‘Dhinga Gavar' fair: Get hit by a woman, find a wife faster

Every year, Jodhpur in Rajasthan plays host to a unique festival where unmarried men voluntarily present themselves to be beaten up by women. The Dhinga Gavar festival has an interesting legend associated with it. The belief is that the beating helps bachelors find a suitable partner faster. Another unique aspect of the Dhinga Gavar festival is that women who have lost their spouses, also take part in the festivities. Doing so is believed to bring security and prosperity to their families. Jodhpur also plays host to another unique fair - the Fagda Ghudla Mela - in which men dress up as women. Both fairs are meant to convey a message of gender equality, according to local residents with knowledge about traditional customs and practices.