Madhavpur Mela as it was kept in 2026.
Next date: 15 April 2027Madhavpur Mela 2026
Thursday, 26 March 2026, in Ahmedabad
FairGujarati · Hindu
Madhavrai no Melo
Panchang on the day
26
Thursday
Waxing Eighth
until 11:49
Gemini
- કKa
- છChha
- ઘGha
Puja time
11:31 to 13:59
At midday, IST
- Sunrise
- 06:37
- Sunset
- 18:54
- Moonrise
- 12:28
- Nakshatra
- Ardra
- until 16:19
- Yoga
- Shobhana
- until 00:31 next day
- Karana
- Bava
- until 11:49
- Rahu Kalam 14:17 to 15:49
- Yamaganda 06:37 to 08:09
- Abhijit muhurat 12:21 to 13:10
Why this date
Chaitra Waxing Ninth, taken at midday
Runs from 26 Mar 11:49 IST to 27 Mar 10:07 IST.
In short
Five days at Madhavpur Ghed for a wedding: Krishna and Rukmini, married on the beach where she was brought.
The story
Madhavpur Mela celebrates the marriage of Krishna and Rukmini on the coast of Gujarat near Porbandar. In the Bhagavata narrative Rukmini wishes to marry Krishna, but her brother Rukmi favours Shishupala. She secretly sends Krishna a letter asking him to take her away before the planned wedding. Krishna arrives, takes her with him and faces the opposition that pursues them. The scripture does not independently prove that the wedding took place at Madhavpur.
Local tradition places the wedding at Madhavpur and reenacts it with mandap installation, a ceremonial procession, marriage rites and farewell. Gujarat Tourism documents a fair commonly spanning Chaitra Shukla Navami through Trayodashi. Local cultural traditions also connect Rukmini's family with communities in Northeast India, including the Mishmi; these are heritage associations, not proven genealogy.
The fair includes Gujarat and northeastern states' dances, music, handicrafts and food alongside temple ceremonies. The present database rule marks Navami only, not the complete five-day celebration. Annual ritual dates should follow the published temple programme.
Why it matters
Almost no Hindu festival re-enacts a marriage over several days with the whole town as the wedding party. This one does, and the deity is a bridegroom rather than a king.
What people do
The maandvo goes up on the first day and the fera are on the fourth. The procession ends at the sea.
Told differently elsewhere
Madhavpur near Porbandar, Gujarat, with participation from northeastern states. Fair spans Chaitra Navami to Trayodashi in tourism schedules.
Questions people ask
- When is Madhavpur Mela in 2026?
- On Thursday, 26 March 2026 in India. Runs from 26 Mar 11:49 IST to 27 Mar 10:07 IST.
- Why does the date change every year?
- It is kept by the lunar calendar, so its day on the civil calendar moves from year to year.
- Is the date the same everywhere?
- Yes. It is kept everywhere on the day it falls on in Porbandar.
