If you have missed visiting one of the popular traditional fairs of Gujarat — Taranetar — you can now pack your bags and head towards Siddhpur.
If you have missed visiting one of the popular traditional fairs of Gujarat — Taranetar — you can now pack your bags and head towards Siddhpur, which is just two and half hour drive from Ahmedabad.
For, the state government has decided to develop and project Siddhpur as a religious-cultural centre and popularise its Siddhpur's Kartik Poornima Fair, which is similar to Tarnetar.
Moreover on the lines of the annual 'Tana-Riri Music Festival' at Vadnagar, a yearly cultural programme 'Matru Vandana' will be organised at Siddhpur beginning from November 2010.
Talking about the programme, state tourism minister Jay Narayan Vyas said, "Siddhpur is the only place in the country, where one can perform 'Matru Tarpan or Matru Shraddh' (a homage to departed souls of female ancestors). The place is one of its kind in the country. It has Bindu Sarovar — one of the five holy lakes described in religious scriptures."
The tourism minister also represents Siddhpur assembly constituency in the Gujarat legislative assembly.
"We will project Siddhpur as a religious and cultural tourism spot. A three-day annual cultural event called 'Matru Vandana' will be organised every year at Siddhpur starting from this year," he said.
Sharing details about the cultural event, Anip Patel, secretary of the Gujarat Pavitra Yatradham Vikas Board said Matru Vandana' will be an annual event starting from November 2010. "This year the 3-day festival will be organised from November 27 to 29," he said.
He added that a dance-drama base based on motherhood, folk music, light musical programmes and plays depicting historical facts associated with Siddhpur will be performed on the first two days.
On the last day 'Muktidham' — a play by Smriti Irani will be performed at Siddhpur's Bindu Sarovar. Apart from this, the state government also plans to project Siddhpur's Kartik Poornima Fair as another colourful public festival, just like Tarnetar.
"A fair is organised every year at Siddhpur during the full moon of Kartik month. The belief behind the fair is that underground streams of Ganga and Yamuna meet with the waters of the river Saraswati on the eve of Kartik Sud Poornima. This is considered holy and several pilgrims visit the place," said Vyas.
He further said that some of the water from the dam will be released into the Saraswati river.
"Apart from Ganga and Yamuna, this year, we will create confluence of seven holy rivers during the fair, by bringing water from six rivers and pouring it in the Saraswati. Horse and camel shows will also be part of the event," he said.
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