Baneshwar Fair,Rajasthan

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The name Beneshwar is derived from the revered Shiva Linga which is kept in the Mahadev temple in Dungarpur. "Beneshwar" means the 'master of the delta' in the local Vagdi language and this name was given to the Shiva Linga. The Beneshwar fair is held at a small delta formed by the river Som and mahi, from magh Shukla Ekadashi to magh Shukla Poornima.

The Beneshwar fair in its present form is actually a merger of two fairs : one which used to be held in honour of Beneshwar Mahadev (Lord Shiva) and another fair which started after the construction of the Vishnu temple by Jankunwari, daughter-in-law of Mavji, a highly revered saint considered to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

Two disciples of Mavji named Aje and Vaje built the Lakshmi Narian temple near the confluence of rivers Som and Mahi. The pran-pratishtha ceremony of the idols was performed on Magh Shukla Ekadashi and since then, the fair is held on this day.

The priest called the Mathadish, arrives at the fair site from Sabha, in huge procession. A 16 cms. silver image of Mavji on horseback is also brought here. The river water supposedly becomes holier when the Mathadish takes a bath. Prayers are offered five times a day in the temples of Lakshmi-Narayana and Brahma. Brass gongs are struck at the time of aarti. During the fair, aarti of Mathadish is also performed and Raslila takes place at night in the Lakshmi Narayana temple.