Banganga Fair

Banganga Fair

The Banganga Fair is held every year on Vaishakh Purnima (the full-moon day in the Hindu calendar) that usually falls in the month of April or May. During the fair, thousands of devotees assemble near Radha Krishnaji temple in Bairath.

Bairath is situated almost 85 km from the city of Jaipur. The legend has it that Arjun, one of the Pandavas, created the rivulet. He shot an arrow to satiate the thirst of dying Bhishma Pitamah, a soldier hurt in the battle of Mahabharata, and created the lake.

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.

Trading

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.