Dangs Darbar is an annual festival celebrated in the
Dangs district, located in the Saputara Hills of India. The district is
inhabited by the tribal people, who have lived in the region's woods and
highlands since times memorial. This makes Dangs Darbar, essentially a
tribal festival of Gujarat. The exact venue of Dangs Darbar is Ahwa, a
small town in Dangs. The festival is celebrated just a few days before
the festival of Holi. During the British era, a darbar (assembly) of the
kings and the emperors of neighboring areas was organized here at Ahwa.
With time, this darbar changed its nature as well as name. Today, it is
called the Jamabandi Darbar and the District Collector presides over it.
The tribal natives constitute nearly three-fourth of the population. As
a result, the festival has become significant and is celebrated with
great zeal. Thousands of tribal people from across the district move to
Ahwa for the celebrations. Some of them even carry shehnai and drums,
which they play on their way to the town. All of them are dressed in
bright colorful clothes.
Men usually wear a loincloth, a waistcoat and a colorful turban around
the head. Women wear sari and a blouse. They team it with numerous
silver ornaments of which they are very fond. Dang Darbar also provides
a great opportunity for the local merchants to mint money. Merchants
from as far away as Nasik, Surat and West Khandesh visit the place in
aspiration of good business. The education department of the region
organizes folk dances, Ras and Garba programs, songs and dramas for the
entertainment of the visitors.
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