Among the numerous shades of the Rajasthani tradition and culture, almost all the major ones are duly highlighted and nicely celebrated in the world famous fests and fairs of the city. One such annual fair is the Chandrabhaga, which takes place in the month of November, also called as the Kartik Masa at Jhalraptan, not too far from Jhalwar district. It is one of the top fairs of the state and is another feather added to the blooming hat of Rajasthan tourism. This and all other such fairs of the place serve as a very good platform to acquaint all individuals foreign to the land, with its rich cultural heritage, spell-binding rituals and traditions and the beautiful ethnicity it expounds.
The holy river Chandrabhaga runs here and is considered extremely pious by the local people of the region. It is on the night of full moon called ‘Kartik Purnima’ when thousands of pilgrims from across the nation and even from other countries, come to take a scared douche in the river and several worshippers bathe in the pure blissful waters at this spot commonly known as Chandravati. It is an attempt on part of people, who follow the belief that as they immerse in the holy waters of the river and offer their earnest prayers to God, they wash off their sins and purify their souls so to attain heaven post this human life. This fair is particularly celebrated to honour the Sun God, who, as per the legends’ belief, had once cured Lord Krishna’s son suffering from an alarming disease at the time.
The major attraction and underlining part of this popular event is the capacious cattle fair, which is a huge calling for tourists and pilgrims across the globe. This unique cattle fair is mainly an arrangement wherein the livestock like cows, horses, buffaloes, camels and bullocks are sold and purchased from several parts of the country for a re-sale. It is a set tradition in which the traders from distinct places like Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh gather together at the fair to have a smooth trading of the livestock. It is quite a beneficial exercise from the point of view of both the sellers and buyers and the animals being traded in an organised manner.
To top it all, it is certainly a three opportune days of the year to show to the people from world over the small yet extremely beautiful and clean city of Jhalwar. With its magnificent temples, forts, palaces and the alluring wildlife along with the serene lakes and other hustled-bustled local markets, the city indeed has a lot to offer to the visitors. One can either explore these wonderful sites of the small world of Jhalwar on foot in the pleasant breezy weather or opt for public transports like auto- cycle rickshaws or Tongas. All such factors like beauty, religion, fun, ethnicity, culture and lastly, convenience pave a strong way for one to make this fair a part of the year’s must visit list.
