Festivals in Kinnaur

Festivals in Kinnaur

Sajo festival in Kinnaur

Sajo Festival is celebrated in the month of spring popularly known as Magh or Falgun (January and February). Himachal Pradesh is set to celebrate the beginning of spring in the form of Sajo Festival. In the villages the palanquins of the gods are laid open and the doors of temples are closed. People believed that this is the period when the gods depart for the heavens for a short spell of rest. The village peoples clean and polish the floor of the Temples.

Dakhraini festival in Kinnaur

Dakhraini festival is celebrated in the month of the July. The village deity is brought out of the temple and the villagers present a folk dance before her.

Baisakhi or Beesh festival in Kinnaur

It is famous in the month of April. This festival marks the end of winter season.all peoples of village celebrate their festivals by uniting together in community without any distinction of age, cast and gender.

Flaich Ukhayang festival in Kinnaur

Flaich Ukhayang is a festival of flowers celebrated in September. Generally people celebrate it on the hill peaks near their villages. Villagers sacrifice buck (male goat) and a fair is held throughout the day.

Phagul festival in Kinnaur

It is celebrated in the month of February/March. In this festival the spirit of Kanda (Peaks), called Kali, is worshiped. The celebrations endure around a fortnight and are commended all over Kinnaur.

Losar festival in Kinnaur

This festival marks the beginning of the New Year in the areas bordering Tibet. Loser is famous in the month of December.

Tribal festival in Kinnaur

Tribal Festival is celebrated in the month of October and November. A five-day tribal festival in Kinnaur is also known Janjatiya Utsav, Phulaich Utsav. Festival provides a chance to the restricted citizens to sell/show their horticulture/farming create handiwork and artifact.

Christmas and Ice Skating Carnival

Christmas and Ice Skating Carnival

This is one of the major December celebrations in Himachal Pradesh, during which the streets are flooded with lights and decorations.

Your visit to Shimla shall become even more enjoyable if you try your hand at ice-skating. The ice skating sport of Shimla is one of the most sought after adventure sport in Shimla and you can do other activities over there.

Shimla is home to Asia’s only natural ice skating rink. State and national level competitions are often held at this venue. The Shimla Ice Skating Club, which manages the rink, hosts a carnival every year in December January, which includes a fancy dress competition and figure skating events. Annual Ice Skating Carnival in Shimla attracts lots of tourists and adventure lovers to enjoy this wonderful winter sport.

There is a hanging balloon at the Municipal building that works as a signal of whether the skating will take place on that day or not. The clear sky and cold climate accompanied by hard and dry ice makes Shimla ice-skating carnival a success every year.

The rink also provides membership on short and long term basis. Basic equipment like skates, cap, knee pads etc. are available at the rink.It is not hard to learn skating. It just requires strong limbs, a good sense of balance coupled with confidence, rhythmic swinging of the body and the concentration of an acrobat.

Even if you are not an active participant in the sport you would feel the thrill by just watching Ice-Skating Carnival in Shimla.

Interestingly, ice skating and snowfall don’t go together. In a natural ice-skating rink, weather conditions play a crucial role. A clear sky is a must for water to freeze naturally. A few traces of clouds are enough to spoil the day. In fact, if the sky is overcast, the ice begins to melt.

Umpteen films have been shot in Shimla and quite a few songs were picturised at the rink. Films like Mera Naam Joker, Woh Kaun Thi, and Jaanwar have scenes of the Ice Skating Club.

Lavi Fair in Himachal Pradesh

Lavi Fair in Himachal Pradesh

With winter just about to come in the months of November, the age-old Lavi fair fills Rampur with a burst of activity.

The famous ‘International Lavi Trade fair’ is one of the unique examples of the glorious, social, cultural, economic history and legacy of Himachal Pradesh. It is the biggest trade fair of the greater Himalayas, which is held at Rampur Bushahr, about 130 kms from Shimla from 11th to 14th November every year. Rampur Bushahr, which is popularly know as the gateway of tribal District Kinnaur is situated on the left bank of river Sutlej and is one of the oldest town on Hindustan Tibet road.

In ancient times, Tibet and Kinnaur had good trade relations and Lavi fair is the outcome of business interest of both sides. Even today, the tradition is as vibrant as ever. By the churning waters of the river Sutlej, a variety of goods including wool, dry fruits and horses are bartered and sold.

People from other areas in general and tribal belt in particular participate in this fair with horses, mules, pashminas, colts, yaks, chilgoza, namdas, pattis, woolens, raw semi-finished wool and other dry fruits produced in the state are brought for selling. It is three hundred years old fair and also a state fair.

During day time, hectic trade activities are witnessed all over the town. Large number of traders came to the fair to sell quilts, utensils and other consumer goods. At night, folks dances and music around small bonfires are organized. It continues for three days.

Efforts have been made to restore the old glory of the fair, which recently has been given a modern touch so you can plan your trip near about this fair.

In spite of the spread of education, better communication links and upliftment in the socio-economic conditions of the people of the area they continue to believe firmly in strong social bonding which is the hallmark of the rich cultural traditions of the State. Rampur is important commercial centre. During the last three decades, this fair has also gained cultural significance. The fair has already been recognized as an International fair.

With the culmination of four days extravaganza, the people return with sweet memories to meet again next year on the occasion of Fag mela to be celebrated in the month of April.

Kullu Dussehra in Himachal Pradesh

Kullu Dussehra in Himachal Pradesh

The annual mela or festival takes place in the Kullu Valley – also known as the Valley of the Living Gods, in Himachal Pradesh  India. The festival celebrates the triumph of the God Ram over evil.

As the Dussehra celebrations concludes across the country, the week-long international Kullu Dussehra commenced at Kullu so you can plan your trip near about this fair.

The Rath Yatra of the idol of Lord Raghunath is led by the Kullu Raja and village deities, and is known as the running of the Gods. About 200 local deities converge at Kullu to pay obeisance to Lord Raghunath Ji, which make the festival a rare event. Idol of these deities are brought from different part of Kullu valley and adjoining Mandi District and are kept in camps at Dhalpur Ground along with their devotees. Himachal Pradesh is known as the land of gods and goddesses and the deity culture is unique to the state.

Kullu Dussehra mirrors Himachal culture in its entirely. It clearly shows the lifestyle, love of dance and music of the people in this region. To see the colorful Himachal at one place, Kullu Dussehra is the right place. Although Dussehra is celebrated all over the country, but in Kullu, it has its own distinctive glamour. This is a state fair. People from Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh and other far flung places throng to enjoy Kullu Dussehra.

The procession starts a week of religious ceremonies, cultural activities, socializing and shopping at the huge bazaar, or market, that comprises most of the mela ground. The people of Himachal Pradesh are fun loving and they try to enjoy to their full during these seven long days. They organize cultural programs like dancing and singing. Numerous stalls are put up for the occasion of Kullu Dussehra. These stalls sell various sorts of merchandise.

The birth of Dussehra in Kullu lay in royal fads and it nourished on religious, social and economic factors and ultimately came to be well established, because of the inborn love of the hill-men for fun, frolic, displayed in community singing and dancing.

Minjar Fair in Himachal Pradesh

Minjar Fair in Himachal Pradesh

Minjar ( maize flowers) festival is celebrated in district Chamba of Himachal Pradesh at a place called ‘Chowgan’ in Chamba town. This festival is held in the month of July August and it continues for a week. This is an event that people in the Chamba Valley wait for all year. So you can also plan your trip near about this fair.

The start of fair is announced by distribution of Minjar which is a silk tassel worn on front parts of the dress by men and women alike. The tassel symbolizes the shoots of paddy and maize which make their appearance around this time of the year.

The town of Chamba wears a colourful look with every person turning out in best attire. Most part of the Chowgan is converted into markets and people to brisk business during this week. Sports and cultural programmes are organized. People in thousands participate in this festival from within and outside the State.

On the final day, the third Sunday the gaiety, colorfulness and enthusiasm reaches its crescendo when the colorful Minjar procession of the deities accompanied by dancing troupes, traditionally attired locals, traditional drum beaters along with Police and Home Guards band, begins its march from Akhand Chandi Mahal and goes to the bank of the Ravi River.

The Minjar is offered to the river Ravi. A Minjar consists of a coconut, a coin, a fruit, and a few sherfs of paddy are tied in a piece of red cloth. It is a state fair.

After performing this ceremony, the festival is declared closed and the idols of Gods, Goddesses and Shahi flag are taken back to Akhand Chandi Mahal. Traditional Kunjari Malhar is sung by the local artists. Prayers are offered in Lakshmi Narain temple.

The fair started in 935 A. D. when the Raja of Chamba defeated the ruler of “Trigarta,” now known as Kangra. On his return, a celebration was held, and he was greeted by people with sherfs of paddy and maze.