Love on the Run

In the heart of tribal India, in the districts of Madhya Pradesh, a unique and colorful festival unfolds that turns traditional courtship on its head. This is the Bhagoria festival, a vibrant week-long celebration that is, at its core, a grand matchmaking fair for the Bhil and Bhilala tribes. Held in the week leading up to Holi, Bhagoria is a time for young men and women to choose their life partners in a public, playful, and consensual manner. The word 'Bhagoria' comes from the Hindi word 'bhagna', which means 'to elope'. It is a festival where elopement is not a rebellion, but a celebrated and socially sanctioned tradition.