RAJASTHAN VACATION

Fairs of Rajasthan

Banganga Fair ( Apr - May )

The Banganga Fair is held annually on the full moon day of Vaishakh (April-May) near a rivulet 11 kms from the historical township of Bairath in Jaipur district. The stream is believed to have been created by Arjun, one of the Pandavas.

Visiting the Banganga Fair, taking a bath and paying homage to the holy sites in the vicinity at this time is therefore considered very auspicious by the pilgrims who come from Alwar, Behror, Jaipur, Bharatpur and many other places.

Apart from those who come to the fair for pilgrimage, traders of different communities arrive at the fair to sell their wares. The articles sold range from simple rural ornaments to toys and household items. The buying and selling adds to the atmosphere and to the hustle and bustle of the fair. Giant wheels and merry-go-rounds thrill the children as well as the grown-ups.

Devotees gather at the Shri Radha Krishnaji's temple in the morning, they take a bath at the ghats (a flight of steps leading to the water) of the Banganga river with the belief that it has powers to purify the soul. The people then proceed to the nearby shrines of Hanuman and Ganga Bihari and also visit the Shiva temple and the Math of Goswamiji.

Bairath is 85 kms from Jaipur on a diversion from National Highway No. 8 near Shahpura which connects Alwar. There is a regular bus service between Jaipur and Maid (from where Banganga is only a couple of kilometres away).

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Baneshwar Fair ( Feb )

The name Baneshwar is derived from the revered Shiva Linga which is kept in the Mahadev temple in Dungarpur. "Baneshwar" means the 'master of the delta' in the local Vagdi language and this name was given to Shiva Linga.The Baneshwar fair is held at a small delta formed by the river Som and Mahi, from Magh Shukla Ekadashi to Magh Shukla Poornima during Shivratri. (Jan-Feb).

The Baneshwar fair, in its present form is actually a merger of two fairs: one which used to be held in honour of Baneshwar Mahadev (Lord Shiva) and another fair which started after the construction of the Vishnu temple by Jankunwari, daughter-in-law of Mavji, a highly revered saint considered to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

The Baneshwar fair is predominantly a tribal fair with more than half of the congregation consisting of Bhils. They revere Baneshwar Mahadev as well as Mavji. The majority of the gathering is from the Districts of Dungarpur, Udaipur and Banswara.

The temple of Baneshwar Mahadev remains open from 5.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m. during the fair. In the morning, saffron is applied to the Shiva Linga after it is bathed and an aarti of burning incense is waved before it. In the evening, bhabhut (ash) is applied to the Linga and an aarti with a fine-wick lamp is waved. Devotees offer wheat flour, pulses, rice, jaggery, ghee, salt, chillies, coconut and cash.


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Kaila Devi Fair ( Mar - Apr )

The annual fair of Kaila Devi, (Mahalakshmi or the goddess of wealth), is held at the village Kaila (24 kms to the south west) in Karauli district in the month of Chaitra (Mar-Apr), lasting for a fortnight. The temple of Kaila Devi is located on the banks of the Kalisil river in the hills of Trikut, 2 Kms. to the north-west of Kaila village. Another attraction is the small temple dedicated to Bhairon, situated in the courtyard and facing the shrine of Kaila Devi is a temple of Hanuman locally called 'Languriya'.

Approximately 2 lakh devotees gather during the fair. The ritual of Kanak-Dandotis is observed by staunch devotees. They cover a distance of 15 to 20 Kms to reach the temple, not on foot but by lying prostrate, making lines with their hands in that position, advancing up to the line drawn and repeating this procedure till they reach the temple.


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Nagaur Fair ( Jan - Feb )

This eight days fair held every year during the month of Jan-Feb, is popularly known as the Cattle fair and is the second largest in Rajasthan. Nagaur Town is the most picturesque of Rajput townships. Nagaur is a sea of animals, trading over 70,000 bullocks, camels and horses every year. The bullocks are known for their fleetness. Not only are the animals lavishly decorated, even their owners flaunt wearing colourful turbans and long moustaches.

Sports like tug-of-war, camel races, bullock races and cock fights; jugglers; puppeteers, story-tellers; and exciting campfire evenings are held to entertain the tourists. Folk music of the Jodhpur variation echoes the tranquil desert sand. Nagaur is well connected to the major cities by road and rail. Nearest airport is Jodhpur, some 135kms away.

Shearing sheep, handsome marwari horses to spices all compiled in one fair. Attractions include the mirchi bazaar (largest red-chilly market of India), wooden items, iron-crafts and camel leather accessories.

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Pushkar Fair ( Oct - Nov )

The famous Pushkar Fair is a great tourist attraction. People from around the globe come to the ancient religious town of Pushkar which is transformed into a spectacular fair ground in the month of Kartik. People bathe, worship and delight in the dazzling wares of roadside stalls. Camels are bought, sold, beautified, raced and parade. Most unusual are the small groups of men and women seen busy tattooing their hands and other parts of the body.

The fair is predominantly a rural gathering. Villagers come from different parts of the state and bring their cattle with them. On spectacular sanddunes camel, horse and bullock races are great crowd pullers. All roads lead to the lake, which is flooded with pilgrims. The movement of the crowd is like a tide of colour with currents of crimson, yellow and turquoise.

Evenings at the Pushkar Fair have their own charm. The silent night is pierced by calls of camels. Ballads are sung by actors in passionate tones. Folk dramas, skits and folk dance are organised for the entertainment of the tourists.