Khatu Mela 2026: Know what has changed before your visit; these rules apply to entry, queues, and parking.

Next month, the world-famous Khatu Shyamji Phalguni fair will be held. More than 50 lakh devotees are expected to attend. In view of this, the police and administration have already started preparations. The police department is going to implement five major changes at the fair this year. Sikar SP Praveen Nayak Nunawat held a meeting with district police officers regarding the fair preparations. In this meeting, it was decided to make five major changes for the convenience of the devotees.

Here are the five major changes:

In previous years, there were only two exit areas during the fair. These included a four-lane exit towards Kabutar Chowk and a ten-lane exit towards Kala Bhawan. However, this time, four of the ten lanes leading towards Kala Bhawan will be diverted through Guwad Chowk. It was observed during previous fairs that the simultaneous exit of ten lanes often led to stampede-like situations.

In previous fairs, it was observed that the devotees' queue extended from the 40-foot mark through the 75-foot ground towards the temple. In such a situation, if someone needed to cross to the other side of the queue on the 75-foot ground, there was no option. But this time, a foot overbridge will be constructed above the devotees' queue, allowing devotees to easily move from one place to another.

In previous fairs, it was observed that although around 500 CCTV cameras were installed in Khatu town and on the darshan route during the fair, the police administration did not have real-time, accurate information about the crowd approaching Khatu. Now, it has been decided that CCTV cameras will be installed on the Mandawa and Ringas routes leading to Khatu. This will enable the police to manage the crowd effectively in real-time. The height of the barricades in the devotees' queue will also be increased this time, preventing anyone from crossing from one line to another.

Every year during the fair, it is observed that the crowd increases so much during Ekadashi that there is a major parking problem. In light of this, new parking spots will be created this time to prevent any traffic problems.

To understand it more easily...

Changes in the exit system: Four out of the ten exit lanes leading towards Kala Bhavan will now be routed through Guwad Chowk, reducing the risk of stampedes.

Construction of a foot overbridge: A foot overbridge will be built over the queue of devotees at the 75-foot ground, allowing people to safely cross from one side to the other.

Real-time crowd monitoring: CCTV cameras will be installed on the Manda and Ringas roads to monitor the crowd of devotees coming to Khatu.

Increased barricade height: The height of the barricades will be increased to prevent devotees from breaking the queue and moving to another line.

New parking spots created:  Considering the increased crowds during Ekadashi, new parking areas will be developed to alleviate traffic congestion.