The Kolayat fair, held on Kartik Purnima at a lake associated with the sage Kapil Muni, is celebrated in which state?

The Kolayat fair (Kapil Muni fair) is an annual religious fair held at Kolayat, a small town in the Bikaner district of Rajasthan, about 50 km from the city of Bikaner. It is held in the month of Kartika (October-November) and reaches its peak on Kartika Purnima, the full moon day.

Kolayat is an important Hindu pilgrimage site associated with the sage Kapil Muni (Kapila), who is regarded as the founder of the Sankhya school of Indian philosophy, one of the six classical schools (darshanas). According to tradition, Kapil Muni performed penance at this place, and the sacred lake at Kolayat is linked with him. The lake is surrounded by 52 ghats and many temples, including the temple of Kapil Muni. On Kartika Purnima, thousands of devotees take a holy dip in the lake and float lamps on its waters, believing that it washes away their sins. Large numbers of pilgrims and sadhus come to the fair.

The Kolayat fair is also a cattle fair, where camels, cattle and other livestock are traded, along with handicrafts, textiles and other goods. It is held at the same time as the much larger Pushkar fair in the Ajmer district of Rajasthan, which is also held in Kartika and ends on Kartika Purnima. Both fairs combine religious devotion with trade and cultural celebration.

Bikaner is known for the Junagarh Fort, the Karni Mata temple at Deshnoke (famous for its rats), the Camel Festival held in January, the National Research Centre on Camel, and Bikaneri bhujia, a famous snack.

Other famous fairs of Rajasthan include the Pushkar fair, the Baneshwar fair, the Desert Festival of Jaisalmer, the Nagaur cattle fair and the Gogaji fair at Goga Medi.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Gujarat is known for fairs such as the Tarnetar fair.
• ✗Madhya Pradesh is known for fairs such as the Simhastha Kumbh at Ujjain.
• ✗Haryana is known for the Surajkund Crafts Mela.