Agra city where majority population ascribe to Hindu religion celebrates many fairs and festivals some of them are not very old like now since last few years the city celebrates the Ganesha festival starting from Ganesha Chaturthi now you can see traditional Ganesha pandals in the likes of Maharshtra and Mumbai, The festival ends with visarjan. Here we will talk about traditional fairs and festivals of Agra city.
1. Agra Parikrama and Sawan Melas : - The city of Taj Mahal has four Shiva temples on four sides of the city, The devotees of Lord Shiva venerate shiva on all four somvar’s (Mondays) of the sawan month, the curcumbulation that too in foot of all the four Shiva temples is held on the second Monday. The devotees in the night of Sunday starts from one end of the city and set out visiting these shiva temples one by one on foot this is called “parikrama”. The melas are held at these respective shiva temples. First Monday the devotees visit Rajeshwar temple a mela is held at Rajeshwar temple.
The second somvar (Monday) is reserved for a mela at Balkeshwar a grand mela is organized in balkeshwar area, the national highway is blocked to facilitate the devotees. Hundreds of tawyands visit the temple. The parikrama is also held on the night preceding the same, special arrangements are made by the administrative of Agra to facilitate the shiva Bhaktas.
Third Monday is reserved for kailash mahadev. Since ages a grand mela takes place at sikandra. The mela is olden times used to include the sikandra mausoleum premises, the shops selling eatables, various kinds of games and recreation were arranged in the precinets of the sikandra monument even now on the day of the kailash mela the visit to the Sikandra tomb is free. Huge mery go round are setup in the highway which is closed in the event of mela.
Fourth and final Monday is celebrated at the Prithvinath mahadev a mela is organized at the temple. Thus the festival comes to an end.
2. Ramleela and Ram Baraat Agra : - As the winter draws near and the monsoon ends this is time for enacting the epic Ramayana. The city celebrates this occasion as a grand Ram lila is organized at the Ramlila grand adjacent to the Agra fort. Every night the stage actors get together and they enact the Ramayana. People come in large numbers of attend and see the enactment. The episode of Rama’s marriage and procession is a special one. The grand procession starts from Mankameshwar temple escorted by thousands of people riding an elephant lord Rama arrives at the janakpuri after a night long procession called as “Ram baraat” The festival of lord Rama’s marriage goes on far three days at Janakpuri finally concluding with departure of lord Rama with newly wed sita from Janakpuri. All the three days janakpuri is specially decorated and people of Agra pay homage to lord Rama and sita. A grand mela is organized every year. If you happen to come on Agra Tour Packages during Ram Baraat do not forget to witness this grand ceremony Ram baraat and janakpuri.
3. Urs of Abul Ullah : - A small shrine of the sufi saint Hajrat Abulullah in new Agra holds the annual Urs of the sufi saint every year. A three day mela is organized and people of all religions visit the dargah and offer their salutations to the Sufi saint and seck blusings of the master. The Chadars are offered and laid on the majaar. The mela is attended by all citizens of Agra irrespective of religion and caste.
4. Taj Mahotsav Agra : - Started around 30 years back by the department of tourism in Uttar Pradesh and Agra administration this mela is grand celebration of the Taj Mahal. The fair is organized for a fortnight every year in the month of February concluding on the 28th of February. The venue of the mela is the shilpgram parking in the eastern side of the Taj Mahal. In the entire area of Shilpgram small shops/ kiosks are allotted to the artisans invited to the festival pan india. this festival is an occasion to promote the ethnic art and artisans. The tourists of the city dwellers visit the Taj mahotsav mela and enjoy not only the quality goods sold by the artisans but they enjoy the stalls of the eatables. An entire podium is reserved for the recreation of the kids, grant merry go rounds, games and joy rides of various kinds are present.The Agraites enjoy the mela for further days along with the tourists visitors.
Taj Mahotsav a celebration of culture and heritage :-
Apart from Artisans , cuisines and joy rides the Taj mahotsav is an occasion for celebrating the culture and heritage. There is an open air stage at the shilpgram where noted artisans from Agra and Pan/India perform daily in front of thousands of audience. In case you are Planning Agra Tour Package from Delhi during this festival do not miss the chance to visit it. This cultural extra voyage is ever celebrated at auditorium in the city where live performances of noted performances are held.
5. Ganga Dussehra : - In the month of June when the melons and water melons are a plenty a festival is celebrated in the eastern gate of Taj Mahal, the ghat is the venue the people take a dip in the river Yamuna and wash their sins, buy melons and water melons and enjoy sharbat at the stalls organized on the occasion. The kite flying is also done in large scale on this occasion.
