Event: Vautha Mela
Location: Vautha, near Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Occasion: Celebrated on Kartik Purnima (full moon night of the Kartik month, usually in November)
Duration: 3 – 5 days
Religious Significance: Holy dips at Saptasangam and worship at Siddhanath Temple
Cultural Highlights: Folk music, Garba and Dandiya performances, storytelling, craft stalls, and glowing river lamps at night
Visitors: Attracts thousands of devotees, farmers, traders, and tourists from across Gujarat and neighbouring states
About Vautha Mela
The Vautha Mela is held annually in Vautha village, Gujarat, beginning a few days before Kartik Purnima and continuing until the full moon night. This mela is also popularly known as Gujarat’s largest donkey fair. Visitors not only take part in the fair but also follow rituals like taking holy dips at the Saptasangam, offering prayers at the Siddhanath temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, and floating lamps on the river in evening to honour the deities.
The history of Vautha Fair Gujarat is deeply rooted in fascinating local legends. One tale links its origin to a yagna performed by Sage Vashishta at the sacred river confluence. However another folk tale associates it with Lord Kartikeya, who is believed to have visited the site on the full moon night of Kartik. The fair is held at the confluence of the Sabarmati and Vatrak rivers and has been in existence for nearly five centuries.
Vautha Fair Location
Vautha Mela is held in Vautha village, located in Dholka Taluka of Ahmedabad district, Gujarat. The village sits near the confluence of the Sabarmati and Vatrak rivers, an area known locally as Saptasangam.
Surrounded by rural landscapes and accessible via road and rail from Ahmedabad, Vautha becomes a bustling hub during the mela.
How To Reach Vautha
By Air: The nearest airport to Vautha village is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (AMD) in Ahmedabad, which has regular flights connecting major Indian cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai. The approximate flight duration is around 2 hours 30 minutes. From the airport you can take a taxi or hire a car to drive to Vautha village.
By Road: Vautha is a small village in the Dholka region, 65 kilometers away from Ahmedabad. You can reach there by taking a bus or driving from Ahmedabad to Vautha which takes around 2.5 hours from the city.
By Train: The nearest railway station to Vautha is Ahmedabad Junction, located about 62 km away. From there visitors can reach the fair site conveniently by taking a State Transport bus or hiring a local taxi in about 1.30 hours to 2 hours.
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