Hudo

Hudo is another dance performed at the Tarnetar fair where girls choose their husbands. Tarnetar is a small village in the Sourashtra region of Gujrat. Tarnetar is a colloquial derivative of Trinetreshwar (god with three eyes), an aspect of Lord Shiva, who is enshrined in the temple at the village. Every year on Rishi Panchami that falls on the fifth lunar day (tithi) of the dark fortnight of the lunar month of Ashwina, corresponding to August/ September, the three day Tarnetar fair begins. A legend is associated with the fair which is as follows : Arjuna, the hero of Mahabharata, was the winner in the archery competition held at this place. It was declared that the archer who can pierce the eye of a fish hanging from a very tall pole without looking at the fish but looking at its reflection in the pool of water around the pole, will be chosen by Draupadi as her husband. Only Arjuna could perform this near impossible feat of archery for which Draupadi chose him as her husband. This event is commemorated every year by holding the fair where girls choose their respective husbands. The young men who wish to be chosen by the girls, come with colorful and beautifully embroidered umbrellas. They also wear an equally colorful embroidered jacket . After choosing the husbands the boys and girls perform Hudo. The girls form a Line and the boys form their line. The two lines of dancers face each other and dance to the music provided by drums, flutes, and other folk musical instruments. The tempo is usually faster and while dancing the girls clap on the palms of the boys with both their palms. The marriage is formalized later.