Fair and Festivals of Madhya Pradesh - MPPCS Exam Preparation

Fair and Festivals of Madhya Pradesh

Fairs can be called the panorama of culture of Madhya Pradesh and its colour full life style. Economically, socially and culturally, these fairs show a unique and rare combination which is not found elsewhere.

The maximum number of fairs, if we look at them district wise numbering 227 are held in Ujjain district and the lowest number i.e., 13 fairs only are held in Hoshangabad district. Most of the fairs are held during the months of March, April and May when the farmers have less work to do in the fields. June, July, August and September are the lazy months for the fairs as the farmers are busy during the rainy season.

Here is brief information about some of these fairs:

SIMHASTHA

Kumbha in Ujjain known as Simhastha is a grand and one of the holiest fairs of the country. It has got very high religious values and is held here in a cycle of every twelve years when Jupiter enters the Leo sign of the zodiac known as SimhaRashi. On the bank of the holy river Kshipra, Simhastha is held with all its grand paraphernalia and millions of people from whole of the world gather here for their spiritual elevation. In fact, apart from its importance, in terms of being the venue for Simhastha, the ancient city Ujjain enjoys the reputation of having one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of India. The city takes pride in being a great seat of learning when Lord Krishna and his friend Sudama were taught by Guru Sandipani Rishi here. It is also a land of the great poet Kalidas and the saints like Sandipani and Bhartrihari.

AALAMI TABLEEGI IJTIMA

This three-day congregation is considered among the most important religious occasions celebrated in Bhopal. Ijtima is held every year and is accompanied by a fair. When the event takes place, a gust of spirituality prevails over the city and Muslims from all over the globe in ‘Jamaats’ (group of Devotees) descend here. ‘Jamaatis’ from the countries like Russia, Kazakhstan, France, Indonesia, Malaysia, Zambia, South Africa, Kenya, Iraq, Saudi Arab, Yemen, Ethiopia, Somalia, Turkey, Thailand and Sri Lanka arrive here to camp for three days and listen to the holy sermons of Islamic scholars on how to lead conscientious and upright life by following good values. The event also holds special religious discourses for intellectuals, students, traders, farmers etc. with underlying message of universal brotherhood.

This conclave is considered to be one of the largest religious congregations in the world and disseminates spiritual messages, which are relevant to not just the Muslims but for all communities.

FAIR OF RAMLILA

This fair is organised in the Bhander Tehsil of Gwalior district. It is more than 100 years old. January-February are the months reserved for it.

FAIR OF HIRA BHUMIA

The name of Hiraman Baba is famous in Gwalior, Guna and nearby areas. It is believed that Hiraman Baba’s blessings remove the barrenness of women. This fair is held in the months of August and September in the entire region as HiraBhumia fairs.

FAIR OF PIR BUDHAN

More than 250 years old, this fair is held in Sanwara of Shivpuri district near the tomb of the Muslim saint PirBudhan. The time for holding this fair is in August-September.

FAIR OF NAGAJI

In November – December, this fair is organised in the memory of Nagaji saint who lived during the period of Akbar. It is held in the Porsa village of Morena district for about a month. Previously, monkeys were sold here but now other domestic animals have also been added to them.

FAIR OF TETAJI

Tetaji was a truthful man. It is said, that he had been given the power to remove the snake venom from the body. This fair is held on the birthday of Tetaji for the last 70 years in the Bhamavad village of Guna district.

FAIR OF JAGESHWARI DEVI

This fair is held in Chanderi of Guna district since time immemorial. There is an anecdote that the ruler of Chanderi was a devotee of Jageshwari Devi. He had leprosy. Devi asked him to come to a place after 15 days. But Raja arrived there on the third day only. At that time only the head of Devi appeared. His leprosy was cured and from that day this fair started.

AMARKANTAK SHIVRATRI FAIR

At the origin of river Narmada in Amarkantak of Shahdol district, a fair is held during the Shivratri day for the last eighty years.

FAIR OF MAHAMRITYUNJAY

There is a temple of Mahamrityunjay in Rewa where fairs are held every year on BasantPanchami and Shivratri.

FAIR OF CHANDI DEVI

At Ghoghara village in Sidhi district is a temple of Chandi Devi who is believed to be the incarnation of goddess Parvati. This fair is held during March-April.

URS OF BABA SHAHABUDDIN AULIA

In February at Neemuch of Mandsaur district, this Urs is celebrated for 4 days. There is the shrine of Baba Shahabuddin.

FAIR OF KALUJI MAHARAJ

This fair is held for a month in Pipalyakhurd of West Nimar. It is said that some 200 years ago KalujiMaharaj used to cure the diseases of human beings and animals by his power.

FAIR OF SINGAJI

Singaji was an esoteric man and was respected as a deity. This fair is held for a week in August-September in Pipalya village of West Nimar.

DHAMONI URS

This fair is held in April-May at Dhamoni in Sagar district on the shrine of Mastan Shah Vali.

FAIR OF BARMAN

This 13 days fair starts from MakarSankranti in Gadarwara of Narsinghpur district.

FAIR OF MATH GHOGHARA

This 15 days fair is held in Bhaironthan of Seoni district on Shivratri. A natural lake and a cave beautify this place.

Festivals of Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh is one such land in India that emits vibrancy from every nook and corner. The heart of India hosts the best cultural and heritage festivals that can’t be seen anywhere else in the world. People of various caste, religions and tribes are currently nestled in Madhya Pradesh. All these fairs and festivals interweave souls of different religion and drench them in the colour of festivities. Riots of colours, when scatters on the land of Madhya Pradesh, creates such an aura that nobody can resist it charm. During the festival season of Madhya Pradesh, tourists can see the best of Madhya Pradesh that is classical and beautiful.

No matter, where and when one travels in Madhya Pradesh, they will always witness a festival or fair to claim their attention.

Lokrang Festival

Lokrang is a cultural festival in which all the dancers put their best foot forwards and matches their steps with the folk music. During the festival, the stage displays the various forms of folk dances, music, and ethnic dances. Also, one can see the beautiful collections of fans and handicrafts made by the tribal community of Madhya Pradesh. This festival’s actual motive is to erase the geopolitical demarcations, make India a unified whole and to revive the year old tradition. Lokrang fest is organized by the Madhya Pradesh AdivasiLok Kala Academy.

Where: Bhopal

When: January

Duration of Festival: Four to Five Days

Special Attractions: Folk dance performances and exhibition

AkhilBhartiyaKalidas Samaroh

Writers, Poets from around the world come together in the march for seven brilliant days of poetry recitation, story reading, and cultural performances. Ujjain is the hometown of many eminent writers and poets like Kalidas, Pandit Surya Narayan Vyas, BalkaviBairagi, to name a few. The fest is organized to celebrate the work of the notable poet, Kalidas.

Several plays of Kalidas, related to different themes like socio-political and cultural are staged during the event. Here, tourists can also see many stalwarts’ performances by the budding writers. The fest is nothing less than a treat for eyes and ears.

Where: Ujjain

When: January

Duration of Festival: 7 days

Special Attractions: Poetry Recitation & Story Reading

Khajuraho Festival

Dance and music should be the middle name of Madhya Pradesh. One week long, Khajuraho dance festival is the manifestation of the true India’s dance forms. All the performances take places in an open air stage, right opposite to Chitragupta and Vishwanatha Temple. During this week-long cultural extravaganza, forms of dances are performed that have its roots in India. Here one can see the magnificent display of many art forms like Kathak, Bharathanatyam, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Manipuri and Kathakali. The temple shines like a star during the festival, especially its sinuous curves.

As per the Indian mythology, the god and goddesses were the great lovers of music, dance, vocal singing and instrumental music. Every year the feast is observed to pay tribute to the creators of this gigantic temple and to celebrate dancing spirit of India. Another major attraction of the festival is the open-air market. Here up for grabs are many artifacts, sculptures and many other crafts made by the best craftsmen in the town.

When: First week of February

Where: Khajuraho

Duration of Festival: Seven Days

Special Attractions: Dance Performances

BhagoriaHaat Festival

In the local language, the carnival is called as the festival of love. Celebrated with great pomp and show by the tribal people of Madhya Pradesh, BhagoriaHaat Festival is one of its kind in which young girls and boys have a right to elope after choosing their life partner. In this festival, a boy and girl put red powder on their partner’s face if they like each other. Further, they run away from the ground and parents can’t deny their relationship later on. On the other hand, if the girl refuses the proposal, the boy will run after to convince her for marriage. Some people even say that the festival is organized to celebrate the completion of harvesting.

When: March, Before Holi Festival

Where: West Nimar(Khargon) and Jhabua

Special Attraction: Festival of Love

Holi

Holi is celebrated just for two days on the last full moon day of the lunar moon. On days one, a bonfire is organized by the different temples. Day two is the time when the real extravaganza begins. On this day, people bid goodbye to winters and welcome the new season by coloring each other with colors and sharing sweets. Singing, dancing and the traditional beats of Dhol add to the gaiety of the occasion. Five days after Holi, Rang Panchami is celebrated by the tribal community of the state.

When: March, last full moon day of the lunar month

Where: All over Madhya Pradesh

Duration of Festival: 2 days

Special Attractions: Festivals of Colour

Ujjain KumbhMela

Ujjain is one of those places in India where KumbhMela takes place. The festival is organized four times in every twelve years in the four cities of India- Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain or Nasik. KumbhMela commemorates the victory of good in the battle of supremacy against the evil. A dip in the holy Shipra River washes away all the sins and ends the cycle of rebirth. Other then the ritual bathing, there are many other activities in which tourists can take part-devotional singing, debates about mythology and mass feeding to the people around. Attended by the millions of devotees, the festival speaks about the faith that dwells in every individual’s heart.

When: April to May; After every 12 Years. In 2016, the grand festivals will be organized in Ujjain

Where: Ujjain

Duration of Festival: One Month

MalwaUtsav

MalwaUtsav is one of the biggest, largest and most spectacular events in Madhya Pradesh. Dance and music performances are the most integral part of the festival. Performers from different parts of the world come to Indore & Ujjain to be part of this spectacular celebration of art, music, dance, drama and culture. One can even say that the festival is the storehouse of culture and dance. In the festival, one can see the rich amalgamation of different cultures and tradition coming together to form a spectacular event. In- additions, the festival exhibits art and craft material. One can also savour delectable delicacies at the event.

When: May

Where: Indore & Ujjain

Duration of the Festival: 2 days in Ujjain & 5 days in Indore

Special Attractions: Dance & Music Festival

Dussehra

If tourists happen to be in Madhya Pradesh during October or November, check whether they can coincide their trip with the huge Dushera celebration. The festival donates the victory of Ram, over the demon king Ravan. Unlike other states, here the festival is celebrated by burning the statue of demon Ravan. In fact here, the Ravan is worshiped as he is personified as a symbol of prosperity and regarded as a savior by Kanyakubja Brahmins. Kanyakubja is a Brahmin community to which Ravan believed to belong. A week long fest called DusheraMela is organized prior to the festival. During the festival, processions take place, accompanied by the spectacular firework. One can see multiple stalls during the fest that offers some scrumptious delights.

When: October or November

Where: All around Madhya Pradesh

Duration of Festival: 1 day

Special Attractions: Firework

Nagaji Fair

Mainly celebrated in the tribal area of Madhya Pradesh, Fair of Nagaji is celebrated to remember the great saint, Saint Nagaji. He is being paid respect through this fair who lived about 400 years ago during Mughal Emperor Akbar’s reign. Earlier, monkey trade used to take place during the festival and nowadays, only domestic animal trading takes place. Other than trading, many cultural and traditional events also take places during the festival. Musical performances by the tribal group are the eye-candy of the festival.

When: November or December

Where: Murena

Duration of the Festival: month long

Special Attractions: Tribal Dance Performances

Diwali/ Deepawali

A visit to the heart of India during the Diwali festival is an unexpected and delightful experience. Like other states in India, the festival is celebrated with zeal and vigor in Madhya Pradesh. Every Nook and corner of Madhya Pradesh is illuminated with colorful lights creating a kaleidoscopic against the backdrop of the dark sky. Madhya Pradesh is home to India’s largest tribal population. In some parts of the state, the traditional tribal festival is performed to mark the commencement of the festival.

Diwali is a festival of joy, splendour and is celebrated for five long days. On the first and second day, Dhanteras is celebrated. On the third day, the main festival takes place where people pray Goddess Lakshmi and burn crackers. The fourth day is a celebration of Govardhan puja. Finally on last day, BhaiDooj is celebrated. This day marks the end of five days Diwali celebration.

When: October or November: 15th day of Kartika (October/November) in the Hindu calendar

Where: All around Madhya Pradesh

Duration of Festival: Four Days

Special Attractions: Festival of lights, firework, exchange of sweets

Chethiyagiri Vihara Festival

One can see the massive moment of Buddhist monks and followers during the Chethiyagiri Vihara Festival to Sanchi. People come here to see the relics of the two great disciples of the Buddha, Sariputta, and Mahamogallena. All these relics were founded in the stupa no 3 of Sanchi in the year 1853. Nowadays, these artifacts of great Buddhist people are displayed just for this festival and pilgrims come from around the world to pay homage to them. These relics were endowed in the stupa no 3 of Sanchi in the year 1853.

When: End of November

Where: Sanchi

Duration of Festival: 1 day

Special Attractions: Ancient Buddhist relics on display

Tansen Samaroh or Tansen Sangeet Samaroh

If the sole purpose of coming to India is just to hear some soulful rhythms of classical and folk music than Tansen Musical Festival is a wonderful platform. The festival is the oldest and one of the best musical festivals in India and is a tribute to legendary musical maestro Tansen. Music legend Tansen was one of the nine gems of Akbar’s court and took folk music to a new level by composing eloquent ragas. During the festival, musical personages gather under Tansen Tomb and do make musical performances for four days. The fest acts as an amazing platform for new comers to perform their best in front of the world.

When: December

Where: Behat Village, Gwalior

Duration of Festival: 4 days

Special Attractions: Indian Classical Vocal and Musical performances

PachmarhiUtsav

PachmarhiUtsav is held every last week of December, feature the best of folk art from Madhya Pradesh and all over India, with demonstration, workshop, and exhibition. For five days, every evening a cultural evening is organized that feature artists of national and international repute. There are also many stalls inside the festival that serves scrumptious food. Inside the exhibition, the things on display are carpets, bamboo, dress materials, and sculptures produced specially by the local people. So, plan a trip to Madhya Pradesh in such a way that tourists can savour the essence of the festival.

Where: Pachmarhi

When: December

Duration of Festival: 5-6 days

Special Attractions: Exhibition, Cultural Festival

Madhya Pradesh is a land of celebration. In the heart of India, every day is a festival. Here, one can see more of dance and cultural festival other than the traditional ones. The list of festivals is just not ended.

MalwaUtsav

When: May

Where: Indore & Ujjain

Duration of the Festival: 2 days in Ujjain & 5 days in Indore

Special Attractions: Dance & Music Festival

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