Travelogue

A Fascinating Fair
BY Ranbir Singh

careful check of the timings of the start and conclusion of all Indian fairs and festivals will be an amazing revelation as it has been so perfected by traditions that the people understand it without even consulting the calendar or an invite. Without a call, people in large numbers turn up at every such occasion as it enables them to either performing certain rituals or festivities relating to respective religious practices or merrymaking or a warm welcome to the change of season. The Moon-governed Indian calendar or the Almanac is a good indicator to the number of events that are held and people participate in them. Recently, during the Navaratras or a nine-day observance of fast for spiritual cleansing that was held from April 10 to 18 this year I decided to travel to certain remote corners located in the area touching the boundaries of both Gujarat and Rajasthan. The area

The Chitra-Vichitra Fair held in a village at the confluence of three rivers Sabarmati, Akul and Vyakul in North-Eastern Gujarat in which Adivasis participate in thousands is a unique one >>>
consists of places in the districts of Palanpur, Sabarkantha and Banaskantha in northeastern Gujarat and Udaipur, Sirohi and Pali in Rajasthan. The whole area is interspersed by high to low hills of the Aravalli in which there are plateaus and fertile plains suitable for cultivation. The hills are a boon as many rainy streams originate in them e.g. Sabarmati and Sookari, some of which meet and others flow direct towards the Arabian Sea. The most attractive event that takes place on a small island at the confluence of three rivers Sabarmati, Akul and Vyakul -- is a fair called ChitraVichitra in which Adivasis of the neighboring villages annually participate in thousands. It is held on the early hours of the first day of the Chaitra Pratipada on which the new Vikarami Samvat also starts. People start coming to the venue from the evening and stay on the dry bed of the rivers, particularly Sabarmati and Akul, the whole night. The site has a strange footprint of Chitrangada and Vichitraveerya, the two incapacitated sons of Raja Shantanu who had married the beautiful Satyavati aka Matsyagandha, the daughter of a local fisherman who plied his boat on the Jamuna. Due to over indulgence in women and all sorts of vices their health had deteriorated and they and became incapable of becoming progenitors. It may be recalled that Bheeshm Pitamah had abducted the three daughters of the king of Kashi (present Benaras or Varanasi) for marrying to the two brothers. Both the brothers

Huge assemble of people for performing last rites of the departed souls during Chitra-Vichitra Fair

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wasted their bodies and lives and died soon after they were forcibly betrothed to Ambika and Ambalika whereas Amba, the eldest, asked to be relieved, and became a sage. She died at Ambala named after her -after attaining salvation. Legend has it that both Chitrangada and Vichitraveerya had visited exactly the place where the rivers meet, installed a Shivalingam and performed several rituals in repentance of their deeds and left for heavenly abode. It may be surmised that the Adivasis of the neighboring villages had got themselves acquainted with the brothers and their servants and provided necessary amenities for their mundane comforts as long as it were desired. As per the belief, the Shivalingam is still revered by the local inhabitants who are mostly peasants. The Adivasis built a small, inconsequential roof over the deity. As far as one could see from the island a straight elevation of at least 10-metre height from the boulder-laden and pebblefilled dry river bed, one can see the range of Vindhyachal hills that rise to 200 metres at places. The valley and hill slopes are dotted with numerous type of floral wealth: principal species are date-palm, mahua, acacia, garmalo (Cassia fistula L.), amla (Emblica officinalis Gaertn), Moto arduso (Atlanthus excels), Jangli Saragavo (Moringa concanensis Nimmo), Palash or Dhak (Beutia monosperma), Neem (Azadiracta indica) and Tamarind/Imlee (Tamarindus indica). An occasion tree of Varun (Creteva nervula) also came to be noticed besides over 200 other species of shrubs, bush and plants. Some of them are poisonous but many are used in the traditional remedies by the

Offerings by devotees at Shivalingam at Chitra-Vichitra fair venue

tribal people. Poshina is a small village in the area inhabited by 8,000 people mostly peasants, artisans, dalits, traders, Rajputs, Brahmins and the tribes. The Qasbah, now falls in Aravali district carved out from areas taken from both Sabarkantha and Banaskantha districts and designated as Taluka, is located on the right arm of a medium sized rainy stream amidst the plains formed by erosion of soil from the surrounding hill ranges. The fertile plains yield

good crops and the groundwater is sweet and available in plenty. There are no industries but the Lohars, carpenters and potter families that live here also dont find enough work as the people prefer industrially manufactured products over handcrafted articles. The ambience of the town becomes more picturesque during the rainy season with an annual rainfall exceeding 1200 mm. By prior booking I stayed at Darbargarh owned and managed

17th Centruy Darbargarh palace at Poshina

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by Kunwar Harendrapal Singh Waghela whose family estate and grand old palace at Rajpipla, 50 km away, is another recluse for heritage lovers. The ruler of this small principality having about 300 villages under them is said to have descended from the western Chalukyas of Saurashtra. Darbargarh Palace at Poshina is a 17th century fort-like haveli, modified and renovated for mundane comforts with care by retaining all the essential features of the traditional Indian architecture. He lodged me in an old suite, which was comfortable even without switching on ceiling fan in mid-April when outside temperature could rise above 35 degrees Celsius, though a split AC was installed in it. The food offered from his kitchen is simply traditional Indian cuisine and, of course, nourishing. Darbargarh Poshina can be accessed at www.poshina. com for further information. There are about 12 rooms in the Darbargarh, well furnished with ACs and attached modern baths in which foreigners who arrive here via Ahmedabad on conducted tours from October end to mid-March prefer to stay. A visit inside the narrow and winding alleys of Poshina village could be a visual comfort and as we reach the other end towards the east and the river bank, the Shikhara of an old Shiva temple catches our attention. As one approaches the dilapidated entrance of the temple premise, one notices several cenotaphs of the forefathers of Kunwar Saheb that were probably built in granite stone about 100-250 years ago. The 14th century Mahadev temple built by an unknown ruler of the area is a fine work of artistic carving in stone with figures in tribhanga
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14th Century Nilkanth Mahadev temple at Poshina

mudra and sitting postures. However, despite the fact that it is a protected monument, care is inadequate. The Circle Officer of the ASI at Ahmedabad seems to have forgotten this ancient monument. Its Mandapam had fallen off long ago and its fragments lay scattered in the premises. No conservation or restoration work was ever done on the temple. A local priest who lives in the premises also looks after the deity and twice performs daily pooja. Women are routine visitors but people come in large numbers on the day of the Mahashivratri. I felt disgusted to see the fecal filth in the rear side of the temple with a view of agricultural fields. In

olden days the view would have been clear as the riverfront was visible from the temple located on a height of two metres from the nearby ground. Reverting to the ChitraVichitra story, I may say that the Adivasis have a strange connection with the legend as it is mainly associated with the disposal of ashes of the dead in the family on this auspicious occasion on the first day of the moonlit fortnight of Chaitra. Not only the Adivasis but people of all castes among the Hindus arrive here from as far as 150 km or beyond including those that have migrated long ago in search of better work

Tribal women in traditional costume at Chitra-vichitra fair

Travelogue
opportunities elsewhere. The occasion is mainly associated with performance of last rites and observance of the rituals as prescribed in the Hindu treatises. All acts are performed in the wee hours and by the time the Sun rises on the horizon from behind the hill range, people wrap up the bag and baggage and leave the venue. Despite the fact the main purpose of the arrival of the people is disposal of ashes and performing last rites, the occasion is not at all dull. The presence of hundreds of Adivasi lads and lasses fill the venue with charm and pageantry, particularly the young women who come here in strikingly colorful costumes wearing heavy ornaments made of silver metal. They roam here and there in groups whereas the boys loiter aimlessly looking for articles in the local mart or appreciating the young women. As the Sun rises on the horizon and the temperatures rise from a comfortable 16-18 in the morning to 26-29 by noon, the dust overlaps the venue but under the shade of large trees the youngsters assemble for a dance performance in a unique way. They form groups of men and women. While clingingly closely to each other the forward as well as the backward steps are closely regulated. For onlookers, it is a spectacle and everyone patiently wait for such a performance to occur. It is spontaneous as none asks the youngsters to do it. The crowd becomes thin or thick as outsiders go away by late morning hours and give way to locals who start congregating the venue and fill in the void by noon here. The place is visited by many young and veteran photographers from western

Water being drawn from a well in the fields near Delwara village, dist. Sabarkantha

India, particularly Ahmedabad, Baroda and Bharuch. Occasionally, academic people also visit the fair for photo-documenting the events. They feel extremely satisfied to capture the colorful pageantry. Foreign tourists are cautioned not to visit the fair venue at night to save from embarrassment if an untoward incident or a mishap occurs. The whole of the venue is illuminated with incandescent electric bulbs. Water tankers are parked at convenient places in addition to making adequate arrangement for transportation of visitors. I first came to know about the fair sometime in February 2011 and visited it soon thereafter. This was my second visit. Earlier, it was the public/private transport that came as rescue to reach the site of the fair located 13 km away, via Delwara village, from Poshina. I succeeded in catching certain activities including the one in which a local faith healer performed a ritual on a mentally disturbed young woman claiming that he castaway a devil spirit that had overpowered her for some time. Instead of seeking proper treatment the Ojhas or faith healers are active

A typical Garasiya woman with her child at Gunabhakhri

in these villages. I watched for half an hour the dramatic act of pacifying the Bhoot or the evil spirit or a vampire, whatever it was, and photo-documented it too in addition to making a recording as video clip. The history of the ChitraVichitra fair is as fascinating and mysterious as the life of the Adivasis that inhabit the Sabarkantha district. It is said that over 85 per cent population of the district comprised Adivasis, mostly Garasiya. Its topography and physiography is charming as well. The fair must have been started by some unknown social process and custom but its antiquity certainly dates back to the Mahabharata era.
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