Bringing together cultures and people

India is a country full of cultural diversity. A wide range of festivals like Pushkar, Tarnetar, Shamlaji fair and others are celebrated with great pomp in different regions of the nation. Among such festivals is the festival of Dang Darbar.

The Dang Darbar is a tribal festival of Gujarat and is celebrated a few days before Holi, generally in March. It is usually held for either a single day or for three days at Ahwa District of Saputara. The word 'Darbar' refers to an assembly of rulers; which gives the festival its name as it commemorates the forefathers of five kingdoms, namely -

• Gadhavi
• Pimpri
• Amala
• Vasurana
• Daher

The Bhil Kings are known as the only hereditary rulers in the independent India, as of today and are recognised by the government.

Traditional instruments of Kahalia and Tadpur are played at the time of commencement as well as throughout the fair which results in a melodious backdrop for the festival and is a popular attraction among tourists.

Those beats become a base for almost all the majestic dances conducted by the tribal men and women. A particular form of dance can be witnessed here which involves people moving around in circles, holding each other's waists. The men generally wear lion clothes along with bright, colourful headgear complementing their outfit. On the other hand, women dress up in beautiful sarees and chunky silver jewellery pieces.

The whole festival brings together, the people of neighbouring districts in order to enjoy the fair and celebrate the tradition of honouring ancient rulers and state heads. Not only regional villagers, but people from all over the world take part in this fair as it gives the visitors an opportunity to witness the tribes of Bhils, Kunbis and Gamits in their traditional outfit and get a peek inside their culture and heritage.

The air is full of buzz and excitement as different types of merchants attend the fair to sell antiques and handicrafts. A large number of stalls are set up by such people participating in the fair. These stalls exhibit the authentic pieces of art and handicraft, curated by the tribal people themselves. An exquisite crafted range of beautiful accessories as well as clothing can be found in the fair which is extremely popular among all the visitors.

Apart from all this, the fair also provides a platform for eligible singles to find a partner for themselves. Various arts and folk dances bind the people together which is the specialty of this entire festival. It is arguably the best place to get an insight into the regional and local culture of Gujarat as well as gain knowledge about how tribal people live their life. Many a times, schemes for tribal development as well as forest conservation are also inaugurated during the fair.

This makes the fair an all-round event which covers not only the cultural aspects, but also takes the social as well as environmental factors into consideration. Musical activities and the folklore is what attracts thousands of tourists to the festival every year!