Beyond Agra - Visiting Bateshwar, the ancient town of Yamuna and old temples

A typical weekend getaway is all about unadulterated peace and relaxation. Imagine if you could have all the restful downtime at a small town that is steeped in rich spiritual and cultural vibes? 70 km from Agra, a place called Bateshwar, is serving all this for everyone.

All about Bateshwar’s illustrious background

Bateshwar is a temple town, located on the bank of Yamuna River. The name comes from Vateshwarnathji, another name for Lord Shiva who is the presiding god of this holy town. Once upon a time, about 101 temples existed in this town. However, with the passage of time, only 42 or so have managed to survive. About 400 years ago, the famous Raja Badan Singh of the Bhadawar dynasty moved from Mai to Bateshwar. It was him who commissioned and completed the construction of several temples that stand in Bateshwar today.
This historic town also finds a mention in Hindu scriptures like Matsya Purana, Ramayana, Mahabharata, and even the Jain holy texts.
Bateshwar is a feast for the eyes for its river ghats dotted with several temples. Many of these shrines have retained their lovely frescos in their original form painted with traditional vegetable dyes. The journey to Bateshwar involves coursing through the sand dunes of Chambal that offers amazing views, more so, during the monsoon.


What makes Bateshwar worth visiting?

Bateshwar is renowned for its annual Cattle Fair, which is as old as 400 years. It is organised between Bateshwar and Mai, and at the same place it was earmarked by Raja Badan Singh in his lifetime. This fair is believed to be the biggest Cattle Fair in north India.

Where to stay in Bateshwar?
There are a few good tourist accommodations in this town, such as Rahi Tourist Bungalow, and dharamshalas. Several good tourist lodges and hotels are also located in the range of 10-12 km from Bateshwar in Bah district, Agra.

How to reach?

Take a cab from Agra airport which would take 2 hours or so to reach your destination. Tourists coming via train can make a stop at Agra and then proceed towards Bateshwar in a private vehicle. One of the easiest ways to reach this town by road is to take a private taxi.