Fairs and Festivals of Madhya Pradesh: Simhastha and Bhagoria
Notes on the fairs of Madhya Pradesh: the Simhastha at Ujjain, Bhagoria of the Bhils, Nagdwari at Pachmarhi, Narmada Jayanti, Bawangaja and Khajuraho.
By GK24 Editorial Team· Published · 4 min read
Madhya Pradesh keeps two kinds of fairs. One is the great pilgrim fair on a river, of which the Simhastha at Ujjain on the Shipra is the largest in central India; the other is the tribal haat festival of the western belt, of which Bhagoria among the Bhils is the best known. Between them lie the temple fairs of the Narmada valley, the Jain mahamastakabhisheka of Bawangaja and the state music and dance festivals at Khajuraho, Gwalior, Ujjain and Maihar. MPPSC, MPESB, MP Police and SSC papers ask this chapter as fair, place, district and occasion.
The Simhastha at Ujjain
Ujjain is one of the four Kumbh sites, and its fair is called the Simhastha because it comes when Jupiter enters Leo, the sign of Simha, with the Sun in Aries, which places it in the month of Vaisakha. Like every Kumbh it returns once in about twelve years; the last Simhastha was held in 2016 and the next is due in 2028. The bathing takes place on the Shipra, chiefly at Ram Ghat, and the fair is built around the Mahakaleshwar jyotirlinga, with the Harsiddhi temple, Kal Bhairav, Mangalnath and the Sandipani ashram in the same circuit. The entry procession of the akharas is the peshwai and the principal bath the shahi or amrit snan. Ujjain has no Ardh Kumbh; only Prayagraj and Haridwar hold one.
Bhagoria, the haat festival of the Bhils
Bhagoria is the spring festival of the Bhil and Bhilala people of the western districts, above all Jhabua and Alirajpur, with Dhar, Barwani and Khargone joining in. It is held in the week of weekly haats before Holi, in the month of Phalguna, and it closes on the day of Holi itself. Each village market becomes a fair of dhol and bansuri, mandai dancing, gulal and sugarcane, and young men and women who wish to marry meet there; by custom, when a youth applies gulal and the girl applies it back, the match is taken as made and the families settle it afterwards. The name is traced to the older practice of a couple leaving the haat together.
Fairs of the Narmada and the Satpura
Narmada Jayanti, kept on the Saptami of the bright half of Magha, fills Amarkantak in Anuppur district, the source of both the Narmada and the Son, as well as the ghats at Jabalpur, Hoshangabad and Omkareshwar. The Nagdwari Mela at Pachmarhi, held at Nagpanchami in Shravan inside the Satpura hills, is called the Amarnath of the Satpura because pilgrims walk a hard hill route to the Nagdwar caves. Mahashivratri, which falls in Phalguna, is the biggest single fair day of the state: it fills Mahakaleshwar at Ujjain, the unfinished Bhojeshwar temple at Bhojpur in Raisen district, built by Raja Bhoj and holding one of the largest single-stone lingams in India, and Pachmarhi again. The Barman fair in Narsinghpur district is held on Kartik Purnima on the Narmada, and the Singaji fair of Khandwa district honours the sant Singaji.
Jain, Sufi and other fairs
Bawangaja in Barwani district has a colossal rock-cut image of Adinatha, named after its height of fifty-two gaz, and its mahamastakabhisheka draws Jain pilgrims from across India; Sonagiri in Datia and Kundalpur in Damoh are the other Jain fairs. The annual Ijtema near Bhopal is one of the largest Muslim congregations in the country, and the urs at the Dargah-e-Hakimi in Burhanpur is the chief Bohra gathering of the state. Chitrakoot in Satna district fills on Somvati Amavasya and keeps a deepdan on Diwali. The Nagaji cattle fair of Bhind district is among the biggest animal fairs of the north.
| Fair or festival | Place or district | Occasion |
|---|---|---|
| Simhastha Kumbh | Ujjain, on the Shipra | Jupiter in Leo, Sun in Aries, Vaisakha |
| Bhagoria Haat | Jhabua and Alirajpur | Haats of the week before Holi |
| Nagdwari Mela | Pachmarhi, Narmadapuram | Nagpanchami |
| Narmada Jayanti | Amarkantak, Anuppur | Magha Shukla Saptami |
| Bhojpur fair | Raisen | Mahashivratri |
| Mahamastakabhisheka | Bawangaja, Barwani | Jain fair of Adinatha |
| Barman fair | Narsinghpur | Kartik Purnima |
The state festivals of art and music
Madhya Pradesh runs a calendar of festivals named after artists and poets. The Khajuraho Dance Festival is held every February before the Chandela temples in Chhatarpur district and has run since 1975. The Tansen Samaroh is held at Gwalior in December near the tomb of Tansen and carries the Tansen Samman; the Ustad Alauddin Khan Sangeet Samaroh belongs to Maihar, the seat of the Maihar gharana; the Kalidas Samaroh is held at Ujjain, the city of the poet; and Bhopal keeps the Dhrupad Samaroh and the Lokrang festival. The Nimar Utsav at Maheshwar, the Malwa Utsav, the Mandu Festival and the Ramnavami fair at the Ram Raja temple of Orchha complete the list. Among tribal and folk festivals, the Gond Madai, the Bhagoria of the Bhils, the Karma of the Baigas and Gangaur in Malwa and Nimar are the ones papers name.
Exam Point of View
MPPSC, MPESB, MP Police and SSC papers ask this chapter as fair, place, district and occasion. Fix the Simhastha with Ujjain, the Shipra, Jupiter in Leo and Vaisakha; Bhagoria with the Bhils of Jhabua and the week before Holi; Nagdwari with Pachmarhi and Nagpanchami; Narmada Jayanti with Amarkantak and Magha; Bhojpur with Mahashivratri and Raisen; Bawangaja with Barwani; Khajuraho with Chhatarpur and February; Tansen with Gwalior; Kalidas with Ujjain; Alauddin Khan with Maihar; Nimar Utsav with Maheshwar; Barman with Narsinghpur; Nagaji with Bhind. The usual traps are the Simhastha placed on the Narmada instead of the Shipra, an Ardh Kumbh invented for Ujjain, Bhagoria credited to the Gonds, Nagdwari moved to Amarkantak, and Khajuraho placed in Panna district.
Important Facts
| Simhastha Kumbh | Ujjain, on the Shipra; once in about twelve years |
|---|---|
| Why it is called Simhastha | Jupiter enters Leo, the sign of Simha, with the Sun in Aries |
| Month of the Simhastha | Vaisakha |
| Last and next Simhastha | Held in 2016; next due in 2028 |
| Chief ghat and shrine at Ujjain | Ram Ghat and the Mahakaleshwar jyotirlinga |
| Bhagoria | Bhil and Bhilala festival of Jhabua and Alirajpur |
| Time of Bhagoria | The weekly haats of the week before Holi, in Phalguna |
| Nagdwari Mela | Pachmarhi, Narmadapuram district; Nagpanchami; Amarnath of the Satpura |
| Narmada Jayanti | Magha Shukla Saptami; Amarkantak in Anuppur district |
| Amarkantak | Source of both the Narmada and the Son |
| Bhojeshwar temple | Bhojpur, Raisen district; built by Raja Bhoj; Mahashivratri fair |
| Bawangaja | Barwani district; rock-cut Adinatha image; mahamastakabhisheka |
| Khajuraho Dance Festival | Chhatarpur district, every February, since 1975 |
| Tansen Samaroh | Gwalior, December; Tansen Samman |
| Kalidas Samaroh | Ujjain |
| Ustad Alauddin Khan Samaroh | Maihar |
| Nimar Utsav | Maheshwar, on the Narmada |
| Barman fair | Narsinghpur district, Kartik Purnima |
| Nagaji cattle fair | Bhind district |
Practice MCQs on this topic
The Kumbh Mela of Ujjain, known as the Simhastha, is held on the bank of which river?
- A.Narmada
- B.Shipra
- C.Betwa
- D.Chambal
Show answer
Ujjain stands on the Shipra, and the Simhastha bathing takes place at its ghats, chiefly Ram Ghat, with the Mahakaleshwar jyotirlinga at the centre of the fair.
Read the full explanation →The Ujjain Kumbh is called the Simhastha because it is held when
- A.Jupiter enters Leo
- B.Jupiter enters Aquarius
- C.the Sun enters Capricorn
- D.the Moon enters Taurus
Show answer
Simha is the Sanskrit name of Leo, and the Ujjain fair takes its name from the entry of Jupiter into that sign, with the Sun in Aries; the combination falls in the month of Vaisakha, so the Ujjain Kumbh is a Vaisakha fair rather than a winter one.
Read the full explanation →The Bhagoria Haat festival is celebrated chiefly by which community of Madhya Pradesh?
- A.The Gonds of the Mandla belt
- B.The Bhils and Bhilalas of the Jhabua belt
- C.The Baigas of the Dindori belt
- D.The Korkus of the Betul belt
Show answer
Bhagoria is the haat festival of the Bhil and Bhilala people of the western districts, above all Jhabua and Alirajpur, with Dhar, Barwani and Khargone joining in, and it is held in the weekly markets of the week before Holi.
Read the full explanation →The Bhagoria Haat is held in the days immediately before which festival?
- A.Diwali
- B.Holi
- C.Nagpanchami
- D.Makar Sankranti
Show answer
Bhagoria runs through the weekly haats of the week before Holi, in the month of Phalguna, and closes on the day of Holi itself, so the festival is counted as the Bhil form of the spring festival rather than a separate date in the calendar.
Read the full explanation →Maha Shivratri is celebrated in the honour of the Hindu deity, Lord Shiva in the Hindu month of ________.
- A.Kartika
- B.Chaitra
- C.Phalguna
- D.Vaishakha
Show answer
Maha Shivratri falls on the Chaturdashi of the dark half of Phalguna, in February or March. In Madhya Pradesh it is the largest single fair day of the year: it fills the Mahakaleshwar jyotirlinga at Ujjain, the Bhojeshwar temple at Bhojpur in Raisen district and the Shiva shrines of Pachmarhi.
Read the full explanation →The Nagdwari Mela, called the Amarnath of the Satpura, is held at which hill station of Madhya Pradesh?
- A.Pachmarhi
- B.Amarkantak
- C.Maheshwar
- D.Mandu
Show answer
The Nagdwari Mela is held at Pachmarhi in Narmadapuram district, inside the Satpura hills, at Nagpanchami in the month of Shravan.
Read the full explanation →Narmada Jayanti, kept on the Saptami of the bright half of Magha, draws its largest gathering at
- A.Omkareshwar
- B.Amarkantak
- C.Bhojpur
- D.Chitrakoot
Show answer
Amarkantak in Anuppur district is the source of the Narmada, and of the Son as well, so Narmada Jayanti is kept there on the largest scale, with gatherings also at Jabalpur, Hoshangabad and Omkareshwar along the river.
Read the full explanation →The Khajuraho Dance Festival, held every February before the Chandela temples, is in which district?
- A.Chhatarpur
- B.Panna
- C.Tikamgarh
- D.Sagar
Show answer
Khajuraho lies in Chhatarpur district of the Bundelkhand region, and the dance festival has been held there every February since 1975, with classical dance performed against the Chandela temples, themselves a World Heritage Site.
Read the full explanation →The Tansen Samaroh, the music festival held in December near the tomb of Tansen, belongs to which city?
- A.Ujjain
- B.Gwalior
- C.Maihar
- D.Bhopal
Show answer
Tansen, one of the navaratnas of Akbar, belonged to Gwalior and his tomb stands there beside that of his teacher Muhammad Ghaus; the Tansen Samaroh is held near it in December and the Tansen Samman is given at it.
Read the full explanation →The mahamastakabhisheka of a colossal rock-cut image of Adinatha, named after its height of fifty-two gaz, is held at
- A.Sonagiri in Datia
- B.Bawangaja in Barwani
- C.Kundalpur in Damoh
- D.Udaygiri in Vidisha
Show answer
The name Bawangaja means fifty-two gaz, the traditional height given to the standing rock-cut image of Adinatha cut into the Satpura slope in Barwani district, and its mahamastakabhisheka draws Jain pilgrims from across the country.
Read the full explanation →Which pair of a Madhya Pradesh fair or festival and its place is correctly matched?
- A.Kalidas Samaroh and Ujjain
- B.Nimar Utsav and Orchha
- C.Barman fair and Barwani
- D.Nagaji cattle fair and Jhabua
Show answer
Ujjain is held to be the city of Kalidasa, and the state festival named after him, with drama, recitation and scholarship on his works, is held there.
Read the full explanation →Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Ujjain Kumbh called the Simhastha?
Simha is the Sanskrit name of the zodiac sign Leo, and the Ujjain fair is held when Jupiter enters Leo with the Sun in Aries. That combination falls in the month of Vaisakha, so the Ujjain Kumbh is a Vaisakha fair. It comes once in about twelve years, like every Kumbh, and the bathing is on the Shipra at Ram Ghat with the Mahakaleshwar jyotirlinga at the centre of the fair.
What is the Bhagoria Haat and when is it held?
Bhagoria is the spring festival of the Bhil and Bhilala people of western Madhya Pradesh, chiefly Jhabua and Alirajpur, with Dhar, Barwani and Khargone joining in. It is held in the weekly haats of the week before Holi, in Phalguna, and closes on the day of Holi. Young men and women who wish to marry meet at the haats, and by custom the exchange of gulal is taken as the acceptance of a match.
Which fair of Madhya Pradesh is called the Amarnath of the Satpura?
The Nagdwari Mela at Pachmarhi in Narmadapuram district is called the Amarnath of the Satpura. It is held at Nagpanchami in the month of Shravan, inside the Satpura hills, and pilgrims walk a long and difficult hill route through the forest to reach the Nagdwar caves, which is what gives the fair its comparison with the Amarnath yatra.
Where does the Narmada rise and when is Narmada Jayanti kept?
The Narmada rises at Amarkantak in Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh, on the meeting of the Vindhya, the Satpura and the Maikal ranges, and the Son rises at the same place. Narmada Jayanti is kept on the Saptami of the bright half of Magha and the largest gathering is at Amarkantak itself, with fairs also at Jabalpur, Hoshangabad and Omkareshwar along the river.
Which art and music festivals does the state government hold?
The best known are the Khajuraho Dance Festival in Chhatarpur district every February, the Tansen Samaroh at Gwalior in December with the Tansen Samman, the Kalidas Samaroh at Ujjain, the Ustad Alauddin Khan Sangeet Samaroh at Maihar, and the Dhrupad Samaroh and Lokrang at Bhopal. The Nimar Utsav at Maheshwar, the Malwa Utsav and the Mandu Festival are the regional festivals in the same calendar.
Sources
- Fairs, festivals and tourist circuits of the state — Madhya Pradesh Tourism
- Culture, districts and state festivals — Government of Madhya Pradesh
- Kumbh Mela, festival of masses — UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
