Bateshwar Fair

The Bateshwar Fair marks on the top of the list of fairs and festivals of the state of Uttar Pradesh. The name of the festival has been originated from the very place where it is celebrated Bateshwar, which is situated at a distance of 70 km from Agra and is visited by a large number of people.

The place of Bateshwar derived its name from the presiding deity of the place Bateshwar Mahadeo, dedicated to the Gods and Goddesses of the Hindu pantheon. The town of Bateshwar is also famous for possessing 108 temples that are dedicated to various gods. The bateshwar Fair is held in months of Kartik and Agrahayana, which in the Hindu Religion are considered as one of the most auspicious times of the year.

To celebrate this festival, flocks of devotees assemble here at the place and take a dip into the waters of the sacred river Yamuna and offer their prayers to Lord Shiva and further lead their way to the grand fair, which is held with lot of fanfare.

The most important feature of the Bateshwar fair is the live stock fair in the event as there are a large number of people, who buy and sell animals. The air at the fair is filled with merriment and people seem to be in festive mood. The fair includes the market with large numbers of Camels, Horses, oxen, elephants, goats, and other cattle.

There are lots of shops for visitor other then animal market like different shops offering variety of products from furniture, handicrafts and cosmetics to traditional cooking utensils and spices. The Bateshwar livestock fair is organized for 3 weeks. The first two weeks mark the cattle fair which begin with the market of cows, oxen, camels and horses ends with the market of donkeys and goats.

The fair is absolutely brings a much needed break from the monotonous routine. The colorful fair adds life to the quaint town and provides a glimpse of rural India in a true sense. According to Gregorian calendar, the fair happens to be in the months of October and November.