Chandrabhaga Fair - चंद्रभागा साफ

Chandrabhaga Fair in Rajasthan is held in great reverence and a lot of people take part in this gala event. A lot of pilgrims flock into Jhalawar on the banks of river Chandrabhaga on the holy occasion of the full moon night that takes place in the month of October and November. The festival is named after this festival and this river is considered very sacred by the people. In the Chandrabhaga Fair, Jhalawar a lot of people flock by the holy river and take a dip into the river since they are of the view that by doing so they will have their souls purified. The people also offer the prayers at this sacred place of worship.

This fair is marked by a large number of livestock that include: cows, horses, buffaloes, camels and bullocks that are brought from the distant places and are displayed for the purpose of sale. Both religious and commercial purpose served. The traders also flock at the Chandrabhaga Fair from the far off places such as Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh since it is a good opportunity for them to do business and make money. Jhalawar is well connected by both rail and road and can be easily accessed from Kota, Bundi and Jaipur by rail network.

The fair at Chandrabhaga begins on the seventh day of the bright fortnight in the lunar month of Magha (January-February) and continues for seven days. It is held at the mouth of sacred Chandrabhaga river near the famous temple of Konarka. This sacred site figures in the myth of shamba of the Mahabharata days who was cured of his leprosy by worshipping Lord Surya, the Sun God. The Sun Temple of Konarka and the sacred site refer to the prevalence of a strong solar cult in the coastal Orissa. It is believed that whoever takes a bath in the Chandrabhaga will be cured of leprosy and bareness. Magh Saptami Mela is observed at the same time at the Join centre of Khandagiri, near Bhubaneswer, for seven days.

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