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Fairs
Pushkar Fairs
The Kartik fair at Pushkar, mainly a bathing fair in the lake
regarded as the holiest of holies by the Hindus is the biggest of all
fairs. It attracts more than one lakh people. Pushkar is among the five
main places of pilgrimage mentioned in the Hindu scriptures. It has a
large number of temples including one of the two te mples
dedicated to Brahma in India.
According to mythology, the area where Pushkar now stands
was once terrorised by a demon, Vijra Nabh, who murdered Brahma's children.
On hearing this, the god appeared and killed the demon with a lotus flower.
The petals of the flower fell at three places where three lakes including
the Pushkar lake were formed. A dip in the lake is intended to ensure
entry into heaven after death.At the same time as the Kartik fair a cattle
fair is also held at Pushkar. A large number of bards and minstrels are
present to sing and recite ballads and traditional tales of valour and
chivalry. The Pushkar fair is an attractive and lively spectacle
with its colourful crowds, saffron-robed and ash smeared Sadhus and thousands
of bulls, cows, sheep, goats and camels in richly decorated saddles.
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The Kaila Devi Fair
The Kaila Devi Fair is one of the principal fairs of Rajasthan which is held
from Chaitr Krishna 12 to Chaitr Shukla 12 at Kaila in the Karauli sub-division
of Sawai Madhopur district.
The village was named Kalia after a sadhu called Kedar Giri who lived on the
banks of the river Kali Sil. The images of Lakshmi and Chammunda can be seen in
the temple of Kalia Mata.
During the Yadavas rule, Maharaja Gopal Singh built a big temple with
dome
and a golden pinnacle. Number of buildings were constructed during the time of
Maharaja Bhanwarpal and the area acquired vast popularity for its sanctity and scenic
charm. The fair is held for a fortnight, during which animals are sacrificed outside
the temple to propitiate the goddess. Traders from surrounding areas come to the fair and do brisk business.
Rajputs, Meenas and members of the some other scheduled castes are among the
principal devotees of Kaila Devi.
Sheetla Mata Fair
The
Sheetla Mata Fair in honour of the goddess of small-pox is held in all
village and towns on Sheetla Ashtama day.
The biggest fair is held in March-April every year at
Seel-Ki-Doongri, a
village in Jaipur district. There is a shrine dedicated to the Mata on a
hillock, locally called Doongri. The present temple is said to have been erected
by Maharaja Madho Singh of Jaipur. The fair is attended by one lakh or more
people.
Sheetla Mata is among the Puranic goddess and venerated all over the country.
She is addressed differently in different areas. In U. P she is known as Mata or
Maha Mai, in western India as Mai Anama and in Rajasthan as Sadh, Sheetla or
Sedal Mata. The word 'Sheetla' comes from sheetal. The belief is that Sheetla
Mata appears in the form of small pox to calm the sufferer after he had been
afflicted with high fever.
This fair is also known as a fair of bullock-carts.
The devotees of the Mata
come from far and near in their decorated bullock-carts and the tinkling of
bells tied to the necks of bullocks fills the air. The assemblage of these carts
and their colourful occupants at the foot of the hillock crowned by the shrine
is one of the memorable sights of Rajasthan.
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