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The Shri Mahavirji Fair is held from Chaitra Shukla
Ekadasi to Baisakh Krishna Dwitiya (march - April )
to commemorate the memory of Shri Mahavir Swami, the
24th tirthankara (saint) of the Jains, in Chandangaon. Among
the visitors to the fair are the principal followers of Mahavir
Swami - the Digambar Jains, who come from far and wide to pay
homage to the Saint at the shrine. The Mahavirji temple
is located in an enclosure known as 'katala' and houses
the image of Mahavir Swami believed to have been dug out by
a leather worker from 'Devta-Ka-Tila', a nearby hillock.
The pilgrims gather at the temple to worship, meditate and seek
the blessings of the saint with folded hands. The image of Mahavirji
is washed early in the morning, the ritual being called prakshalan.
This is followed by pujan and ashta-argha (eight oblations).
In the evening aarti is performed. Ghee deepaks are
lit and the offerings comprise of rice, white and
yellow flowers, sandalwood, camphor,
saffron, mishri (crystallised sugar) and dry
fruits.
The fair of Mahavirji reaches its peak on Baisakh Krishna
Dwitiya when the image of the deity is taken to the bank of
river Gambhiri in a grand procession for Kalash Abhishek.
The golden chariot (rath) is drawn by bullocks. Four
persons wave chanvars (fly whisks) over the image and
the site resounds with "bhajans" and religious songs
with intermittent solgans of 'Shri Mahavir Swami' Ki jai.
After the ceremony, the procession returns with the same gradeur
and the image is restored at the vedi of the temple.
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