A photograph of the Madhavpur Mela, an annual festival celebrating the marriage of Krishna and Rukmini
Madhavpur (Ghed) is a culturally significant village in state of Gujarat, India. It lies on the seashore of Porbandar district. According to folklore, Krishna married Rukmini at Madhavpur. This event is memorialized with a temple dedicated to Lord Madhavrai and by an annual fair held in the village.[1]
The term Madhav is a traditional epithet of the Hindu deity Krishna, meaning "honey-like," and Madhavpur therefore means "town of Madhav." The suffix "Ghed" is derived from the Gujarati word ghado ("pot"), referring to the area's bowl-shaped coastal terrain that fills with water during the monsoon season.[2]
Legend
According to local legend, Madhavpur Ghed is believed to be the site where Krishna married Rukmini. The story holds that Rukmini, daughter of King Bhishmaka, wished to marry Krishna, but her brother Rukmi opposed the marriage. Krishna then abducted Rukmini and married her at Madhavpur in Gujarat. An ancient temple dedicated to Krishna as Madhav Rai marks the site of the supposed wedding. [3][4]
Madhavrai Temple
Madhavpur is the site of an ancient temple of Madhavraiji, who is a form of Lord Krishna. The original temple has been badly damaged by attacks by Muslim invaders, and the ruins of the structure are still present. The current temple was re-built by Shri Rupaniba, the Queen of Porbandar in 1840. This new temple is currently used for worship adjacent to the old one.[5][6]
Annual Fair
The Madhavpur Fair (Madhavpur Mela) is held annually during the Hindu month of Chaitra (March-April), beginning on Ram Navami. The five-day event commemorates the wedding of Krishna and Rukmini. Rituals observed during the fair include Mandap Ropan (erection of the wedding canopy), Shrini Varnagi or Fuleku Yatra (evening procession), and Mameru (a ceremony involving maternal relatives). A major attraction is the chariot procession in which an idol of Krishna is taken through the village.[7]
In recent years, the fair has expanded into a larger cultural festival featuring folk performances from Gujarat and North-Eastern states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Manipur under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat initiative. The event also includes handicraft stalls, food fairs, and beach activities. The Government of Gujarat promotes the festival as a major tourism event; in 2025, it was inaugurated on 6 April by the Chief Minister.[8]
Vallabhacharya's Bethak
Madhavpur is also culturally significant as the location of one of the Baithaks of Vallabhacharya, the founder of the Pushtimarg sect of Vaishnavism. Situated near the Kadam Kund, this site is the 66th of the 84 Baithaks established by Vallabhacharya.[9]
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