The Gavri Festival is a 40-day ritual folk-theatre celebrated by the Bhil tribal community of southern Rajasthan. Held annually after the monsoon, it combines devotion, ecological reverence, and socio-political commentary through powerful performances.

The tradition is deeply rooted in tribal spirituality and communal identity.

Key Points:

• The Gavri Festival is observed for 40 days by Bhil tribes in the Mewar region of Rajasthan, beginning after Raksha Bandhan in the months of Shravan and Bhadrapada.
• The festival honors Goddess Gauri (Parvati) and begins only after her divine permission is received through trance by a village priest (bhopa).
• All-male troupes from participating villages perform mythological and social plays, traveling barefoot to different locations while following strict austerities.
• Participants refrain from alcohol, non-vegetarian food, green vegetables, footwear, and even bathing in some cases, as part of spiritual discipline.
• The festival preserves tribal oral traditions and challenges caste, social, and ecological injustices through satire and symbolism in its performances.