Spring festival with the Rathwa people

€1500 per person

A timeless 7-day trip that brings together the festivals of Bhagoriya, Holi and Kavant on the land of the Rathwa adivasi community

This journey is divided into three stages:

Firstly, you will go to two different villages on the border of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat to witness the last two days of the Bhagoria fair which celebrates the arrival of spring, the end of the harvest and love, because Bhagoria is also a marriage fair!

Secondly, you will celebrate Holika and Holi in several villages near Chhota Udepur, within the Rathwa community. Here, Holi is not celebrated with colors, but with very special rituals: ecstatic dances, fire walks and wishing turnstiles! During the visit of the villages, you will also be able to admire the Pithora mural art in traditional houses and you will meet the Lakharas, the Pithora painters.

Thirdly, you will attend the Kavant festival which is held in the village of the same name, the end point of the Holi festivities. During this day, troupes of Rathwa men and women make circumambulations around the city punctuated by large percussions and the sound of flutes. Among these groups, those of men with white dotted faces and long peacock feather hats are the most anticipated!

INCLUDED

The price indicated above is an estimate. As we only do tailor-made products, this budget depends on several factors (choice of services, number of people, type of car, time of year, inflation, etc.); the final price is that of your personalized (free) quote obtained after an in-depth discussion with you.

THIS STAY INCLUDES:

Accommodation in double occupancy in a boutique 3* hotel
Breakfasts
A dinner with a Rathwa family
All transport by innova car with private driver (all costs included)
Interstate taxes
All airport – hotel transfers
Local English-speaking guide throughout the stay
24/7 concierge service, we are in constant contact with you.

NOT INCLUDED

THE PRICE OF THE TRIP DOES NOT INCLUDE:

International flights
Domestic flights
Visa fees
Bank charges
Travel insurance (compulsory)
Meals other than those mentioned in included.
Drinks
Any arrangement not included in the program resulting in additional costs (change of itineraries, hospitalization, etc.).
Any personal expenses.
Tips.

PERSONALISE THIS TRIP

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Spring festival with the Rathwa people €1500

A timeless 7-day trip that brings together the festivals of Bhagoriya, Holi and Kavant on the lands of the Rathwa adivasi community in the states of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh

7 days

Day 1

Vadodara - Jambughoda

Welcome to Gujarat! Kemcho? Our representative will meet you at Vadodara airport, then we will go to Jambughoda Palace where you will stay throughout your stay (if Chhota Udepur Palace opens its doors again, you will be staying there).

Day 2

Jambughoda - Village of Madhya Pradesh - Jambughoda

Today, with a guide from the Rathwa community, you will travel to a village located on the border of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat to witness the penultimate day of the Bhagoria festival. You will visit its funfair and its haats (tribal markets) and will be able to observe groups of ghairiya musicians and Rathwa women parading through the streets in flamboyant traditional clothes.

Day 3

Jambughoda - Village of Madhya Pradesh - Jambughoda

On this third day, we will leave for another Rathwa village to attend the last day of the Bhagoria festival.

Day 4

Jambughoda - Chhota Udepur (HOLIKA)- Jambughoda

Today you will discover a little more about the Rathwa culture by visiting their places of worship where various terracotta animal deities are offered for the fulfillment of a wish.

Then, you will meet the Lakharas, the artists of the Pithora murals and you will visit several old houses which are adorned with these sacred frescoes.

In the evening, you will attend the Holika ceremony in a Rathwa village where, after several rituals, the women of the village and the Badwa (priest) dance around a bonfire, throwing grains of wheat into the flames.

You will then be invited to have a meal with a Rathwa family in the same village.

Day 5

Jambughoda - Chhota Udepur (HOLI) - Jambughoda

In the morning, you will visit the Chhota Udepur Tribal Museum which gives a very informative insight into the lifestyle and traditions of the indigenous people of the region (Rathwa and Bhils in particular).

Then, after lunch, you will witness Holi rituals in the city. Here there is no color battle, but fire walks to grant wishes and ecstatic dances around the embers of Holika.

You will then go to another village where another Holi custom is held. A man clings to a rope attached to a huge wooden turnstile which rotates at full speed so that a wish there too is fulfilled.

Day 6

Jambhugoda - Kavant - Jambhugoda

The Kavant festival somehow closes the Holi festivities. The crowd is compact; entire villages come to attend the fair. Several troupes of dancers and musicians will parade through the city all day. The most anticipated are the dancers with their faces painted with white dots and high peacock feather hats...

Day 7

Jambhugoda - Vadodara

It’s already the end of these timeless festivities. We drop you off at Vadodara Airport... Unless you wish to continue the adventure with us to other secret places in Gujarat. Namaskaram...