and their emotions, also often make their way into the Ras Garba music.
Nevertheless, the focal point of every Garba circle is the small Goddess shrine erected by each community to mark the beginning of the festival, on the first day of the Hindu month of Ashwin. The shrine includes a Garbo, an earthenware pot, in which a betel nut, coconut, and silver coin are placed.
Each night the village or urban neighborhood gathers to perform a puja to one of the nine forms of the Goddess. The nine nights are also broken up into sections of three; the first is for Durga, the Goddess who destroyed an evil force represented by the demon Mahishasura, and who destroys human impurities; the second for Lakshmi, the Goddess of prosperity; the third is for Saraswati, the Goddess of wisdom and art. It is a time to celebrate fertility and the monsoon harvest, represented by a mound of fresh soil in which grains are sown.
After the puja begins the music; it is unmistakable to those who are familiar with the style and irresistible to many. People begin to dance in a circle, whirling away till late into the night. It is not uncommon to find dancers with swords or lit flames and other spectacles.
The traditional dance steps are simple, though over the years people have been inventing more complex steps. Similarly, the music was traditionally acoustic, principally composed of drums and singing, but most people now use amplified sound systems or a blend in the form of a live band with modern instruments. Vadodara is a good place to find the full range of these styles, traditional to modern, acoustic to amplified, simple to complicated, each one represented in its extreme somewhere in the city.
The tenth day, Dashera, is celebrated by doing a puja to bless one’s vehicle, and is also the day to buy new vehicles, if necessary. It’s also celebrated by unabashedly eating lots of Fafda, a salty fried crunchy snack and Jalebi, a sweet, fried, sticky snack.
Rich in every sense, Gujarat has much to offer the discerning tourist. Beautiful beaches border the coastline, and a dinosaur fossil field and ancient cave arts contrast with stunning white Jain temples. The mouth-watering cuisine will satisfy any foodie, while the wildlife of the Rann of Kutch and Gir and the last bastion of the Asiatic lion will more than gratify nature lovers. All in all, a holiday in Gujarat can be as decadent, wild or culturally rich as you wish it to be.
