| Bhavnath fair Bhavnath Fair | |
|---|---|
 Naga sadhu at the fair of Bhavnath | |
| Genre | Cultural and religious festival |
| Begins | Maagha Vad Ekadashi |
| Ends | Maagha Vad Amavasya |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Location(s) | Junagadh, Junagadh district, Gujarat |
| Country | India |
Bhavnath fair is held at the Foothills of Girnar mountain in Junagadh, Gujarat on the banks of the river Suvarnarekha. Bhavnath Fair is one of the important fairs of Gujarat.
At the foothills of Girnar in Junagadh, on the banks of the river Suvarnarekha, lies a very ancient temple of Lord Bhavnath. The background of the spontaneous Shivling of the temple looks beautiful with the wonderful (nature) forest. [1]
This fair is held every year on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri from Maagha Vad (Krishna Paksha) Agiyaras to Maagha Vad Amavasya. [1] [2]
In the fair of Bhavanath, Lord Bhavanath is worshiped at the midnight of Maha Shivaratri. A large number of monks and Naga Sadhus come from all over Gujarat to pay homage to Mahapuja. [3] Almonries are also opened at various places for the visitors. [1]
On the day of Maagha Vad Navami, the flag of religion and culture is hoisted over the temple of Lord Bhavanath. At this time, Nagabawa is seen riding on elephants, chanting conch and playing various instruments, chanting Mahadev. The caves of Muchkund, Bhartuhari and Guru Dutt are also very famous in this place. Millions of devotees come here to visit and enjoy the fair. [1] [4]
This place is a place of faith and belief for the people of Ahir and Mer. Folk music, ras-garba and bhajan-kirtan programs are also organized at night during the days of the fair. [4]
There is a legend in the Skanda Purana regarding the fair of Bhavnath. According to this legend, when Shiva-Parvati was traveling in a chariot through the sky, her divine ornament falls down near the temple of Bhavnath. Hence it is known as Vastra Putakshetra. [1]
The procession of the Nagabavas, accompanied by the sound of conch during the Maha Puja on the day of Maha Shivaratri, bathing in the Mrigi Kund and chanting at the foothills of Girnar is a spiritual experience. According to a folktale, bathing in a Mrigi Kund brings salvation to the people. [1]
Siddhas like Bhartuhari, Gopichand and Ashwatthama live in Girnar, the place of Navnath and Mahasiddha. And on the day of Shivratri, these Siddha men come to bathe in Mrigi Kund. There is also a belief that Siddha men do not appear outside once they have bathed in this Kund. [4]
Accommodation and meals are provided free of cost to the visitors of Bhavnath Fair. Tents that can accommodate 300 to 350 people are built for people. Shops of various offerings and items are also set up for people to buy. Government and semi-government organizations also hold their own exhibitions. [3]
Girinar or Girnar is one of the most ancient and important place of worship for Jainism. Girnar, Where 22nd Tirthankar Neminath Bhagwan attained Diksha, Kevalgyan And Moksh Kalyanak. It is part of Junagadh town and district in south-western Gujarat, India. On Top of Girnar there is a temple of Godess Ambika Devi known as ambaji. People have to climb 3999 steps to have darshan of Bhagwan Neminath Jain Temple.
Junagadhpronunciation (help·info) is the headquarters of Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Located at the foot of the Girnar hills, 355 kilometres (221 mi) southwest of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, it is the seventh largest city in the state.
Maha Shivaratri is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of the god Shiva. The name also refers to the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance. There is a Shivaratri in every luni-solar month of the Hindu calendar, on the month's 13th night/14th day, but once a year in late winter and before the arrival of Summer, marks Maha Shivaratri which means "the Great Night of Shiva".
Junagadh District is a district of the Indian state of Gujarat. Its administrative headquarters is the city of Junagadh.
Gurjar Kshatriya Kadia, also known as Gurjar Kadia/ Gujjar Kadia, and Kadia Kshatriya are a Hindu stone-cutter community mostly in Gujarat and Maharashtra. They are artisan community, occupation is masonry work and are related to larger artisan group of Kadias.
The Bhāl region is an area of Gujarat, India. It is spread across the political boundaries of the districts of Bhavnagar, Ahmedabad, and Anand. The Bhal region is situated on the deltas of the Sabarmati, Bhogawo, Bhada, Lilka and other rivers that flow east and southeast off the Kathiawar peninsula into the Gulf of Cambay. The word Bhaal seems to have been derived from the Sanskrit word भाल which means forehead. Such a name is given to this region probably because it is mostly as flat as a forehead with almost entire region's soil without any stones, pebbles or gravel.
Bhavnath is a small village in the Junagadh district of Gujarat, India. It sits near the Girnar mountain range, close to Girnar Taleti, the place from where pilgrims have to ascend on foot to get to temples on Girnar hills.
Brahma Kund is a stepped temple tank in Sihor town of Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, India. It is located near the southern wall of the old town. It believed that it was constructed by Jayasimha Siddharaja.
Gujarat is the 6th largest state in India, located in the western part of India with a coastline of 1,600 km. It is 9th most popular tourist regions in the country and was visited by 54.4 million domestic and international tourists in 2018.
Damodar Kund(Gujarati: દામોદર કુંડ) is one of the sacred lakes as per Hindu beliefs, which is located at the foothills of Girnar hills, near Junagadh in Gujarat, India.
The Shivoham Shiva Temple, situated at Old Airport Road, Bangalore, India was built in 1995. It features a Shiva statue that is 65 feet (20 m) tall idol. It is a famous Shiva Temple dedicated to the Hindu deity Lord Shiva and a popular spiritual destination. It is estimated that over 500,000 devotees and visitors come to this temple every year. On the occasion of Maha Shivaratri, between 100,000 and 150,000 devotees visit the temple every year. In the first six months of 2018, the temple has already been visited by 275,909 people.
Ra Mahipala III was a Chudasama king of Saurashtra region of western India who reigned from 1430 CE to 1451 CE. His capital was at Junagadh.
Ra Meliga, also known as Melaga or Maleka, was a Chudasama king of Saurashtra region of western India who reigned from 1400 CE to 1416 CE. He remove his capital from Vanthali back to Junagadh, from which place he expelled the thanadar appointed by Gujarat Sultan. Thus Gujarat Sultan Ahmad Shah I sent an army against Junagadh. He captured Vanthali and later Junagadh was besieged. Meliga left to a fort on Girnar hill which was inaccessible to the forces. So the forces left and placed two officers in Junagadh to collect tribute. Meliga died and was succeeded by his son Jayasimha II in 1416 CE.
Ra Mokalasimha, also known as Muktasimha, was a Chudasama king of Saurashtra region of western India who reigned from 1384 CE to 1396 CE. He ruled from Junagadh and later moved his capital to Vanthali when Saurashtra came under influence of the Delhi Sultanate.
Khengara was a Chudasama king of Saurashtra region of western India who reigned from 1331 CE to 1351 CE. His capital was at Junagadh.
Mahipala I was a Chudasama king of Saurashtra region of western India who reigned from 1308 CE to 1331 CE. His capital was at Junagadh.
Sanjay Raghuveer Chaudhary is an Indian writer, professor, and computer scientist from Gujarat, India. He is a professor of computer science at Ahmedabad University, Ahmedabad. He has authored several books in Gujarati and English. His literary work Girnar (2009) received Gujarat Sahitya Akademi's Best Book Prize in Essays and Travelogue category. He has published and edited several books on computer science. He is a senior member of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Shamlaji fair is an annual festival held in Gujarat,, India. It is held on the day of Karthiki Purnima. The fair is attended by a large number of tribals, who have great faith in Shamlaji . People from different regions of Gujarat as well as the state of Rajasthan also come to this fair.
Vautha fair is one of the important fairs held in Gujarat. Vautha is located on the border of Dholka taluka of Ahmedabad district and Matar taluka of Kheda district. Vautha fair is the largest fair in Ahmedabad district.
Ambaji Fair is held at Ambaji in Danta taluka of Banaskantha district. Ambaji, 50 km away from Palanpur, creates the same atmosphere as every Poonam fair. But, in all, big fairs are held here on Purnima of Kaartik, Chaitra, Bhadarvo and Asho(Ashwina) months. In which 'Bhadarvi Purnima's fair' is a very important and big fair.
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bhavnath fair . |