Ajmer: As Hindus across the world celebrate Diwali and pray to Goddess Lakshmi for wealth, prosperity and happiness, a temple in Rajasthan's Ajmer is the centre to an annual fair of unmarried boys and girls held on the festival of lights.
Unmarried devotees throng the Khobra Nath Bhairav temple located on the hill adjacent to the Ana Sagar Lake in Ajmer to get the blessings of the deity to get a match. Therefore, devotees also call Khobra Bhairavnath as 'Shaadi Dev'.
Khobra Bhairavnath Temple is also one of the ancient temples of Ajmer. Ajmer was established by King Ajay Pal of the Chauhan dynasty. It is said that Khobra Bhairavnath resides in the temple since then. That is, the history of Khobra Bhairavnath dates even back to the time of the establishment of Ajmer. It is said that the kings of the Chauhan dynasty used to worship the Chamunda Mata Temple, the revered goddess of the Chauhan dynasty, and Khobranath Bhairav. It is believed that the dilapidated temple was repaired and the temple was re-established during the Maratha period.
Khobra Nath Bhairav is believed to be the deity of different castes. Throughout the year, people of different castes and religions keep coming to the temple to get blessings of the deity. But on the day of Diwali, people of the Kayastha community especially gather in the temple to seek blessings. On the day of Diwali, Khobra Bhairav Nath fair is also held at the temple.
Bachelorettes light lamps in the temple for 7 days: Priest of Khobra Nath temple, Pandit Lalit Mohan Sharma said that people have had deep faith in Khobra Nath Bhairav temple for years. He said that a fair is organized in the temple on Diwali for which the arrangements were made as usual by the Kayastha community on Friday from 11 am to 4 pm. A large number of people from the Kayastha community come to the temple for darshan on the day of Diwali, he added.
Sharma said that the bachelor devotees believe that by lighting a lamp at the door of Khobra Nath for 7 days in the evening, they will find an instant match. Those bachelors who get married, also come here to fulfill their vows, added Sharma.
Sharma said that apart from Rajasthan, devotees from Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Mumbai also come to the temple for darshan. Many NRIs have also received the blessings of their marriage from the temple, he said.
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