Baineshwar Mela: The Tribal Kumbh of Southern Rajasthan

A huge Kumbh Mela of the tribals is held every year on Madh Purnima at the Triveni Sangam of Som, Mahi and Jakham (extinct) rivers at Beneshwar Dham, situated on the borders of Dungarpur and Banswara districts of the tribal dominated Vagad region of Southern Rajasthan. This year when the grand Maha Kumbh is being organized in Prayagraj (Allahabad) after 144 years, the main fair will be held in Beneshwar on 12 February Magh Purnima. From this point of view, this time Beneshwar Mela will have its own different significance. This is the biggest tribal fair of the country in which lakhs of people take a dip in the holy confluence and also immerse the ashes of their dead relatives here along with their traditional rituals of bathing, worship, worship and tarpan etc.

The Beneshwar fair, held on a unique island near the temple of the great prophet of Vagad, Mavji Maharaj, at Sabla (Dungarpur), begins on the Shukla Ekadashi of the month of Magh according to the Hindu calendar. The Beneshwar fair is held in the delta formed by the Mahi and Som rivers. The name Beneshwar is derived from the sacred Shiv Linga located in the Shiva temple built here. Beneshwar is also believed to mean 'Master of the Delta'. Legend has it that a cow from Navatapara village used to perform the milk Abhishek of the Lord on this Shiv Linga every day with the milk flowing from its udders. The owner of the cow used to wonder how the cow's full udders become empty suddenly? One day he followed the cow and was stunned to see that the cow was performing the milk Abhishek of the Shiv Linga with its udders. Suddenly seeing its owner, the cow turned and ran away in panic but the Shivling was broken by its hoof and since then the broken Shivling is being worshipped here. There are temples of the three gods Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma at the holy confluence of the Triveni rivers, Beneshwar Dham. There is also a Valmiki temple here, in which the tribals have deep faith. This fair, organised at the confluence of the Mahi and Som-Jakham rivers flowing continuously on the banks of Beneshwar, is the most unique fair of the tribals. This is the reason why it is also called the 'Mahakumbh of the forest dwellers'.

Lakhs of tribals from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat come to this huge fair which continues till Magh Shukla Purnima. After taking a dip at the holy confluence of the Som and Mahi rivers, the visitors worship in the temple of Lord Shiva and the nearby temples. There is also a temple of Lord Vishnu near the Lord Shiva temple located here, about which it is believed that this temple was built at the time when Mavji, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, performed penance here.

Lakhs of tribals from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat come to this huge fair which continues till Magh Shukla Purnima. After taking a dip in the holy confluence of Som and Mahi rivers, the pilgrims worship in the temple of Lord Shiva and the surrounding temples. There is also a temple of Lord Vishnu near the Lord Shiva temple located here, which is believed to have been built at the time when Mavji, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, performed penance here.

Beneshwar fair begins with the flag hoisting ceremony on Magh Shukla Ekadashi. Achyutananda Maharaj, the 9th successor of Mavji Maharaj, Peethadheeshwar of Hari Mandir, Sabla, comes to Beneshwar Dham from Sabla in the form of a procession with thousands of devotees in the Beneshwar fair and after hoisting the flag, participates in various folk rituals and worship of the fair along with the large number of pilgrims present. Tribals also come to Beneshwar in large groups wearing their traditional attire, dancing and singing and playing their traditional musical instruments.

Baneshwar Mela is actually a confluence of three fairs. One fair is dedicated to Lord Shiva, known as Baneshwar Mahadev, the second fair is organized by Jankunwar, daughter-in-law of Sant Mavji, to complete the construction work for the Vishnu temple. The head priest of Sabla Harimandir reaches the fair site with a huge procession and takes a dip in the river. Then in the Lakshmi Narayan temple, the aarti of the Peethadheeshwar is performed at night and a Raasleela is organized. The third fair is related to the faith of the tribals in which they take bath in the confluence of holy rivers, offer prayers and tarpan and pay tribute to their dead relatives. On all days of Beneshwar Maha Mela, different types of offerings are made in the temples of God. Halwa (Sheera) is offered on Magh Shukla Purnima, Dal-Baati and Churma on Magh Krishna Pratipada, Dal-Baati on Dwitiya, Puri-Sheera on Tritiya, Dal-Roti on Chaturthi, Modak, Dal-Baati etc. are offered on Panchami. Thousands of tribals gather in the fair and listen to the Aagam Vaanis of Mavji Maharaj, sing bhajans and pray for prosperity for the next year.

On the holy occasion of Magh Purnima in Beneshwar Dham, the visitors also pray for the salvation of their dead relatives and immerse the ashes in Sangam Tirtha. In this fair, the tribals get the Puja done by the Pandits and stand in a queue with their family members in the Sangam, get into the water upto their waist and face towards the south and immerse the ashes in a proper manner.

In this grand fair, the display of magic shows and stunts and the music and dance programs presented by folk artists in the evening attract tourists. The tribals knead the flour on the banks of the Sangam and the small islands in between and bake the Baatis by burning the reeds and also make churma by mixing jaggery, sugar and ghee and after offering dal, Baati and Churma to the God, they have a collective meal with their family members. Many government and non-government exhibitions, cultural programs and stunts are also shown in this fair. In the fair markets, live tableaus of all types of small scale industries and cottage industries and other products of this tribal dominated Vagad region are seen. In these fair markets, shops of small and big restaurants, refreshment houses, cosmetics, utensils, sugarcane juice, iron, wood, milk, toys, plastic items, tea, stone items, Khadi clothes, decorations, makeup, shoes, slippers, readymade clothes etc. are also set up.

People believe that if the river Som connected to the Triveni Sangam of Beneshwar flows with full flow first, then there is a good crop of rice that year. On the other hand, if the water flows in Mahi first, then the time is not considered good. Beneshwar Dham is also mentioned in the Vedic Puranas and it is also linked to the Vamana incarnation and the Nishkalnk Kalgi incarnation of Lord Vishnu. In the past years, it is also said that ancient ruins have been found in the deep water of the rivers near the confluence.

Many other leaders of the country including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rajiv Gandhi have also offered prayers at Beneshwar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to Beneshwar to address an election rally on 14 April 2014 during the Lok Sabha elections. He was the CM of Gujarat at that time. He had learned about his future in Chaupad and the prediction of him becoming the Prime Minister proved to be correct.

Beneshwar is located about 70 km from the historical city of Dungarpur in southern Rajasthan and 45 km from Banswara and Salumber. Its nearest sub-division headquarters Aspur is only 24 km away. The nearest Maharana Pratap Dabok Airport of Udaipur is about 130 km away.