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Festivals

Hariyali Amavasya Mela 2019: Udaipur’s way of welcoming Monsoon

If you have ever heard about Udaipur, its culture and traditions, there are hardly any chances you haven’t heard about the Mela (fair) of Hariyali Amavasya. Hariyali means greenery while Amavasya refers to the no-moon day as per Hindi terminology. It is a festival to rejoice rains due to which the earth gets covered with a blanket of greenery. Every year this festival is celebrated with high energy and enthusiasm in the Mewar region. There are many rituals associated with this fest, and people in Northern states of India celebrates this with great fervor.

Hariyali Amavasya Mela 2019
Credits: Siddarth Nagar

 

As it is a known fact that rains are considered as blessings of God and to show gratitude towards nature and its blessings, people celebrate Hariyali Amavasya to welcome the onset of monsoon. Like Rajasthan it is also celebrated in other Northern states of India such as Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra. In Maharashtra it is celebrated as ‘Gatari Amavasya’, in Andhra Pradesh as ‘Chukkala Amavasya’ and in Orissa it is known as ‘Chitalagi Amavasya’. As with the names, the rituals and traditions vary in different parts of the country, but the spirit of celebrations remains same.

Hariyali Amavasya Mela 2019
Credits: Siddarth Nagar

Being an Udaipurite I still remember, how eagerly as kids we used to wait for this day. The chief thing that attracted us the most about this festival was the Mela (fair) and which still is. We eagerly used to wait for this day which was marked by a school holiday and it was customary to visit the fair to enjoy rides and food with family. Everywhere you could see, are the vibrant colors, the bustling crowd and the vendors shouting out loud. While the women folks mainly loved to shop at the fair stalls, however, we as kids would make it sure not to miss out any of the rides and food was ofcourse our motto of life. The interesting part is, still after so many years nothing has really changed except the climatic changes.

 

Hariyali Amavasya Mela 2019
Credits: Siddarth Nagar

Let’s know some interesting facts about this Mela:

  • It is believed that the first Hariyali Amavasya Mela was set up by Maharana Fateh Singh, to celebrate the completion of a reservoir near Dewali pond, which eventually became a tradition and is still continuing.
  • Hariyali Amavasya is a two day celebration where the last day is usually reserved for women.
  • Like any other festival, this festive fair is not confined to a particular religion but gathers people from all the religion, class and castes which is certainly a mark of cultural integration.
  • The famous dish of Rabdi-Malpua is the showstopper of this mela. Most people just visit to palate the renowned dish which is also considered as a monsoon cuisine by locals.
  • Public places such as Moti Magri, Saheliyon ki Baari etc which usually have an entrance fee during other days of the year are kept free for these two days.
  • The Mela is more of interest to the tribals and rural crowd near Udaipur region, who comes up in huge crowd in traditional costumes and jewelry.
  • Also elderly folks of this region have a strong belief, that it will definitely rain on the day of Hariyali Amavasya.
  • The wooden sword wrapped with colorful papers, a colorful feathered hat and small trumpets of paper called Poopadi in native language are the souvenirs which validate your presence at Mela.
  • Women collectively pray for good rainfall and bountiful harvest.
  • Green is the color of the day and ladies in the Mewar region wear green which represent their love for nature.
  • Several schools and social groups & organizations celebrate it a day before, organizing cultural programs.
  • It is considered auspicious to plant a sapling on this day which is also having religious significance as per Hindu community.

This year Hariyali Amavasya will be observed on 1st of August, which will also be a collector declared holiday for schools, colleges and all government organizations. Observing the increasing popularity of this festival among domestic and international tourists,efforts are also made by Municipal Corporation of Udaipur to have this historic fair registered in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Hariyali Amavasya Mela 2019
Credits: Siddarth Nagar

While the festival is the time to rejuvenate and rejoice, there is an increasing threat as well from past few year, about depleting rainfall and vanishing forests in the Aravali region. As true Udaipurites lets join hands to protect our environment and trees so that our future generations could also enjoy this historic Mela.

Categories
Festivals

Hariyali Amavasya – Welcoming Greenery and Monsoon

haryali amavasya udaipur

Haryali Amavasya – A perfect green day for recreation and enjoyment in Udaipur. The
 beautiful festival is round the corner, waiting for a splendid welcome 
by us on 30th of this very rainy month. As the name suggest, it is 
celebrated on first amavasya of ‘saawan’ to celebrate the lush greenery
 of Udaipur.

 Haryali amavasya is a day of extreme importance for us as it traces its
 path from the past. The kings of Udaipur considered it as an
 auspicious day and used to put on a fair for the common people of and around Udaipur. The fair gathers all the people together acting as a means of national
 integration. Being a traditional fair, the tradition is followed unbroken till date.

There is a huge festive fair that begins from Saheliyon ki Bari and spreads its 
glories till Fatehsagar. The various places midway are open for the people for free like Moti Magri, Saheliyon ki Bari. The loud noise and screams of the vendors fill this
 fair with extreme energy.
Guess what adds taste to this vibrating festival??  
Yes!! The very famous “Rabri Malpua”  😀 of Udaipur. Adding to the life and color of this festive fair are ‘poopadia’, ‘paani ke gubbare’, colorful caps, chat-pakoda stalls, and various high rides and swings. Traditional songs, dance, food and costume escalate the verve of hariyali amavasya celebrations.

The fair is continued to next day but is restricted only till female 
folks. The vibrant colors of the costumes and ethnic jewellery
 catch the attention of all the beautiful ladies. A special care is 
taken, that the joyous moments of these beauties are not stolen by the
 men. All the females of the city can walk around, dine with friend
and shop for themselves without any obstructions.

 This day is usually declared as an off for all the government offices and schools by the Collector of Udaipur City. In the plight of this, the various schools celebrate it a day before with
 colorful and energetic programs. The social clubs running in Udaipur 
celebrate this amavasya with enthusiasm and excitement through
 execution of various cultural programs including tree plantation and
 enjoying the feast together. Many delicious food items are cooked at homes also and families are seen enjoying Garma Garam Pakodas and boiling hot tea with roasted Corn at Fatehsagar.

The festival just adds to the unforgettable memories. The light scatters from the rain drops and spreads the feeling of brotherhood, humanity and love for the tradition.

 But let’s not forget our duty and love for our very own city. This charming city belongs to us and being fellow citizens it is our responsibility to encourage cleanliness and spread the word of hygiene all over. It is seen very often that a traditional event is well 
followed by the usual sight of littering roads, thrown wrappers and
 peels of fruits which leads to various kinds of fatal diseases like
 malaria and cholera. The beautiful lakeside is seen carrying rubbish
 on the surface of water which masks its sparkling blue color. It’s a humble 
request to all the Udaipies to keep the city clean, green and beautiful. Contribute in the best possible way to take care of cleanliness of this heaven on earth.

 Let’s unite, rejuvenate and enjoy this festive season to the fullest!! 🙂

Article By : Himani Sethiya Contributed by: Chani Soni and Edited By: Palak Jain

:: Here are a Few Pictures of Last Year’s Celebration by Yash Sharma ::

haryali amavasya udaipur

haryali amavasya

haryali amavasya