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Chitra Vichitra fair begins on the eve of the new moon when the women gather at the river and mourn for their dead through the night. The next day the fair sets off with a generous splashing of dazzling colors and drumming.
On the foothills of Aravalis, at the border of Gujarat & Rajasthan the site of the fair is within the limits of the village Gumbhakhari in the border area of Sabarkantha, 32 Kms away from nearby Railway station of Khedbrahma on the Ahmedabad Khedbrahma meterguage section of Western Railway. The fair site is attractive, as the temple, which is its focus, overlooks the rivers Sabarmati, Akul and Vyakul. It is one of the largest purely adivasis fairs of the border region and attracts large numbers of Bhils who come from all the surrounding districts using every imaginable form of transport. The tribal fair is a poly chromatic spring event held every year a fortnight after Holi festival.
The festival begins on the eve of Amavas (A moonless night) when the tribal women gather at the river to mourn their dear departed ones. They bathe in the holy rivers & offer sacrifices. The wailing & sorrowful songs run through the night but in the morning the mood is transformed.
The Chitra Vichitra fair is a colourful celebration of the tribal culture & costumes of the Bhils & Garasias. The fair is attended by around 60,000 to 70,000 tribals. They all are to be seen sporting colourful attire & artistic ornaments. The mood is upbeat and the tribals break into graceful dances, singing as they sway. The entire fair ground is a rainbow of colours. The Garasia and Bhil adivasis dress in their customary colourful costumes. The Garasias are particularly spectacular in their vivid blue, green & red sarees, chunky earrings, attractive necklaces & tingling anklets. The men's costume generally consists of a blue shirt, dhoti and a red or saffron fenta or turban. Women don ghagharas which have a circumference of as much as 20 yards, and are covered from head to foot with ornate and heavy silver jewellery, using liquid kumkum or vermilion to colour their cheeks and lips a brilliant red, while their eyes are outlined with kajal. The bhils are less elaborately bejewelled but are very colourful artired.
History
The fair gets its name from two brothers Chitra and Vichitra who were sons of the Pauranic king Shantanu and the Bhishma, a significant character in Mahabharata, was their step-brother. It is alleged that the two brothers had settled down in the region and during the stay had been cured of their illnesses.
The fair offers a perfect opportunity to tourists to soak in the celebrations of the tribal people and even take part in the festivities. Each and every group that partakes of in the festival carries their own instruments and the revelry goes on till everyone is tired to the point of exhaustion. Makeshift stalls and kiosks are put up which retail different types of delicacies, household articles made from copper and silver trinkets. The fair also provides an outlet where young men and women choose their life-partners. Couples are also known to have eloped from the fair.
Best Time to Visit
Since the festival is organized either in the month of March or April, it is practical to organize a tour during any of this two months.
Gujarat fairs and festivals are well known world wide. It is due to the celebration of numerous fairs and festivals in Gujarat that it is also called the 'Land of fairs and festivals' Around 3500 fairs and festivals at Gujarat are celebrated all the year around. The fairs and festivals of Gujarat can be celebrated for the change of season, at harvesting time of a green field, on some religious event. The significance of Gujarat fairs and festivals is that they take you closer to the rich cultural diversity of the people there. You get to see the customs, ethics, values and beliefs of the people of Gujarat. Moreover, you also get to know the regional cuisine, clothes, etc, during the fairs and festivals of Gujarat. All the fairs and festivals at Gujarat are governed by solar and lunar calendars and are mainly religious in nature. One striking feature of the fairs and festivals in Gujarat is that one can experience the cultural and religious diversity of the place. Some of the fairs and festivals which are celebrated in Gujarat throughout the year are International Kite Festival, Diwali, Holi, Janmashtami, Kutch Mahotsava, Navratri, Shamlaji Fair, Modhera Dance Festival, Tarnetar Fair, Bhadra Purnima and Vautha Fair.
