All preparations done for Bhatuj fair, special worship in Kedarnath & Guptkashi
Tuesday, 29 August 2023 | Vinod Chamoli | New Tehri
The tradition of Annakoot (Bhatuj) fair in Kedarnath, the 11th Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva, is centuries old. The Bhatuj fair is held a day before Rakshabandhan. As part of the fair, the Bhu Shivling itself is adorned with cooked rice and other grains. Each grain of the freshly cooked rice is placed in a line around the Shivling. This festival will be celebrated in Kedarpuri on the night of August 29, a day before Rakshabandhan. At the same time, the same tradition is followed in Vishwanath temple in Guptkashi. However, in Kedarnath, the rice and other grains offered to the lord are not distributed as Prasad but buried as they are believed to turn poisonous after being offered to the lord.
The Bhatuj fair will be celebrated at Kedarnath and Vishwanath temple in Guptkashi on Tuesday night on the eve of Rakshabandhan. In this fair starting at midnight, first of all the chief priest himself worships the Bhu Shivling. After this, the Bhu Shivling is decorated with cooked rice and other grains. After this the doors of the temple are opened for the devotees. This is the only occasion in the year when the doors of the temple are opened at midnight for the devotees. It is believed that when Lord Shiva drank the Halahal poison for the welfare of the world, he pacified this poisonous fire with various herbal medicines and juices. Symbolically new grains are offered even today to the lord on this occasion.
It is believed that Lord Shiva absorbs the toxics of the new grains. That is why cooked rice and other grains offered to the lord are not distributed as Prasad. These grains are buried in a safe place. Kedarnath temple chief priest Shivling and Vishwanath temple, Guptkashi, chief priest MT Gangadhar Linga told this correspondent that all preparations have been completed for the Annakoot (Bhatuj) fair to be held on Tuesday night.
