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The Renuka fair is held on the banks of Renuka lake in Sirmur district.
According to legend, Renuka, mother of Parasuram, took the shape of the lake
after the curse of her husband, Rishi Jamdagni. Nearby is the Parasuram temple.
Idols adorning various temples are brought to the fair which is held in
November.
This fair takes place on the eleventh day after Diwali. The fair lasts for
fifteen days and it is believed that Parashurama comes to meet his mother during
this period.
The sacred fair of 'Pata' takes place in the Bhadravah valley in September. It
is a fair of young girls and is connected with king Nagpal who ruled in the area
during the reign of the Mughal emperor Akbar. The chief attractions of this fair
are the various pageants of Kudda dancers. During the same period the Jataras of
goddess Chhatrahadi Mata and Mani Mahesh ( in Bharmour) take place. During these, people
from various parts of the state go on foot on long pilgrimages to the temples of
various gods and conclude with a dip in the holy lakes at Bharmour or Mani
Mahesh. In local languages they are known as Dalli Da Nhaun. (the bath of the
Dal). Another fair for women takes place on the banks of the Dal lake where
women come singing folk songs.
Among the
trade fairs in
Himachal, the
fair 'Lavi' is important. This takes place in Rampur between the11th to the 14th of
November. The word Lavi means wool. Woolen garments and articles of daily use
are sold in this fair. Dry fruits such as pine nuts, walnuts, almonds and spices
are also sold here along with horses and mules. Costumes of lord Mahasu
and folk dances including the Mal dance can be seen
in all their glory in this fair.
The Chintpuri fair is held at one of the famous centres of Durga worship in Una
district.
The Seri fairs of Arki, Kunihar and Mashobra are famous for buffalo
fights. The Nalbari fair at Bilaspur and the Bhikshahah fair at Kangra are
another major trade fairs. These are largely cattle fairs where the Punjabis and
the hill-folk buy domestic cattle.
The fairs connected with local deities, the Kahika fair of the Kulu valley
is an important one. This is celebrated for three days and there are a lot of
interesting folk tales in the area connected with it. It is said that there was
a character known as 'Nada' who defied the Brahmanical priests and gods and
evolved along with his wife their own sacrificial Yagnas to placate the local
deities. People in the area hold the 'Nada' couple in high esteem and perform a
ritual enactment of the death and resurrection of the husband.
On the fourth day of the bright fortnight in the same month the fair of
Mela-Jagra is held to celebrate the birthday of lord Mahasu who is the popular
deity of Simla, Sirmaur and Jaunsar areas. This fair takes place at night and
the next day a man chosen by the deity, sleeps at the temple and acts as the
caretaker who observes a fast the whole day and eats only after he has
performed the 'Puja' unto the deity. Some symbolic object from the temple
is taken to a water tank and bathed there and people who accompany it are
sprinkled with the water from the ritual wash. When the party returns to the
forest, a community feast is prepared with articles procured from each house in
the village. In the evening a huge bonfire is lit known as 'cheeda'. The
cheeda is the symbol of the birthday celebration. The priest from the temple
comes and perform Puja to it and people line the path with burning torches.
In the month of September the Minghal fair takes place in the Pangi valley.
Tales connected with the valiant deeds of the goddess Bhagwati are recited on
the occasion and the temple of goddess is specially decorated this day. It is
believed that on this day the power of goddess enter the body of one of her devotees,
who run into the forest, chops down a huge tree and brings back the enormous
tree trunk on his back. When the Arti is performed in the temple, several goats
are sacrificed. People stay up the whole night and dance their folk dances
within the temple premises.
An annual fair of the Sikhs at Panvata Sahib takes place each year on the 27th
of March. It is a historical fair. A grand procession of the holy book Guru
Granth Sahib is taken out on this occasion. The changing of the flag (Nishan
Sahib) and the colourful bazaar that crops up at the site are the other chief
attractions of this fair.
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