The Chitra Vichitra Fair is an annual tribal fair held in northern Gujarat, India. The fair is an event for families who have lost a member in the past year to mourn the departed, accompanied by festivities and matchmaking.[3][4] The fair attracts around 60,000 visitors, primarily tribal populations from surrounding villages in Gujarat and Rajasthan.[2]
| Chitra Vichitra Fair Chitra Vichitra Mela | |
|---|---|
 A visitor to Chitra Vichitra Fair | |
| Genre | Cultural and religious festival |
| Date(s) | March or April (2 weeks after Holi)[1] |
| Begins | 31 March 2023 |
| Ends | 1 April 2023 |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Location(s) | Gunbhankhari, Sabarkantha District, Gujarat |
| Coordinates | 24°20′45″N 73°07′35″E / 24.345828°N 73.126276°E |
| Country | India |
| Attendance | 60,000[2] |
The fair is held in Gunbhankhari village of poshina taluka, Sabarkantha District, Gujarat, near the Gujarat-Rajasthan border.[5] The site of the fair is on the banks of the Wakal River, and the location is considered sacred because of the confluence of three rivers in the area - Sabarmati, Wakal, and aakal
The fair is held over the two days abutting the first eve of the new moon (Amavasya) following the festival of Holi, which typically falls in March or April in the Gregorian calendar.[2][6] The fair commences on the eve of the new moon, when families submerge ashes of their departed family members in the river, and mourn their death through the night.[3][7] The next day, a fair takes place at the location.[7]
References
edit- ^ Bradnock, Robert; Bradnock, Roma (1999). Footprint India Handbook 2000. Bath: Footprint Handbooks.
- ^ a b c District Census Handbook Sabarkantha Part XII-B (PDF). Directorate of Census Operations. 2011.
- ^ a b "Mixing loss with desire". India Today. 15 May 1994. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
- ^ Sen, Devaram (5 April 2019). Poshina ke Chitra Vichitra mele mein purvajo ka hua asthi visarjan, yuvao ne chune apne jivansathi. p. Kotdatimes.com. Archived from the original on 6 April 2019. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
- ^ "Gunbhakhari ma 2 divasno Chitra Vichitra no lokmelo bharashe". Dailyhunt Gujarati News. 9 March 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
- ^ a b Desai, Anjali, ed. (2007). India Guide Gujarat (1st ed.). India Guide Publications. ISBN 9780978951702. Retrieved 6 April 2019.