Agra, October 12: The North India’s renowned Bateshwar Animal Fair in Agra district of Uttar Pradesh will commence from October 18 and will continue till November 9. Animal traders have started arriving for this fair. Registration for the sale of animals will start from the 14th.
This Bateshwar Animal Fair, organized every year under the auspices of the Agra District Panchayat, is famous throughout the country for the buying and selling of camels, elephants, mules, donkeys, good breed horses and Bhadawari goats. This year, it will start with the Deepotsav program on October 18 and will continue till November 9. Horses of all the good breeds of the country are available here. Horse lovers wait for the Bateshwar Fair every year.
District Panchayat President Manju Bhadoria said that preparations for the fair are being completed. Various sports events, such as cricket, kabaddi, volleyball, and wrestling, will also be held at this fair. Separate grounds are being prepared for these events. In addition, an All India Kavi Sammelan, along with several cultural and religious programs, including Rasleela and Ramleela, will also be organized. The fair is being given a grand and divine touch. Special attention has been paid to the cleanliness and security of the ghats. The fair begins each year in Kartik, the most sacred month for Hindus.
She explained that the Bateshwar Cattle Fair is said to have a history dating back approximately 400 years. It originated during the reign of Badan Singh, the then king of Bhadawar. Bateshwar is located approximately 70 kilometers from Agra and 12 kilometers north of the town of Bah. Bateshwar boasts numerous mythological, historical, religious, and cultural heritage sites.
She further explained that according to the people of Bateshwar’s religious Sanatani beliefs and folklore, during the Ramayana period, the area was terrorized by Lavanasura. On the request of Chyavan Rishi, Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram had sent Shatrughan to free the people from the terror of this tyrant. Shatrughan killed him and ruled here for twelve years.
During the Mahabharata period, Vasudev’s wedding procession went from Bateshwar to Mathura.
She told that this was also the birthplace of king Surasena, the grandfather of Lord Shri Krishna. Enough signs of his ancestors are found here.
According to the folklore, at the time of the Mahabharata war, Balabhadra, feeling disillusioned, came to this place for pilgrimage. It is also a popular belief that the dead body of Kansa, flowing to Bateshwar, stopped at a place called ‘Kansa Kinara’.
Bateshwar is a sacred place associated with Jainism. Bateshwar and nearby Shauripur are believed to be the birthplace of the 22nd Jain Tirthankara, Lord Neminatha. This place is sacred to both the Digambara and Svetambara sects of the Jain community. Bateshwar and Shauripur also contain several beautiful Jain temples dedicated to Jain Tirthankaras, known for their intricate carvings and architecture. It is also the ancestral village of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The area boasts several old mansions, now in ruins. The
Uttar Pradesh government is developing Bateshwar as a tourist destination
As part of its ambitious plan to develop major religious sites as tourist destinations, the Uttar Pradesh government has spent crores of rupees on the development of Bateshwar. This amount has been used for various development projects, including the reconstruction, restoration, and cleanliness of the Yamuna River ghats, a museum dedicated to the memory of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and a toran gate. With these efforts, Bateshwar, known as Choti Kashi, will attract religious tourists in the coming days with its new, grand and divine form.