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The Banganga Fair is held annually near a rivulet, 11 kms.
from the historical township of Bairath in Jaipur
district, on the full moon day of Vaishakh (April- May). The stream is
believed to have been created by Arjun, one of the Pandavas. This area is
identified with the settlement of Virat Puri of the epic days. At the site
is the Radha-Krishnaji Temple, which was built by Shri Nandram Bakshi of
Jaipur more than 200 years ago.
For the Hindus, Purnima (full moon day) in the month of Vaishakh holds a
lot of significance. 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. 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.
WORSHIP & RITUALS
Devotees gather at the Shri Radha Krishnaji's Temple and sing 'bhajans'
(devotional songs) to glorify the deities. 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 Mahadev Temple and the Math of Goswamiji.
Road: 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).