Sheetala Mata Fair

LOCATION : Seel-ki-Doongri village near Jaipur, Rajasthan

TIME OF THE YEAR : March-April

HIGHLIGHTS : Cattle fair and a small market

SIGNIFICANCE : Held in the honour of Sheetla Mata, local goddess of epidemic diseases

The Sheetla Mata Fair is held every year in Seel-Ki-Doongri village (chaksu) near Jaipur in the month of March-April. The fair lasts for a day and is held in the honour of Sheetla Mata. A number of visitors from far and wide visit the fair each year. It was believed that the epidemic diseases such as chicken pox were spread because of the wrath of the Sheetla Mata. The people worship her so that the the diseases do not spread. The image of the goddess is sculpted out in red sandstone.

A temporary market is set up at the fair where people from villages are seen trading in products and goods that include shoes, utensils, foodstuff, clothes and agricultural implements. Yet another tourist attraction at the Sheetla Mata fair is the cattle fair arranged during the fair.

In order to reach the Sheetla Mata fair you can take regular buses from Jaipur-Tonk, Jaipur-Kota, Jaipur-Deoli routes. The nearest railway station is Chaksu on the Jaipur-Sawai Madhopur subdivision of Western Railway.