Beneshwar Fair-Place and the mood (Part-1 of the Beneshwar Series)

A couple of months back I, with another friend of mine had made a photographic trip to a tribal fair in Rajasthan. Its called the 'Beneshwar fair' named after the diety-Beneshwar Mahadev (Lord Shiva). This is supposed to be the biggest tribal fair of India and is visited by around 5 lakh tribal devotees from the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra, just over a peiod of 4-5 days ! The Baneshwar fair is predominantly a tribal fair with more than half of the congregation consisting of Bhils. The fair is held at a small delta formed by the river Som and Mahi near Dungerpur (Rajasthan).

Though we were there just for one day, it was a very interesting experience in its own way ~ we witnessed fascinating tribal rituals, shopped in interesting small shops with even more interesting things being sold, talked with rural tribals ~ clicked pictures and enjoyed the energy and enthusiatism flowing in the rustic air...

To present a complete feel of the place I'm posting pictures of the fair over four posts under the following:

1. Place and mood
2. People
3. Traditional rituals
4. Other activities of the fair

Hope you would enjoy seeing the pictures...

Here are a few pictures of the overall feel of the place and a glimpse of the mood.

Morning 6.30, the fair is about to begin..a group of tribal women huddled together walking towards the fair...

Still very early in the morning... a group of tribal men and women spreading their stuff and getting prepared for the fair to begin...

Yes, these actually are bows and arrows being sold at various spreadings! While the lads smoke, the old men have started analyzing the stuff...the map above gives direction for the whole area where the fair is spread.

Midday ~ inspite of the sun being overhead, the number of people have increased considerably...seen behind is the merger of rivers Som and Mahi where the most important ritual of the fair takes place...

Traditional tribal music on drums ~ a common sight in different corners of the fair...

A vendor selling fancy stones, bracelets, thread, beads and the like..

~Evening settling down ~

As evening finally settles down the colours of the fair becomes all the more vibrant...

...and all the more live.

I've tried to presnt the mood of the fair at different times of the day...unfortunately we couldnt stay beyond evening to enjoy the festivities of the night...maybe on the next trip sometime..

The next post of this series will be on the tribal people at the Beneshwar Fair...

~Memories~

Few glimpses from a flower market...

Had recently visited a local flower marker ~ vendors scattered on the roads along with a lot of yellow, red, orange and white flowers. The purpose was to capture street vendors in some interesting angles and situations in the market. Have tried to capture the street vendors in their different moods, their activity and their surrounding with the elements of the street.

Here are some glimpses from the visit...

Limes and oranges...

A morning with some fruity, juicy colours of life........

Standing still in eternity...

Had visited this amazing place a few days back called...."Rani ki vav" ~ A place from the long lost and forgotten past looking at you straight in the face...a place situated in Patan (Gujarat).

A 'vav' is a step well which used to be build in the olden days for water sourcing. How these 'vav's used be be ornated with intricate carvings of Gods, Goddesses and human forms has to be seen to be believed ! Here are a few pics from that trip in the past ~

The statues were beautiful and seemed real in an amost eerie way...

Just imagine ~ these statues have been standing there for centuries.... seeing everthing happening around them, people coming-going, people who had created them dying, dynasty after dynasty of rulers perishing ! But they are still stnading there.

Everything around them since the time they were built has changed...they are are a witness to the changing of the eras, but they are still the same, standing there quietly ~ observing everything, knowing everything...

It seemed as we they are living in their own world in that structure...

Standing still in eternity.....

And whispering to each other the secrets of those ages, which these days would never know...

~Lilies On My Terrace~

Yesterday morning went up on the terrace after many days.....and got a beautiful surprise ~ Lovely Lilies were blooming on my own terrace...! I had planted these long back and then had forgotten all about it. And just when I was not expecting, here they come in all their splendor... ! Isnt it so much like things in life......?

Their sight reinforced my belief in life and its beauty....

And the feeling that even when things seem too bad, and everything seems to be falling apart, there is someone who is taking care of things, even when you are not aware of it.

You just need to hold on.........................

......................... am trying to hang on to that thought and that moment.

~Looking upwards~

Today again looking upwards,
At the source ~
Of all things visible and invisible,
Existing and non-existing,
Of wantings and blessings,
Of singings and wailings,
To blow the wind of rythmic madness ~
And drench me with the music of life...