Culture of Gujarat
The wedding day begins with the Mangal Vadya, the playing of Shehnai (a traditional wind instrument) and Dhol (Indian drum).
Kanya Daan is performed by the father (or uncle or guardian) of the bride in the presence of a large gathering that is invited to witness the wedding.
Samagree, consisting of crushed sandalwood, herbs, sugar, rice, ghee (clarified butter), and twigs, is offered into the sacred fire to seek God's blessings for the couple.
Its roots lay from the days of Lord Krishna, who played raas on the shores of Yamuna river on a moonlit night with his beloved Gopis.
Well-known laureates of Gujarati literature are Hemchandracharya, Narsinh Mehta, Mirabai, Akho, Premanand Bhatt, Shamal Bhatt, Dayaram, Dalpatram, Narmad, Govardhanram Tripathi, Mahatma Gandhi, K. M. Munshi, Umashankar Joshi, Suresh Joshi, Pannalal Patel, and Rajendra Keshavlal Shah .
A huge contribution to Gujarati language literature came from the Swaminarayan paramhanso, like Bramhanand, Premanand, with prose like Vachanamrut and poetry in the form of bhajans.
Sant Dadu Dayal (1554–1660) a saint-poet and a major Bhakti figure from Ahmedabad, treated equally both Rama as names of God and became popular in Northern India.
[12] From Gujarat, it spread north to Kashmir,[13] South to Tamil Nadu,[14] East to Nepal[15] (where the Pashupatinath Temple stills exist popularly.)
Shrimad Rajchandra was a Jain poet, philosopher, scholar, and reformer, best known for his teachings on Jainism and as a spiritual guide of Mahatma Gandhi.
Parsis migrated from Greater Iran to Gujarat and Sindh between the 8th and 10th century CE to avoid the persecution of Zoroastrians following the Muslim conquest of Persia.
[21] The urine of the bull, called "nirang," is brought to the house of an orthodox Parsi every morning and is (like cow milk) applied to the face, hands, and feet.
(p. 185 An Advanced History of India By Ramesh Chandra Majumdar, Kalikinkar Datta, Hemchandra Raychaudhuri) The Sufi saints are very popular in Gujarat.
Shaykh Makhu was a Sufi saint of the Shattari lineage (p. 185 An Advanced History of India By Ramesh Chandra Majumdar, Kalikinkar Datta, Hemchandra Raychaudhuri).
When the puja (prayer ceremony), Naga Bavas (naked sages) living nearby move towards the fair seated on elephants, holding flags and blowing conch shells.
Special stalls sell idols, rosaries, or holy beads (brought by vendors from Ayodhya and Mathura), utensils of brass and copper, sweets, and fruits.
Thousands of tribal people flock to Ahwa from all over the district, dressed in bright colours, sounding the Shehnai, and beating their drums.
The name of the fair is derived from Chitrangada and Vichitraviraya, the sons of King Shantanu, who are believed to have lived there and been cured of diseases which afflicted them.
Women don ghaghras (embroidered skirts), which have a circumference of as much as 20 yards (18 m) and are covered from head to foot with ornate and heavy silver jewellery.
Around 40 km from Bhuj, it is known for the samadhi of the famous saint Mekran Dada who served the community with great love and dedication and won their devotion.
The small hamlet of Tarnetar, about 75 kilometers from Rajkot, is the site for one of Gujarat's most well-known annual fairs, held here during the first week of Bhadrapad (September–October).
This fair is primarily a "marriage mart" or "Swayamvar" for the tribal youth of today who still visit Tarnetar, to find them a suitable bride.
Like all important tribal fairs, it is attended by tribes from the adjoining areas who indulge in dancing, competitive sports, and other such forms of entertainment.
These pilgrims come in groups, singing devotional songs and carrying religious banners to have a darshan (worship) of the deity at the Shamlaji Temple.
The Shamlaji Temple is a renowned Vaishnav Shrine, and the deity housed here is known by various names included Gadadhar (bearer of the mace) and Shaksi Gopal.
The fair is also popular with the tribal people of the area, particularly the Bhils, who revere Shamlaji, the deity they refer to as "Kalio Bavji", the dark divinity.
Popular belief associates the village with the Swayamwar (marriage) of Draupadi after Arjun performed the Mastsyavedh, an unparalleled feat of archery.
Famous Saint Narsimh Mehta write Hundi on the name of Shmalia Sheth in the time of his distress, a type of promissory note which was honored by Shree Krishna.
The Kite Flying Festival takes place in mid-January and marks the time when the sun's direct rays reach the Tropic of Capricorn after the winter solstice.
People of Gujarat gather on terraces to fly kites of various colours to celebrate Makar Sakranti or Uttrayana, the welcome to the sun after the cold winter months.
Sweets Snacks Pulses (Dals)Kadhi Vegetables The chewing of the betel leaf, known as paan in Gujarati, is part of many Asian cultures, especially those of China and Vietnam.
