Fairs of Himachal

JANUARY

» Halda
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).