Baneshwar Fair

Baneshwar Fair is a popular tribal festival held in the Baneshwar Temple of Dungarpur. This festival, held on the full moon day of February or Magh Shukla Purnima, attracts a large number of tourists. On this pious occasion, Bhils travel all the way from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh to take a dip at the confluence of the rivers, Mahi and Som. In addition to this fair, the Vagad Festival is also one of the popular celebrations of Dungarpur. This festival showcases dance forms and music from the region. Holi, the popular Hindu festival, is celebrated here with tribal dances.

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. The Bhils attending Baneshwar Fair sing traditional folk songs in high pitched voices sitting around a bonfire every night. Groups of villagers are also invited to participate in the programme. The fair resounds with the gaiety of songs, folk dances, magic shows, animal shows and acrobatic feats. Adding to the excitement are the joy rides on merry-go-rounds and swings.

The fair site is at a distance of 6.5 kms from Sabla, a village on the Udaipur-Banswara-Dungarpur bus route which is at a distance of 123 kms from Udaipur 53 kms from Banswara 45 kms from Dungarpur and 22 kms from Aspur, the Tehsil headquarter. On normal days, one has to reach Sabla from Baneshwar on foot or on private carts. However, buses go right up to the bank of the river Som during the fair.

About Baneshwar Fair
Baneshwar Fair is a five days holiday starting from Shukla Ekadashi of Magh month, as by the Hindu agenda. This is the novel and greatest tribular fair of the country that draws lakhs of devotees. This festival is periodically held in Dungarpur, Rajasthan. The title Baneshwar is acquired from the holy Shiva Linga established in the Shiv temple in Dungarpur. ‘Baneshwar’ in the local lingo means ‘master of delta’.

Hundreds visit the Baneshwar Fair, an influential festival in India, taking place in Dungarpur, Rajasthan. This celebration is a combined experience of the place. This exhibition is coordinated somewhat by the tribal association in the state. It reveals their methods and beliefs. The fair rotates around many ceremonies and bears a divine importance. The tribes called “Bhils” observe the holiday with pomp and presentation.

The prevalence of this fair is not limited alone to the state of Rajasthan. Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat show similar interest during this fair. There is an abundance of stalls and shops that concentrate in marketing embroidery items made by the tribal group. The items that are prepared in this exhibition indicates the diverse artistic attributions of the place. Performances of Baneshwar Fair involve presentations with animals, magic, puppet dance, and folk songs.
Bhils or tribal people of Dungarpur, Udaipur, and Banswara compose the major part of the gathering. The fair is very prominent and is organized at a very large level. The pran-pratishtha tradition of the gods to the pagoda was performed on Magh Shukla Ekadashi. For then a fair is designed every year to mark this auspicious event.

Worship and Offering
Saffron is affixed on the Shivalinga in the early dawn then Linga is washed and by signaling with burning incense sticks, an ‘Aarti’ is given. An ash (bhabhut) is affixed on the Shivalinga in the twilight and an Aarati is done by waving the lamp of fine-wick. Followers and worshippers present rice, ghee, jaggery, wheat flour, salt, pulses, coconut, chilies, and cash.
Brahma and Laxmi-Narayan gods of other temple are presented with five times prayers in a day. Brass metal discs are performed at Aarti time. Mathadhish is also welcomed by Aarti performance during fair time and Raslilas are staged in the temple of Laxmi-Narayan at evening alike to that of Baneshwar temple’s Raslilas.
The fair bustles with the merry making poems, magic shows, acrobatics actions, folk dances and animal shows. Swings, ridings on merry-go-rounds etc. are other added activities. The fair and its massive amount of shops give purchasing possibilities of fancy features and fundamental goods to the guests.