Where in Rajasthan is the ‘Kapil Muni’ fair held?

Concept: Many of Rajasthan’s major regional fairs (melas) take their name and location from a saint or deity whose shrine or ashram is at that spot; the fair is celebrated every year at that fixed site, tied to a lunar-calendar date, regardless of which district now administers the area.

Application: The ‘Kapil Muni’ fair is dedicated to the sage Kapil Muni and is held annually on Kartik Purnima at Kolayat, a town on the bank of Kolayat Lake in Bikaner district, Rajasthan. Pilgrims take a ritual bath in the sacred lake and float lit earthen lamps (diyas) on the water as part of the fair.

Cross-check: The other three places offered are each known for a different, unrelated heritage feature, which rules them out:

• Sanganer in Jaipur is known for its centuries-old hand block-printing and hand-made paper craft.

• Mandore in Jodhpur is known for the Mandore Gardens and the chhatris (cenotaphs) of the Rathore rulers of Marwar.

• Kalibangan in Hanumangarh is an Indus-Sarasvati (Harappan-era) archaeological site known for its ploughed field and fire altars.

None of these three carries an association with sage Kapil Muni, so the fair is confirmed to be held at Kolayat in Bikaner.