Madhavpur Ghed Mela resonates the spirit and ethos of Vibrant Gujarat: Assam CM

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma penned down his experience of his recent visit to Gujarat’s famed Madhavpur Gher Mela, in the July 2022 edition of the booklet on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mann Ki Baat program, encapsulating the glorious traditions, culture and inner vitality of India. 

What can be called as calm and serene yet a magnificent escapade, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma wonderfully narrates his journey from Assam to Gujarat and then from Porbandar to Madhavpur running parallel to the Arabian Sea that resonates the spirit and ethos of ‘Vibrant Gujarat’.

“As a minister for nearly two decades and now as Chief Minister, I have had the privilege of visiting many places within the state, country and also to some countries abroad. During such visits, I learn and understand many facets of the culture, society and people of the places visited,” writes Assam CM in his article.

Bringing forth the shared cultural, historical and mythological connections which Assam and Gujarat share, Assam CM further adds, “Throughout my journey, many mythological stories come to my mind. It was the soil of Madhavpur of Gujarat where Lord Krishna married to Rukmini Devi, the daughter of Northeast India. I considered myself privileged to be able to bow to this ‘Dhanya Punya Bhumi’, which is not only pious but has also given some of the greatest sons of this country – Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and in recent times Shri Narendra Modi JI, to name a few.”

Drawing parallels with Assam where many fairs and cultural events mark the yearly cultural calendar, the Chief Minister further highlights the cultural manifest that one sees while visiting the Northeastern state. “My state Assam is also famous for its fairs and festivals. The Ambubachi Fair, colloquially called Ambubachi Mela, takes place annually at the premises of Kamakhya Temple situated on the Nilachal Hills in Guwahati. This fair is a unique cultural and spiritual congregation of devotees from across the country. My visit to Madhavpur Ghed Mela in Gujarat, however helped me to realize that the essence of our country lies in unity in diversity.”

Praising the cultural exponent displayed in the Ghed Mela, CM Sarma further praises for its professional organisation and yet keeping the traditional essence intact, “True to the spirit of the state, the Madhavpur Ghed Mela was organized very professionally and my personal experience after visiting the Mela was simply unique. Moreover, the devotional ambience of the fair, the vibrant display of cultural traditions and the confluence of people of different backgrounds have really made the Mela an important event in the national tourist calendar.”

The Madhavpur Ghed Mela is being organized since 2018 in Gujarat’s Madhavpur, celebrating the sacred union of Lord Krishna and Rukmini.