Junagadh: The famous five-day yearly Bhavnath Fair kicked off today at Bhavnath Mahadev temple situated near the base of Girnar Hills (Girnar Taleti), around 8 km from Junagadh. The fair culminates at midnight on Mahashivratri day (February 18 this year) with a great show of devotional and festive energy by Naga sages. The fair started today with the performance of the traditional ritual of religious flag hoisting (Dhawjarohan) amid Vedic chants.

The fair commences every year on the Hindu calendar date of Magh Vad 11, which coincided with February 15 (today) this year.

5-dau long Maha Shivratri fair, known as Bhavnath fair kicks off at Girnar foothills in Junagadh. It starts ahead of Shivratri every year with the ceremony of flag hoisting atop Bhavnagar Shiv Mandir. It ends with the march and midnight bath of Naga sadhus on Maha Shivratri. pic.twitter.com/LUxsnK478V

— DeshGujarat (@DeshGujarat) February 15, 2023

Attended by thousands of devotees and sages, the fair culminates on Mahashivratri, when it is believed that on a moonless night, Lord Shiva performed his tandava, the cosmic dance of destruction, and a Mahapuja is performed. This ritual begins at midnight on Mahashivaratri every year, when naga babas, or naked sages, seated on elephants and decked in ornaments, arrive holding flags and blowing conch shells, tungis, and turis, the sounds of which reverberate throughout the entire space.

Devotees believe that Lord Shiva himself visits the shrine on this occasion. Girnar is said to be the abode of the nine immortal nathas and eighty-four siddhas, all of whom also visit the temple in their invisible spirit forms during Mahashivaratri. Offerings are made to the deities, and the festive energy is expressed through performances of dance, music, and traditional Bhavai theatre.

Before going to the fair, many pilgrims do a parikrama of the holy hills of Girnar, a journey of about 7 km. Visitors are served free meals by the organizers. Special stalls sell idols, rosaries brought from Ayodhya and Mathura, and delectable sweets. The evening leading up to the midnight ritual of Mahashivaratri, at the wrestling grounds or akhada, next to the temple, the naga babas gather for a ritual involving a blend of dance and martial arts.

According to myths and legends of the Puranic era, the Shiva linga in the ancient temple is said to have emerged of its own divine intention. It is said that once when Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were traveling over the Girnar Hills, their divine garment fell over the present Mrigi Kund, making this place an auspicious site for Shiva worshippers. Even today, the naga babas bathe in the holy Mrigi Kund before joining the Mahashivaratri procession. The fair itself is so ancient that its precise origins are unknown.

A large number of devotees from different parts of the country, particularly from Gujarat and Marwad in neighboring Rajasthan, have been coming to the fair for many years. While many come clad in lively colors, the Ahirs and Mers of the Junagadh district are the most striking among them. DeshGujarat