SHAMLAJI FAIR

Shamlaji is a very famous temple located in Aravalli district of Gujarat, dedicated to lord Vishnu in the form of Sakshi Gopal or Gadadhar. The location is at the border between Gujarat and Rajasthan and the fair is held around the month of November, lasting for three weeks. The temple is located on the bank of Meshwo River and surrounded by hills. Devotees from Gujarat and Rajasthan come singing, dancing, on foot and some carry devotional banners to express their love for the deity. They take a bath in the sacred waters of Meshwo River. The deity is also referred as Kaliyo Dev or Kaliyo Thakar (Dark Divinity) by various communities and locals. The fair is an important trade destination for people to buy silver ornaments, metalware, cloth and garments, along with many other household items. The fair is attended by more than 2 lakh people from different parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan. The temple is built with white sandstone and bricks and is believed to have existed for at least 500 years. It has two storeys supported on rows of pillars. Elegantly carved walls and pillars of the temple depict various stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata along with Puranas. A continuous border of carved elephants creates a picture like these elephants are holding the temple on their heads. Remains of shrines of different religions show that the whole area around Shamlaji was once not only prosperous but an important centre of civilization and culture. Numerous temples in ruins, ancient brick-work and scattered idols are found at Shamlaji which show that since ancient times it has been a popular and important center of pilgrimage on the highway between Gujarat and Rajasthan.