Who said festivals had to involve bright lights, loud music, etc.?

There are some Indian festivals that highlight the diversity of our culture and biodiversity and showcase another side of fun and frolicking. Filled with vibrant colors, informative short films, exotic fruits, delicious cuisines, and many more, they promote ecotourism, agro-tourism, and sustainability – Dahanu

Dahanu, historically known as Dhenu Gram- village of cows is a coastal town in Maharashtra that recently hosted a festival with the same name. This place is less than three hours from Mumbai.

The festival honors the agricultural production of the town. The town has acres of land dotted with Chikoo orchards, rows of swaying palm trees, and a variety of fragrant roses growing in their full glory. All thanks to Dahanu Municipal Corporation, who took the initiative to organize this first-ever Dahanu festival on 12th-13th March 2022.

This initiative aimed to revive public interest in sustainability and all things natural. Visitors on heritage walks were introduced to the rich history of Dahanu. Tours of the villages were showcasing the local culture and products with the objective of catching the interest of festival-goers.

Promotes Vocal for Local

Despite its proximity to major cities of the region such as Mumbai, Nashik, and Surat, the two-day mega event was a unique blend of aspects of the region that offers stunning natural beauty, pristine beaches, and an amazing lifestyle that has no limits even by an inch by modernization.

On both days of the festival, visitors enjoyed kite flying shows, beach paragliding, old and ancient games, art and craft workshops (Warli), etc. They also enjoyed local folk dance performances, live musical bands, the Puneridhol fusion band, and took part in outdoor activities like stargazing and trekking. The local fishermen arranged boat trips. But the tour to the delicious juicy Chikoo farms stole all the attention.

The famous Chikoo festival

Dahanu-Gholvad grows the best Chikoo in Maharashtra, contributing more than 35% of the Chikoo production in the state. The Chikoos they produce has earned them a Geographical Indication for their quality. The purpose of the Chikoo Festival is to develop entrepreneurship in the region.

This festival has become a tradition for the people of this region. Chikoo Festival was introduced in 2013 by MTDC with support from the State Agriculture Department and local organizations. To make this festival even more relevant, people in Dahanu organize it themselves.

The production of Chikoo is of great significance to the economy of the Dahanu region. It was for this reason that the festival was given the name – the Chikoo Festival. In addition to delicious foods and fun activities, farm visits and happiness are all part of this festival.

Last thoughts

Dahanu is a land with a diverse variety of flora and fauna and lush vegetation. These festivals have given all of us an opportunity to explore these facets of Dahanu.

So are you visiting the Dahanu festival next year to become a part of promoting sustainable agro-tourism? Let us know in the comments.