India GO
Kawant Fair: a day of Rathwa dancing after Holi
White-dotted dancers circling all day to double flutes and drums
The Kawant fair (Kavant, or the Gher mela) is a single day in Kawant village, Chhota Udepur district, in eastern Gujarat, a few days after Holi. Adivasi people from about twenty-five villages, and from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, come for it; Rathwa and Bhil men painted in white dots, with peacock-feather plumes and bamboo hats, dance in circles from mid-morning until dusk. Next date: 25 March 2027 (expected). It is free and open, but it is a community gathering, not a show.
The day follows Holi; the Chhota Udepur district administration and Gujarat Tourism post the date in February or March.
The legend
The Kawant fair comes soon after Holi in Chhota Udepur district, drawing Adivasi people from twenty-five villages and from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
The Rathwa honour Babo Pithora, an all-present god believed to ride a horse, so clay horses are offered to him.
The white dots on the dancers' bodies echo the pithora paintings on the walls of Rathwa homes.
Customs
Feathers and dots
Young men cover their bodies in white dots and wear peacock-feather plumes, coloured bamboo hats and ghughra bells at the neck.
Double flute
They dance in circles to the jodia pava double flute, the dhol and the piho, all day until dusk.
Clay horses
At the shrine outside the village people leave clay horses and figures of deities, believed to please the god.
Where to celebrate
Kawant
One day in Kawant when Rathwa and Bhil men, painted in white dots and crowned with feathers, dance in circles to double flutes and drums from mid-morning until dusk.
What happens on the day
From mid-morning the whole village turns into the fair: dance circles form in the streets and on open ground, with stalls alongside. The young men's white dots echo the pithora paintings on the walls of Rathwa homes, and many wear ghughra bells at the neck. The music is the jodia pava (a double flute), the dhol drum and the piho, and the circles keep going until dusk. The middle of the day is when the dancing is fullest.
Outside the village is a shrine where people leave clay horses and figures of deities. The Rathwa honour Babo Pithora, an all-present god believed to ride a horse, and the clay horses are offered to him in thanks. The fair is also part of social life: families meet, and marriage prospects are discussed here.
How the date is set
The fair follows Holi, so it moves with the lunar calendar and usually falls in March: next, 25 March 2027 (expected). Gujarat Tourism and Incredible India place it right after the third day of Holi, which puts it three or four days after Holika Dahan, the bonfire night of Holi. The Chhota Udepur district administration and Gujarat Tourism post the confirmed date in February or March, so check it before booking.
Getting there and where to stay
Kawant is a village, so plan the night before in Chhota Udepur town.
- By train to Vadodara
Vadodara is the nearest main railway station and the nearest airport; Kawant is roughly 100–115 km from the city. Book the train about a month ahead.
- Sleep in Chhota Udepur
The town is about 25 km from Kawant by road and has basic hotels and a few homestays linked to the families who paint pithora. The nearest heritage stays are the palace hotels at Chhota Udepur and Jambughoda. A month ahead is enough, but the choice is thin.
- Arrive the night before
The dancing starts in the morning, so get to Chhota Udepur the evening before and drive out early.
Etiquette and photography
Visitors come from far away, some from abroad, but the fair belongs to the villages. The rules are the ones of any village festival.
- Watch from the edge — Stand at the edge of a dance circle and do not step into it unless you are invited.
- Ask before every photograph — Ask each dancer, each time, and accept a no.
- Leave the offerings alone — The clay horses at the shrine are offerings to Babo Pithora, not props for a picture.
Combine it with
In Chhota Udepur itself, look for pithora wall paintings and the Sunday tribal haats (weekly markets). Across the border in Madhya Pradesh, the Bhagoria haats fill the week before Holi.
FAQ
When is the Kawant fair?
Next: 25 March 2027 (expected). It is one day a few days after Holi, usually in March; the district administration and Gujarat Tourism confirm the date in February or March.
Where is Kawant?
In Chhota Udepur district of eastern Gujarat, about 25 km from Chhota Udepur town and roughly 100–115 km from Vadodara.
Who dances at the Kawant fair?
Rathwa and Bhil men from about twenty-five villages, painted in white dots and wearing peacock-feather plumes, dancing to the jodia pava double flute and the dhol.
Is the Kawant fair free?
Yes. There are no tickets; you watch from the streets and the edges of the dance circles.
Can I take photos at the Kawant fair?
Yes, but ask before every photograph and accept a refusal. Do not step into the dance circles for a shot.
Facts checked: 22 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.