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The women of Tarnetar

portrait indian tribal woman women girl tarnetar gujarat fair festival colourful face
This little girl was possibly the prettiest one there. I chased her for quite some time for a little glimpse.

Tarnetar is an annual fair which happens around the Tarnetar Shiva temple near Surendranagar, Gujarat in the month of September. Men and women from the surrounding areas come and look for a partner to get married. The festival is, in fact, women centric as they are the ones to pick the man whose umbrella they like the most. I won't get into the details and more could be read here.

portrait indian tribal woman women girl tarnetar gujarat fair festival colourful face
During the fair, the artisans also live close by. This woman cleaning after the afternoon meal...
portrait indian tribal woman women girl tarnetar gujarat fair festival colourful face
The bandit - bangle seller with a golden tooth
portrait indian tribal old woman women girl tarnetar gujarat fair festival colourful face
Such a beautiful old woman...she had such grace!
 
portrait indian tribal woman women girl tarnetar gujarat fair festival colourful face
Half scandalized by my camera focused on her, she also laughed constantly :)
portrait indian tribal woman women girl tarnetar gujarat fair festival colourful face
Mother-in-law/ daughter-in-law, or so I think!
portrait indian tribal woman women girl tarnetar gujarat fair festival colourful face
She gave me one of the brightest smiles for the day!

portrait indian tribal woman women girl tarnetar gujarat fair festival colourful face
Generally smiling, she went into a pensive mood when I started clicking
There is lots to talk about, yet I choose the women that I saw there to be the subject of this post. I spoke to many of them in my halting Gujarati, though most didn't understand one bit of it. They thought of me to be someone from the press or even better from USA (extremely common in Gujarat).

portrait indian tribal woman women girl tarnetar gujarat fair festival colourful face
This young woman posed for me like a professional! She had an intense gaze...
portrait indian tribal woman women girl tarnetar gujarat fair festival colourful face
The boisterous woman ignored me completely :)
portrait indian tribal woman women girl tarnetar gujarat fair festival colourful face
Apart from the yellow, pink and orange, green is the other very popular color!

I cannot do justice to them all in post, so there would be another follow up post with some more images. So often the images all look the same, but its far from the truth. Each face speaks its own story, each set of eyes hides its own set of secrets. Look carefully and you will see them all.

portrait indian tribal woman women girl tarnetar gujarat fair festival colourful face
A visitor, surprisingly in muted colors by the fair standards
portrait indian tribal woman women girl tarnetar gujarat fair festival colourful face
Another very beautiful woman...
portrait indian tribal woman women girl tarnetar gujarat fair festival colourful face
The water girl, serving water for free...
portrait indian tribal woman women girl tarnetar gujarat fair festival colourful face
Really liked her profile, didn't chase her as her husband was right next to her!
portrait indian tribal woman women girl tarnetar gujarat fair festival colourful face
A mother, so full of poise...
portrait indian tribal woman women girl tarnetar gujarat fair festival colourful face
She was beautiful, of course, yet her jewellery pulled me the most...

Comments

  1. Huginn & MuninnSeptember 9, 2011 at 2:44 PM

    so did you get married? :D

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  2. vishakhaSeptember 9, 2011 at 3:02 PM

    Amazing clicks sidd..loved them...waiting for ur next blog...n was expecting to have a look at the umbrella as well...:)

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  3. Anuradha ShankarSeptember 9, 2011 at 3:24 PM

    loved ur pics, but loved the idea of a 'marriage fair' more!

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  4. bijoy menonSeptember 9, 2011 at 3:39 PM

    Awesome collections of emotions and expressions sidd.. loved each n every pic in this post. :)

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  5. AnonymousSeptember 9, 2011 at 4:01 PM

    i just imagined you carrying the camera and clicking random women!! the first one is breathtaking she is sooooo sexy!! and yeah did you get married ;)
    [copied from the first comment]

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousSeptember 9, 2011 at 4:03 PM

    and just because you went to this length for photography :D you are my fav photographer now! and i tweeted your link xx

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  7. Siddhartha JoshiSeptember 9, 2011 at 4:39 PM

    @Ankush: Unfortunately I didn't :( As you are aware nothing till 2014 :)

    @Vishakha: Thank you dear, and I like your profile pic :) I hope the next set won't disappoint u!

    @Anu: Thanks, and even I like the marriage idea a lot! Especially because its the women who pick the men :)

    @Bijoy: Thanks buddy, and this time you were there to witness it all :)

    @Chintan: Not exactly random women, I clicked them after some little conversations with most of them in my broken Gujarati (which sent most of them into fits of laughter) :)

    Traveling for photography is one of the best things one can do :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. HalcyonSeptember 9, 2011 at 5:38 PM

    I love all the bright colors in their clothes! And you definitely caught some great smiles. I think each of these women has their own beauty. :)

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  9. JIMSeptember 9, 2011 at 5:50 PM

    Really really loved this!! Some great images you did such a great job with the faces. You caught such natural expressions, I loved the women who kept laughing, I have had that happen before lol.

    You have an excellent eye!!!! I started following you on Google!!!


    http://jpweddingphotograpy.blogspot.com/2011/09/remembering-9-11-with-images-of.html

    ReplyDelete
  10. R Niranjan DasSeptember 9, 2011 at 5:53 PM

    Well captured Sid. Each face speaks a thousand words.

    http://rajniranjandas.blogspot.com/2011/09/in-search-of-serenity.html

    ReplyDelete
  11. MAGSeptember 9, 2011 at 6:11 PM

    Awesome clicks and expressions...i liked "Another very beautiful woman..." the most..

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  12. UnknownSeptember 9, 2011 at 6:15 PM

    So Beautiful

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  13. ken belloSeptember 9, 2011 at 6:40 PM

    Some excellent portraits here. This is my first visit and it's very impressive.

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  14. MridulaSeptember 9, 2011 at 6:47 PM

    Strange are the ways of the world, marriage fair I mean!

    Lovely pictures.

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  15. Prashanth MSeptember 9, 2011 at 6:59 PM

    wonderful colors!!!

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  16. Saheer KumbleSeptember 9, 2011 at 7:03 PM

    life in pictures.. awesome blog

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  17. Savira GuptaSeptember 9, 2011 at 7:14 PM

    Their faces and smiles have much to say.... but it is hidden within them

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  18. TeamgsquareSeptember 9, 2011 at 7:55 PM

    So many wonderful capture .

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  19. Siddhartha JoshiSeptember 9, 2011 at 8:34 PM

    @Halycon: I agree they are all beautiful in their own captivating way...

    @Jim: Thanks a lot, I am glad that you liked the pictures :)

    @RNiranjanDas: Thank you :)

    @Manoj: Thanks man, the woman you liked was really pretty...

    @Divinity: Thank you :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Siddhartha JoshiSeptember 9, 2011 at 8:38 PM

    @kenbello: Thank you :)

    @Mridula: :), marriage fair is what pulled me to the place :)

    @PrashanthM: Thank you!

    @Shaeer: Thanks man!

    @Savira: I agree, faces reveal as well as hide so much...

    @Dhiraj: Thanks buddy :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. KPSeptember 9, 2011 at 11:02 PM

    Nice..
    Each face tells a story!

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  22. Fábio MartinsSeptember 10, 2011 at 3:26 AM

    Great portraits on that culture

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  23. KusumSeptember 10, 2011 at 4:43 PM

    Really? hmmm btw, did you carry an umbrella? Must be an interesting trip :)
    Very nice pictures indeed!

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  24. SridharanSeptember 10, 2011 at 10:48 PM

    Interesting..!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Nisha JhaSeptember 11, 2011 at 12:07 AM

    Yeah, I've heard of marriage fair but really, are the women this colorful because of fair? Don't think so.
    Your photos depict the women very well.

    Yes, i also want to know whether you carried an umbrella or not. :p

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  26. UnknownSeptember 11, 2011 at 9:03 PM

    What stunning collection of portraits! Wish I could have gotten such wonderful shots of people in India, but a hand waving as a 'no' was regularly shown to me and I truly respect that.

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  27. ShaanSeptember 12, 2011 at 10:25 PM

    Awesome shots, really loved them....

    By the way, here is my IndiVine post. Check it and if you like it then please Promote it too there on IndiVine.

    http://www.indiblogger.in/indipost.php?post=72607

    Thanks :)

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  28. SudhaSeptember 13, 2011 at 3:43 PM

    Loved all the pictures, particularly the "water girl"

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  29. Siddhartha JoshiSeptember 13, 2011 at 3:48 PM

    @KP: That's true, each face has a story...

    @Fabio: Absolutely! I am also trying to discover the culture through my travels...

    @Kusum: Haha...it was certainly an interesting trip :)

    @Sridharan: :)

    @Nisha: I don't think any of these women are dressed for marriage, in fact, that's an altogether different set of women and they always wear a red skirt.

    Women in this part of Gujarat are generally dressed colorfully, and I guess fairs are the time when everyone dresses in their best :)

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  30. Siddhartha JoshiSeptember 13, 2011 at 3:49 PM

    @JM: That's unfortunate, maybe because I am a local, people are more open with me. Also they find my antics funny and that helps in opening them up for a picture :)

    @Shaan: Thanks man!

    @Sudha: Thanks a lot :)

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  31. HijiBijBijSeptember 13, 2011 at 4:05 PM

    a little too late to comment...but nevertheless....the women you 'captured' are B-U-T-FUL! (beautiful)...awesome colors...love their jewellery...happy faces...happy women...loved it totally!

    P.S. you are still not married?!!!! *grins*

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  32. joshi danielSeptember 13, 2011 at 4:57 PM

    nice range of expressions and colorful!

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  33. The Floating CloudsSeptember 13, 2011 at 6:58 PM

    What a fabulous collection! You have sensitively captured women wearing different shades - of attire and expressions :)

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  34. Siddhartha JoshiSeptember 13, 2011 at 7:07 PM

    @Shruti: Its never too late :) Thank you for such a nice comment!

    @Daniel: Thank you :)

    @thefloatingclouds: Thank you, I am glad you enjoyed these!

    ReplyDelete
  35. ZebaSeptember 14, 2011 at 3:38 AM

    Okay. So I will comment. :-) Because these are such beautiful women and you have captured them so truthfully.

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  36. Siddhartha JoshiSeptember 14, 2011 at 7:04 AM

    Thank you Zeba :)

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  37. AnonymousSeptember 14, 2011 at 9:12 AM

    Awesome clicks!! The potraits are lively and very very attractive!
    Great Job, Siddhartha...

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  38. KathySeptember 15, 2011 at 10:28 AM

    is it tradition to have nose rings?

    love the girl from the distance photo. there's some sort of mystery in her eyes.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Siddhartha JoshiSeptember 15, 2011 at 10:33 AM

    @metagravity: Thanks a lot, I am glad you liked them!

    @Kathy: Nose rings are a tradition almost everywhere in India, and more so in the western regions. There are numerous varieties, from simple studs to huge ones supported by the ears as well...

    ReplyDelete
  40. Erratic ThoughtsSeptember 15, 2011 at 2:29 PM

    Oh these are such beautiful pics, I liked the water girl very very much, I find some mischief dancing in her eyes...
    Oh n I also liked the earings these women are wearing, very creative:)

    ReplyDelete
  41. Siddhartha JoshiSeptember 15, 2011 at 3:18 PM

    Thanks Mansi, I also really like the blue in the picture you talking about! She was also the first girl I clicked at the fair!

    ReplyDelete
  42. ArchSeptember 16, 2011 at 9:35 AM

    What strange niceties :) India in its exuberance, indeed!The girl serving water for free is like from a Sanjay Leela movie, so much blue :P And the colours, sheer love!

    Cheers,
    Arch

    ReplyDelete
  43. Siddhartha JoshiSeptember 16, 2011 at 9:39 AM

    I never quite looked at the girl that way, but surely there is lots of blue :) Maybe Bhansali would have made it into a night fair to add the darkness...that would be quite something!

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  44. Sérgio PontesSeptember 19, 2011 at 3:58 AM

    Your photos are amazing

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  45. Siddhartha JoshiSeptember 20, 2011 at 7:46 AM

    Thanks Sergio!

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  46. MayankSeptember 23, 2011 at 3:53 PM

    Hi Siddhartha, Nice blog post. It was interesting to see the faces of women (always tough to shoot in our social environment). Each face a story - well done there.

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  47. DomOctober 9, 2011 at 4:37 PM

    One thing I always enjoy are those colourful clothes...

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  48. Siddhartha JoshiOctober 9, 2011 at 4:47 PM

    @Mayank: Thanks a lot man, I am glad you enjoyed it :)

    @Dominic: Absolutely, the colorful clothes are delightful. I love them too :)

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  49. Dark KnightNovember 24, 2011 at 11:27 AM

    Nice pics once again, Sid! You sure love to click pictures of village women(and pursue them also), don't you?! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  50. Siddhartha JoshiNovember 24, 2011 at 12:00 PM

    Hey Sriram, I am glad you enjoyed the pictures :) And yes, I love clicking women...from village or otherwise! Actually I love clicking people...and sometimes I do chase them to no end to get the picture right :)

    ReplyDelete
  51. Preety ParanjapeNovember 25, 2011 at 1:28 PM

    Hi Siddhartha absolutely brilliant pics!! I have a blog written with tarnetar pics clicked by a friend!! you can check out at http://dzinedais.blogspot.com/.

    ReplyDelete
  52. Siddhartha JoshiNovember 25, 2011 at 1:46 PM

    Thanks Preety, the pictures on your blog are great too! I guess we both had a great time at the fair :)

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  53. wAYf@rErSeptember 14, 2012 at 2:59 PM

    Clearly the best blog and photos on tarnetar.. I,m going to reblog this one! thanks siddhartha!

    ReplyDelete

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