Khatu Shyamji or Khatu Shyam Baba is a popular pilgrimage in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It’s a temple with profound significance to Hindus thus attracts a huge crowd of devotees right through the year. Khatu is basically a small village, which is home of legendary Shyam Baba. Over the years, the temple dedicated to the Baba here has grown in popularity bringing hordes of people from all parts of India.

The fair of Khatu Shyamji is very popular which takes place in the month of February and March. Lasting for three days, it’s the time when the small village gets a sea of devotees making it a vibrant hub of spirituality and religion. The frequency of visits here never dips, as people keep coming in winter or summer or every season to pray to their revered baba.

The number of visitors almost doubles or triples during the celebratory fair, which makes it one of leading pilgrimages in the country. The main temple, built in pure white marble, exhibits a great sense of piety, calm and peace without hinting of a rich history associated to it. The tales of the legendary status of the temple go back to some thousands of years back, right to the times of Mahabharata war.

As per the folklores, the grandson of the great Pandava - Barbarik was the major reason attributed to the fame of this temple. As a brave warrior, he was ready to take part in the upcoming epic Mahabharata War. Possessing three divine arrows that made him invincible, he was the trump card capable and destructive enough to tilt the war in favor of the chosen side.

Being a Pandava, Barbarik was supposed to side his father but a vow to mother to support only weaker side prompted Lord Krishna to win him over with a ploy. Asking the brave Pandava of his head in charity and blessing him with two boons, Lord Krishna proceeded with the war and defeated the kauravas. The head was duly buried at Khatu, and since then, the place is known in its today’s form.