The six-day Mudiya Poono fair, also known as mini-kumbh, will begin here tomorrow.
The fair is known as "mini Kumbh" as at least 20 million pilgrims would perform 'parikrama' (circumambulation ) of the Goverdhan hillock between July 23 and July 28, District Magistrate (DM) Sarvagyaram Mishra said.
Over 1,500 buses would ply on different routes to cater to the travel needs of pilgrims, he said.
The railways will also keep two trains on standby at the Mathura Jn. Station.
"Railways would keep two trains on stand by at the Mathura Jn for running on different routes, subject to availability of passengers between July 23 to July 30," PRO DRM office, Agra, Sanchit Tyagi, said.
Two trains each would run on the Alwar and Kasganj route daily on these dates, he said, adding that three extra ticket counters in Goverdhan and 18 in Mathura have been opened.
The Jhansi-Agra Up/Dn passenger trains have been extended to Mathura. Stoppage time of all express and mail trains passing through Mathura Jn would be extended, the railway official said.
The district administration has been requested to deploy one fire tender and two ambulances, round-the-clock at Mathura Jn, Tyagi said.
The DM said a thick layer of sand has been laid on the
23-km parikrama track to prevent its surface from becoming slippery, incase it rains.
The fair area has been divided into six super zones, 21 zones and 60 sectors, he said.
Super zones would be supervised by additional district magistrates, zones by sub-divisional magistrates or senior deputy collectors, and sectors by magistrates, Mishra said.
He said 22 parking areas have been earmarked, but suggested pilgrims use public transport as heavy rain can make these places slipper or inundate them.
Sale of genuine milk, dairy products and eatables has been ensured, Mishra said.
Though the fair starts from July 23, so far, nearly 8 lakh pilgrims,who do not want to be exposed to heavy rush, have completed their parikrama, since Saturday, the DM said.
Seer Balram Das Baba said in order to commemorate the supreme devotion of Sanatan Goswami towards Lord Krishna, his disciples, after getting their heads shaved, perform the parikrama.
He said Goswami used to perform the parikrama everyday, by covering a total distance of 93 kilometers, as he used stay at the Radha Damodar temple in Vrindavan
Pleased by his devotion, Lord Krishna appeared before Goswami and presented him a piece of rock, with inscription of a flute, a hoof of a cow, his own lotus foot and his 'Lakuti' ( baton), when he found his disciple performing the parikrama,he said
Das said Goswami was instructed by Lord Krishna to perform four parikrama of the rock as it would be equal to one parikrama of Goverdhan.
The rock, he said is still in the Radha Damodar temple.
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