The month-long Godavari Singhastha fair, which is held every 12 years, concluded on Thursday midnight with a ritual worshipping.

Lalitpur Chief District Officer Yadav Prasad Koirala, who was also the chairperson of the fair organising committee, participated in the final ritual. Other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

Organisers said over five million people visited the fair that started on August 18. The number of visitors was just two million twelve years ago.

Likewise, business transactions worth Rs 50 million business was carried during the past one month in the fair.

According to the organising committee, the fair saw no any unwanted activity throughout the month. However, pilgrims who visited the area to take holy bath in stone spouts and a pound complained that the area was not properly cleaned.

“I didn’t take a bath in the pond as the water was highly polluted and the area was stinking,” said Apsara Bajagain, who came to the fair from Yampa Phant in Tanahun.

The organisers had managed five water spouts, including three dedicated to women, during the night time. As a result, a large number of pilgrims visited the area at night. However, visitors who reached there at night said they faced problems as there was no separate changing place for male and female. “We feared for the safety of our belongings and it was really hard for women to adjust with men in the spouts,” said Sita Devi Bhusal, a visitor.

Madhu Sudan Paudel, the acting coordinator of the fair, said there were some weaknesses in organising the month-long event. “It was hard for us to manage the crowd but we will try our best next time,” he said.

Over 500 Red Cross and Scout volunteers as well as 70 traffic police personnel were deployed in the area to manage the crowd.