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 b y 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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