Khatu, Sikar district, Rajasthan
Khatu Shyam Ji: a guide
Khatu Shyam Ji temple is in Khatu (Khatushyamji) town in Sikar district, Rajasthan, about 17 km by road from Ringas Junction and about 80 km from Jaipur. It is dedicated to Khatu Shyam, worshipped as Barbareek of the Mahabharata. Its biggest gathering is the Phalgun Lakkhi Mela, which in 2026 ran from 21 to 28 February.
Source: OpenStreetMap route to Ringas Junction (opens in a new tab); OpenStreetMap route to Jaipur Junction (opens in a new tab); Wikipedia: Khatu Shyam Temple, 16 Aug 2026 (opens in a new tab); Dainik Jagran (English), 22 Feb 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Where is Khatu Shyam Ji?
Khatu is a temple town in Danta Ramgarh tehsil of Sikar district, in the Jaipur division of Rajasthan. The state’s 2016 development plan for the town places it about 48 km from Sikar, about 18 km from Reengus and about 80 km from Jaipur.
Source: Devasthan Department, Rajasthan (development plan), Aug 2016 (opens in a new tab)
Ringas and Reengus are two spellings of the same town. Its station, Ringas Junction, is the railhead the Ministry of Railways names for the temple.
Source: Wikipedia: Reengus, 26 Apr 2026 (opens in a new tab); Lok Sabha reply, Ministry of Railways, 6 Aug 2025 (opens in a new tab)
All distances are rounded and approximate. The map column follows a car route from the temple to the place named; the 2016 plan does not say how its figures were measured, so the two columns can differ.
Source: Devasthan Department, Rajasthan (development plan), Aug 2016 (opens in a new tab)
The temple and the story of Barbareek
The temple is dedicated to Khatu Shyam, whom devotees identify with Barbareek of the Mahabharata, the son of Ghatotkacha and grandson of Bhima. In the story devotees tell, Barbareek offered his head to Lord Krishna before the war at Kurukshetra, and Krishna blessed him to be worshipped in the Kali Yuga by his own name, Shyam.
Source: Wikipedia: Khatu Shyam Temple, 16 Aug 2026 (opens in a new tab); Dainik Jagran (English), 22 Feb 2026 (opens in a new tab)
That is why devotees call him Sheesh ke Daani, the giver of his head, and Haare ka Sahara, the support of those who have lost hope.
Source: Dainik Jagran (English), 22 Feb 2026 (opens in a new tab); Shri Shyam Mandir Committee (opens in a new tab)
By tradition, the head was found at Shyam Kund, a sacred pond near the temple, and the first temple was built in 1027 CE by Roop Singh Chauhan. These details come from legend and secondary sources rather than an inscription GuruVista has seen.
Source: Wikipedia: Khatu Shyam Temple, 16 Aug 2026 (opens in a new tab)
The temple is run by the Shri Shyam Mandir Committee, which publishes daily darshan updates, notices and its aarti timetable on shrishyammandir.com.
Phalgun Lakkhi Mela 2026: dates and crowds
The Lakkhi Mela is held in the Hindu month of Phalgun (February–March), and its most important day is Phalgun Shukla Ekadashi. In 2026 it ran from Saturday 21 February to Saturday 28 February.
Source: Dainik Jagran (English), 22 Feb 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Patrika described the 2026 Mela as an eight-day Mela, with devotees counted by cameras on the queue route to the temple.
Many pilgrims walk the road from Ringas to Khatu carrying a Nishan, a triangular saffron, orange or red flag, and offer it at the temple.
Source: Wikipedia: Khatu Shyam Temple, 16 Aug 2026 (opens in a new tab); Dainik Jagran (English), 22 Feb 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Reported visitor numbers range from about 4.1 lakh to about 50 lakh, because the reports count different things:
Source: Patrika, 24 Feb 2026 (opens in a new tab); ThePrint, 3 Nov 2024 (opens in a new tab)
- About 4.1 lakh devotees had darshan by the evening of the third day of the 2026 Mela, by the camera count (Patrika, 24 Feb 2026).
- 35 to 40 lakh devotees in the seven days of the Lakkhi Mela, according to Patrika’s English edition (22 Oct 2025).
- About 50 lakh visitors at the annual Mela over the three years before its report, citing the Rajasthan tourism department (ThePrint, 3 Nov 2024).
GuruVista found no official total for the whole 2026 Mela. Before you travel at Mela time, follow the notices of the Shri Shyam Mandir Committee and the district administration.
More Khatu Shyam guides
Laadli Shyamavan
GuruVista also presents Laadli Shyamavan, a plotted development at Khatu Shyam. Its page labels which details come from the developer and which documents are still awaited.
See Laadli ShyamavanCommon questions
Where is Khatu Shyam Ji temple?
In Khatu (Khatushyamji) town, in Danta Ramgarh tehsil of Sikar district, Rajasthan.
Source: Devasthan Department, Rajasthan (development plan), Aug 2016 (opens in a new tab); Wikipedia: Khatu Shyam Temple, 16 Aug 2026 (opens in a new tab)
How far is Khatu Shyam Ji from Jaipur?
About 80 km by road from Jaipur Junction on OpenStreetMap, the same figure the Devasthan Department’s 2016 plan gives for Jaipur.
Source: OpenStreetMap route to Jaipur Junction (opens in a new tab); Devasthan Department, Rajasthan (development plan), Aug 2016 (opens in a new tab)
Are Ringas and Reengus the same place?
Yes. They are two spellings of the same town in Sikar district. Its station, Ringas Junction (code RGS), is about 17 km by road from the temple.
Source: Wikipedia: Reengus, 26 Apr 2026 (opens in a new tab); Wikipedia: Ringas Junction, 24 Aug 2026 (opens in a new tab); OpenStreetMap route to Ringas Junction (opens in a new tab)
When was the Phalgun Lakkhi Mela in 2026?
From 21 to 28 February 2026.
Source: Dainik Jagran (English), 22 Feb 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Who was Barbareek?
In the Mahabharata tradition, Barbareek was the son of Ghatotkacha and the grandson of Bhima. Devotees worship him at Khatu as Khatu Shyam.
Source: Wikipedia: Khatu Shyam Temple, 16 Aug 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Where can I find darshan timings?
On the Shri Shyam Mandir Committee’s website, shrishyammandir.com. GuruVista does not publish timings because they change, especially during the Mela.
Planning a visit, or a question about Khatu?
Call, WhatsApp or ask our team. A person from GuruVista will get back to you.
Sources used on this page
Each source was opened and checked on the date shown. Dates in brackets are when the source was published or last revised.
- OpenStreetMap car route: temple to Ringas Junction (opens in a new tab) · checked 27 Sep 2026
- OpenStreetMap car route: temple to Jaipur Junction (opens in a new tab) · checked 27 Sep 2026
- Wikipedia: Khatu Shyam Temple (opens in a new tab) (16 Aug 2026) · checked 27 Sep 2026
- Dainik Jagran (English): Khatu Shyam Falgun Mela 2026 dates (opens in a new tab) (22 Feb 2026) · checked 27 Sep 2026
- Devasthan Department, Government of Rajasthan: Khatu Shyam Ji development and management plan, final report (opens in a new tab) (Aug 2016) · checked 27 Sep 2026
- Wikipedia: Reengus (opens in a new tab) (26 Apr 2026) · checked 27 Sep 2026
- Lok Sabha Unstarred Question 2900, Ministry of Railways reply (opens in a new tab) (6 Aug 2025) · checked 27 Sep 2026
- OpenStreetMap car route: temple to Sikar Junction (opens in a new tab) · checked 27 Sep 2026
- OpenStreetMap car route: temple to Jaipur International Airport (opens in a new tab) · checked 27 Sep 2026
- OpenStreetMap car route: temple to New Delhi railway station (opens in a new tab) · checked 27 Sep 2026
- Shri Shyam Mandir Committee, Khatushyamji (official website) (opens in a new tab) · checked 27 Sep 2026
- Patrika (Hindi): Khatushyam Lakkhi Mela 2026, third day (opens in a new tab) (24 Feb 2026) · checked 27 Sep 2026
- ThePrint: ground report from Khatu (opens in a new tab) (3 Nov 2024) · checked 27 Sep 2026
- Patrika (English): the Ringas–Khatushyamji rail project (opens in a new tab) (22 Oct 2025) · checked 27 Sep 2026
- Wikipedia: Ringas Junction railway station (opens in a new tab) (24 Aug 2026) · checked 27 Sep 2026
These guides are general information compiled by GuruVista from the sources shown. They are not legal or financial advice. Check current details with the authority named before you rely on them.