Bateshwar Tourism and Travel Guide

Bateshwar - The Holy Place Of Saint Tulsidas

History of Bateshwar -

Bateshwar is well known as being the ancestral home of Sri Atal Vihari Vajpayee. It gets its name from the Bateshwarnath Temple which is dedicated to Bateshwarnath Mahadev or Lord Shiva. According to legends Lord Shiva briefly rested under a banyan tree (which still stands), and the location came to be known as Bateshwar from joining Bat (tree) with Ishwar (God). It is also known as the capital of Krishna’s father, Vasudev. The Greek traveler and ambassador Megasthenes had visited Bateshwar in 4th century BC.

During Quit India Movement in 1942, the former Prime Minister and his brother were arrested from Bateshwar and jailed for 23 days. The death of Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee has suddenly brought the town back into focus. His ashes were immersed at Bateshwar Ghat.

Location of Bateshwar-

Bateshwar is a village in Agra District of Uttar Pradesh. The ancient town is situated on the banks of the Yamuna River and located between Agra and Etawah. It is about 75 km from Agra.

Fairs and Festivals in Bateshwar -

During Karthik Purnima, there is a huge fair where hundreds of thousands of animals from goats and cows to elephants change hands. This fair has existed for so long that no one knows about its origin. It is believed to have been mention in The Mahabharat.

Culture of Bateshwar-

Like Varanasi, Bateshwar too was once a seat of learning. The spoken language was Brajbhasa, and it was inhabited by Saint Tulsidas. The town is also important to Jains for being the birthplace of the 22nd Tirthankar, Lord Neminath.

Tourist Attractions in Bateshwar-

There are several temples in the area. At one time there were 101 Shiva Temples of which 42 still stand.

1. Bateshwar Nath Temple – Raja Badan Singh of Bhadawar built the Bateshwar Temple in 1646 AD on the banks of the Yamuna River. There is an ancient Shiva Linga inside the temple, and the evening Aarti is quite stunning.
2. Baruva Matha – It is a temple to Bhagwan Neminath a Jain Tirthankar. The idol to Lord Neminath is 8 ft tall.
3. Shankha Dhwaj Mandir – The second storey of the Baruva Matha is known as Shankha Dhwaj Mandir. There are two idols on the second storey dating back to 11th century. There are also installed idols of Bhagwan Parshvanath, Bhagwan Chandraprabhu & Bhagwan Vimalnath who were Jain Tirthankars.

How To Reach Bateshwar -

Bateshwar is connected with the city of Agra by both rail and road. The road from Agra to bah passes through this town. Bateshwar has a small halt railway station. A few express and local trains pass through here weekly.

Best Time To Visit Bateshwar -

The best time to visit this spiritual town is in the month of Karthik (Oct – Nov) when the fair takes place. It is the second most important animal fair in India after Sonepur.