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AGRA: No traditional fairs this year, but devotees throng temple on first Monday
Despite the cancellation of Agra’s traditional fairs this year due to Covid-19 restrictions, Taj city’s Rajeshwar Mahadev temple attracted a large crowd on the first Monday of Shravan
Despite the cancellation of Agra’s traditional fairs this year due to Covid-19 restrictions, Taj city’s Rajeshwar Mahadev temple attracted a large crowd on the first Monday of Shravan.
Every year, Agra follows the tradition of organising four fairs, in four shiv temples of the district, on all four Mondays of the Shravan month. But following the Covid-19 restrictions and to restrict gatherings the fairs were called off this year.
“All four melas organised on four Mondays of the holy month are called off in compliance with Covid-19 pandemic guidelines,” stated Dr Prabha Kant Awasthi, the additional district magistrate (ADM) Agra city.
As per the tradition, the four melas (Fairs) are consecutively organised, at four Shiv temples in four corners of the city, during the month of Shravan. The first fair is organised at Rajeshwar Mahadev temple followed by the second at Balkeshwar Mahadev Temple, at banks of river Yamuna.
The most important fair, the Kailash fair, is organised at Kailash Mahadev Temple in the outskirts of the city near to the bank of river Yamuna, on the third Monday. The last fair is organised at Prithvinath Mahadev temple. But due to the continuing pandemic and Covid-19 restrictions, all four fairs stand cancelled this year.
Despite that, a large number of devotees turned up at the Rajeshwar Mahadev Temple on the first Monday of the holy month to offer prayers, water and milk to the deity.
The devotees turned up in smart numbers at the Rajeshwar Mahadev temple today and stood in long queues as a limited number of devotees were allowed at a time in premises of the temple, said a temple official.
“I turned up early in the day to offer milk at the temple but had to wait in the queue to reach the gate of the temple,” stated one of the devotees waiting for his turn.
These devotees braved the hot and humid weather but waited for their turn as they were allowed entry in a group of 50, the official added.
