Trinetreshwar Temple, Tarnetar
– Tarnetar Fair
Tarnetar Fair is famously called
as Tarnetar no Melo / Trinetreshwar Mahadev Mela. It is held annually near the Trinetreshwar
Mahadev temple. This fair is considered as one of the most popular
religious festival of Gujarat. The fair is believed to have started sometime
200 or 250 years ago. As per legend, the
temple is believed to be the site where Arjun won the hand of Draupadi in
an archery contest during the Swayamvara of Draupadi and Panchal region (current
Tarnetar surroundings) is considered as the native of Draupadi.
The tradition has been carried
on in this region where unmarried tribal men and women gather at the fair to
find match for them. The fair is held on 4th, 5th and 6th
day of Shukla Paksha of Bhadra Month every year. The fair is initiated with the
hoisting of a huge Flag on the dome of the Trinetreshwar
Temple. The flag is hoisted every year only by the Mahant of Paliyad, a
small village near Tarnetar. This tradition has been followed ever since Mahant
Visaman Bapu who was born in Paliyad started the Sadavrat at Paliyad and
hoisted the first flag at the Tarnetar
Temple.
On Bhadarva Sud 4 (Ganesh
Chaturthi) the flag is carried in a procession headed by the Mahant from the
office of Tourism of Gujarat to the Trinetreshwar
Temple. It is then unfurled to symbolize the commencement of the colourful
festival. The fair is celebrated with Gujarat’s folk-dance, music and arts and
even for those who are not interested in finding a spouse. During this fair
numerous stalls are put up that that includes the selling of local and
traditional beautiful handicrafts along with ethnic jewelry, traditional mirror
work and statues of deities. Every year more than 50,000 to 60,000 people
attend the festival.
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