Observances end in Agra with last Monday of Sawan

Devotees of Lord Shiva gathered at the temple in the wee hours of Monday and offered prayers on this last Monday of Sawan month

The series of four fairs organised during Sawan month at four temples of Lord Shiva on the four corners of city came to end with the fair organised at Prithvinath Temple, on Monday.

For representation only (HT File Photo)

Devotees of Lord Shiva gathered at the temple in the wee hours of Monday and offered prayers on this last Monday of Sawan month.

The first of the four fairs was held at the Rajeshwar Temple in Agra.

Talking about the annual event, the mahant of Mankameshwar Temple, Yogesh Puri said, “This is an age-old tradition. It is said that in the 19th century, this part of the country witnessed a epidemic plague and the elders then decided to perform ‘parikrama’ (circumambulation) of the four temples located in 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 Sawan. The next is at Balkeshwar Temple on the banks of the Yamuna. The third fair -- usually the grandest of all -- is organised at the Kailash Mahadev temple near the Agra-Delhi national highway. The festivities conclude with the Prithvinath temple fair,” he explained.