Koteshwar Kartik fair from Nov 22, but preparations incomplete and rides unloaded among thorns

Preparations for the Kartik fair at Koteshwar Mahadev Dham in Badnawar are still incomplete. The fair is regarded as the start of the fair season in the Malwa region, and its tradition is said to be more than 1,582 years old. The six-day fair, organised by the Janpad Panchayat, will begin on November 22. However, preparations have not yet moved beyond paper. Even cleaning of the fairground has not begun.

Operators have already arrived from Rajasthan in about 10 trucks carrying rides and other goods. They are having to unload on uneven ground amid thorny bushes. The remaining stall operators are expected to begin arriving in the next two to three days. If arrangements are not improved in time, traders and devotees coming to the fair will face hardship.

The Kartik fair at Koteshwar is not just a religious event but also a major centre of the rural economy. Large numbers of people come from Dhar as well as the Jhabua, Ujjain, Indore and Ratlam districts to see the fair and shop. The fair has about 700 stalls, and the sale of bananas and water chestnuts is a special feature. Village families also buy utensils, clothes and household goods for the whole year here.

Despite the scale of the event, the same old pattern of arrangements is seen every year. Cleaning, levelling of the ground and other basic arrangements are not done on time, so traders face difficulties from the start. Given the nature of the fair and the number of visitors, the need for a change in arrangements has long been felt.

The Janpad Panchayat is responsible for organising the event, but the participation of local religious tradition and people associated with the temple is also necessary in the preparations. The temple's mahants are unhappy that the Janpad Panchayat ignores them.

Mahant Mangal Bharti said he was not even invited to the meeting held on organising the fair this year. He said cleaning, painting and arrangements for devotees' darshan in the temple complex have already been completed from their side. He said the role and participation of the temple's mahants should not be ignored in an event linked to a centuries-old religious tradition.