Shamlaji Fair

The Shamlaji Fair is one of the largest and most colourful temple fairs in Gujarat — held around Kartik Purnima (November) at the ancient Shamlaji temple, on the banks of the Meshvo river in Aravalli district. Shamlaji is a revered shrine of Vishnu (worshipped here as Shamlaji or Gadadhar), a pilgrimage centre of great antiquity. Each Kartik Purnima, the temple draws an enormous gathering — pilgrims who come to bathe in the Meshvo and worship at the shrine, and, very prominently, the Bhil and other tribal communities of the Aravalli hills, for whom the fair is a major social and cultural occasion. For roughly two weeks the area becomes a vast fairground of devotion, trade, folk entertainment, rides and stalls. The fair beautifully blends mainstream Hindu pilgrimage with tribal culture — the Bhils revere Shamlaji as “Kaliyo Dev,” and the fair is a meeting of communities. The setting by the river, the ancient carved temple, and the sheer scale of the crowds make it a remarkable spectacle. For the visitor, the Shamlaji Fair is a vivid immersion in Gujarat’s living fair tradition — best experienced around Kartik Purnima, with respect for the pilgrims and the temple. (A major fair around Kartik Purnima at Shamlaji; pilgrimage and tribal gathering; huge crowds; on the Meshvo river.)