The Gazetteers Department

Numerous fairs associated with important deities and religious festivals are held all over the district. At these fairs considerable quantities of agricultural and other commodities are brought for sale. In 1961 the number of such fairs in the different tahsils of Bhir district was as follows:

Tahsil	Number of fairs
Patoda	16
Manjlegaon	21
Ambejogai	8
Ashti	91
Georai	13
Kaij	10
Bhir	N.A.

The following statement gives information about these fairs in regard to their name, place, where they are held and the approximate turnover:—

Tahsil	Name of the fair	Village/Town	Turnover
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
			Rs.
Patoda	(1) Jagdambini yatra	Rohatwadi	12,000
	(2) Hasampir urus	Amalner	20,000
	(3) Nayangadchi yatra	Pohandul	4,500
Ambejogai	(4) Mahashivratra yatra	Parli-Vaijnath	20,000
	(5) Hanuman jatra	Renapuri	4,000
	(6) Devichi yatra	Deodi	2,500
	(7) Khandobachi yatra	Deodahiphal	4,000
	(8) Urus	Patrud	2,000
Kaij	(9) Urus	Lohari	5,000
	(10) Yasadi jatra	Dhanegaon	12,000
	(11) Wadmaoli Devi	Dahiphal Wadmaol	15,000
Ashti	(12) Walunj jatra	Walunj	5,000
Georai	(13) Limbajibuva jatra	Rampuri	3,900
	(14) Devichi yatra	Talawada	51,800
	(15) Jotiba jatra	Nipani Jawalka	12,000

The fairs are attended by pedlars, petty shop-keepers, potters and farmers. A large variety of goods are sold, viz., cloth, ready-made clothes, utensils, pottery, foodgrains, grocery articles, sweetmeats, cheap jewellery, fruits and flowers. The buyers are usually local residents and pilgrims. The transactions are mostly on a cash basis and rarely on barter. Local dancers, magicians and a variety of other entertainments such as merry-go-round and acrobatics put life in the scene. Religion, trade and entertainment thus combine to tempt people to take a holiday and attend the fair.

At some places where large fairs are held, the local authorities or governmental bodies make arrangements for land, layout, accommodation for visitors and merchants, water-supply and sanitation.