Himachal Fair &
Festivals
he Fairs and Festivals in Himachal Pradesh are
associated with religion, trade, season and sports. The people of
Himachal Pradesh worship around 2000 deities and quite a number of
fairs and festivals are commemorated for these deities. Out of a
long list of Fairs and Festivals in Himachal Pradesh, some of the
festivals are celebrated since time immemorial and some are of
recent inclusion. These Fairs and Festivals in Himachal Pradesh are
the best way to get close to the local life of the state. They are
the best medium to know the culture, way of life, customs, beliefs
and traditions of the people of Himachal Pradesh.
JANUARY
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Beginning of New Year in Lahaul valley. Lamas fix the date of
festival, which is usually falls in the month of January.
Winter Carnival
In the month of January and peaks season of skiers this impressive
festival celebrated with lot of fun at Manali(11 to 16 Jan).
Lohri or Maghi
The festival of Lohri is celebrates in the most areas of Himachal
Pradesh. This is the traditionally mid winter season and also
commemorate the last sowing of Ravi crop. Community bonfire, dancing
and folk songs mark the day.
Phagli
Phagli is another important festival of the Lahaul valley. Phagli
nam Derived from the month of Phagun the last month of winter and
beginning of the spring season.
Makar Sankrati :-
The festival of makar Sankrati is celebrated with great fun and
festivity at solan 48 km from Shimla on Kalka Shimla highway .
FEBRUARY
Basant Panchmi
Basant panchmi marks arrival of spring season in lower part of
state. The sky filled with colourful kites.
Baba Barbhag Singh Mela
The festival of Baba Barbhag singh held at Mairi in district in
Una. In the month of februrary and dedicated to sage Baba Barbhag
Singh was renowed for his spritual powers .
Navratre
The sacred days of navratre are absorved all over Himachal Pradesh.
These secred days dedicated to Mata Druga Devi .The temples of
chintpurni and Jawala mukhi are also major focus in these days .
MARCH
Holi
As celebrated most part of the country Holi is also celelibrated in
Himachal pradesh.The festival of colour and fun thousand of devotee
throng to holy shrine at Ponta Sahib in sirmour district situated on
bank of river Yamuna. Holi is also celebrated in Palampur and
Sujaanpur.
Shivratri Fair
Shivratri fair held in Mandi town in between February and March
every year. The fair of Shivratri goes about weak long, well
decorated hundreds of local Gods(Devta) and Goddess are
participating in international Shivratrit fair at Mandi town. First
stop over of the deities in Mahadev temple and then at Bhootnath
Temple to pay their homage to lord Shiva.The weak long festival
celebrate with dance ,music and dramas. Shiv ratri fair is also
celebrated at Baijnath’s Shiva temple in Kangra district.
Nalwari Fair
This fair basically a cattle fair buying and selling cattles done
here. Local artist entretain the people on occasion of nalwari fair.
Wrestling matches also held here the fair is held in the month of
march.
Bala Sundri Fair
The fair of Bala Sundri held in Trilokpur near Nahan in Sirmour
district at the temple of Goddes Bala sundri which was build in 1573
by king Deep Prakash.
APRIL
Baisakhi
Held on the first day of baisakh month which falls on 13th April
according english calander .Baisakhi is another major festival of
Himachal Pradesh is celebrated with great ferbor and festivity .It
bids a final fairwell to the winter .people take purifing dips in
water at Tattapani. Near shimla and Rewalsar lake near Mandi.
Sui Fair
Celebrated in Chamba Sui fair is another exciting and funfield
event .
Chait
The Dancing and folk songs in kullu and chamba celebrade the
festival of chait the first month of lunar calander which falls in
April.
MAY
Dhoogri Fair
Pagoda shaped temple of goddes Hadibha Devi at Manali host of
dhoogri fair in the month of may .The colour full fair attended by
people of kullu valley and surrounding area.
IPSI Fair
Just 10km from Shimla ,Mashobra the host place of sipi fair which
held in the month of May every year ..It is traditionally a time for
match making .
Hang gliding
Hang gliding rally begen in Biling near Kangra ,summer festival
also celebrated in Dharamshala And river festival also commence in
the month of may in Kullu .
JUNE
Solan Fair
This fair is dedicated to goddess shilooni the town named after it
is the presiding deity of the region .The fair helf in the second
Sunday of the June month .
Ghantal Festival
Full moon night in the month of june the ghantal festival is
celebrated in guru ghantal monastery in lauhaul valley.Summer
festivals held at dalhousie dharamshala and shimla are memorable
events cultural programmes add colour to summer season these include
folk dances ,sports tournament and flower shows.
JULY
Ladarcha Fair
This fair held in Kaza the old trade route to Tibet and central
Asia Basicaly this event is a commercial festival. Where traders
come to sell their produce like wool, woollen cloths and dry fruit
etc.The Lahaul festival is also celebrate during this season.
Haryali Festival
This festival announces the onset of the monsoon rains. The other
attraction of this month are buffalo fights which mark the Sari fair
at Arki.
AUGUST
Pauri Festival
Pauri festival held at Udaipur in Lahaul valley. The Trilokinath
temple is the centre point of this festival. The temple is secred to
Hindus and Buddhists alike.
The Shrawan Fair
This fair is held at holy shrine of Naina Devi 32 km from swarghat
in Bilaspur District.
Dal Fair
In upper Dharamshala Dal lake host the Dal fair in the month of
August.
Manimahesh Yatra
After celebrating Janamashtmi (the birthday of Lord Krishna) the
yatra begin to secred lake of Manimahesh in Chamba district in the
month of August.
Gugga Fair
Gugga fair celebrated in Chamba,Simour and Bilaspur. This event
connected with the worship of Gugga the Nag devta.
Minjar Fair
Chamba the land of charm and beauty celebrated the minjar fair on
the bank of river Ravi in month of August /september. The Minjar
Fair is held to please to Lord of rain -VARUN for timely rain in the
region for good harvest. Thousand of people of Chamba and
surrounding ares.Throng to the festival .It is time when lot of
match making done.
Gaddi Fair
Bharmour is the site for the Gaddi fair.Gaddies are nomadic people
and they celebrate this yearly event for the period of six days.
SEPTEMBER
Navratre
The sacred days of Navratre are absorved all over Himachal Pradesh.
These secred days dedicated to Mata Druga Devi . The temples of
Naina Devi, Brajeshwari, Chamunda, Chintpurni and Jawala mukhi are
also major focus in these days . A special millennium
celebration.(28 sept-6 Oct
OCTOBER
Phool Yatra
Celebrated in pangi valley in Chamba district witness a glories
display of neighbourly affection and this occasion Dehant Nag is
worshiped.
Dussehra
Largest of all Fair in Himachal Dushehra is celebrated with great
fervour and with festive mood. Dushehra is celebrate all over India
but it at has got its own significant at Kullu. It commemorate when
the Dushehra festival in other parts of country ends. It last for
seven days. The actual date of commencement of Dushehra festival is
decided by Hadimba Devi then after She bought to kullu in two days
in a procession where she is recived by former king of Kullu. Then
the ceremony begins. On the opening day the idol of Ragunathji kept
on well decorated chariot and attended by village Gods mounted in
colorful decorated planquins is pulled from its fixed place in
dalpur ground to the other corner of the ground by big ropes. The
pulling of ropes is regarded sacred by local people. Around 300
Gods(Devta) of different villages arrive on the opening day and
remains there for seven days. At Dalpur ground. To pay there homage
to Lord Ragunathji the chief deity of the region. Trader from around
the area came to festive to sell local products. Every evening a
culture programme is organized by kala kendra at Dhalpur ground in
which various artist from Russia, France and other country to
praticpate. The Tourist from all over the world visit Himachal in
the month of October specially to see Dushehra festival at Kullu.
(8-14 Oct)
NOVEMBER
Renuka Fair
There are lot of lakes in Himachal Pradesh but Renuka is the most
beautiful. The famous Renuka fair celebrated at seared lake in every
year in the month of November .This fair is commemorate the
secrifies of mother Renuka .She was killed by her son Parsuram under
the order of his Rishi (saint) father Jamdagni.The fair celebrates
the immoratality of Renuka and her son.thousand of devotee throng to
this place to receive the blessing of their Gods and Goddess.It last
for one week in which folk dances and cultural programme organized .
On the bank of lake the temple of Parshu Ram and Renuka Devi are
situated. An old agreeable ceremony takes place when the celebrants
exchange turbans or caps even handful water to become brother and
sisters in the name of deity.
Lavi Fair
On the bank of River Satluj 120 km from Shimla Rampur town host of
famous fair of Lavi which is held in the month of November .The week
long fair bring people from kinnaur ,kullu and adjoining area for
the trading of wool, woolen cloths, carpets and shawls as well as
dry fruits and horses are bartered and sold. The town was once a
major enter point on the old trade route to Kinnaur,Tibet , Ladakh
and Afghanistan .Even these day the tradition is as vibrant as ever.
DECEMBER
Christmas
Christmas celebration grip the Shimla and Dalhousie and as church
bells chime. The New Year eve is celebrated with great gaity in
Shimla and all Himachal once again prepares for another eventful
year.
Ice-skating Carnival
The Ice-Skating Carnival which held in Shimla in the month of
December (10-12 Dec).
International Himalayan Festival
International Himalayan Festival is held in Mcleodganj district
Kangra (10-12 Dec). |
