E-Paper
Soaked in religious fervour, devotees flock Kailash Mahadev temple in Agra
The fair at Kailash temple is the third in a series of four fairs held during the month of Shravan at four temples of Lord Shiva, located at the four corners of the city, culminating with the fair at Prithvinath Temple on the last Monday. The first fair was held at Rajeshwar temple in Agra.
AGRA: It was a local holiday in Agra on the third Monday of the holy month of Shravan, as soaked in religious fervour devotees flocked to Kailash temple on the bank of the Yamuna on the Agra-Delhi highway.
Devotees gathered at the Kailash temple from the early hours, carrying kanwars and holy water or milk. A massive fair was also organised, for which a diversion plan was implemented by Agra traffic police a day prior. Civil courts and state government offices remained closed, and the Archaeological Survey of India made entry to the Sikandra monument free for visitors.
The fair at Kailash temple is the third in a series of four fairs held during the month of Shravan at four temples of Lord Shiva, located at the four corners of the city, culminating with the fair at Prithvinath Temple on the last Monday. The first fair was held at Rajeshwar temple in Agra.
Talking about the annual event, Mahant Yogesh Puri of Mankameshwar Temple said, “This is an age-old tradition. In the 19th century, an epidemic plague hit this region, and the elders decided to perform ‘parikrama’ (circumambulation) of the four temples located in the four directions on the outskirts of the city. Fairs were organised at these temples one after another, and the tradition has continued since.”
“The first fair is organised at the Rajeshwar temple of Lord Shiva on the first Monday of Shravan. The next is at Balkeshwar temple on the banks of the Yamuna. The third fair, usually the grandest of all, is held at the Kailash Mahadev temple near the Agra-Delhi national highway. The festivities conclude with the Prithvinath temple fair,” he explained.
Plans are underway to develop the renowned Kailash temple located on the bank of the river Yamuna. Commissioner of Agra Ritu Maheshwari and district magistrate Bhanu Chandra Goswami reviewed a presentation on the proposed development plan for Kailash Temple, prepared by the Uttar Pradesh tourism department.
The proposed Kailash Mandir development plan includes the construction of an entrance gate and the beautification of an 80-metre-long ghat along the Yamuna.
