FAIR AND FESTIVALS OF KINNAUR AND LAHAUL SPITI

Fair and festivals of Kinnaur

Dhakrini

-This festival is celebrated in the month of the July.
Zongor and loskar flowers are brought from the kand peak and their garlands are offered to the goddess. After this these flowers are distributed among the villagers.

Phulech
-It is a festival of flowers celebrated in the month of September.
– Flowers of shuloo which have been brought from peaks for this purpose are woven into garlands. At the end of the fair these garlands are offered to the deity.

Losar
Loser is celebrated in the month of December to welcome the new year.

Fair and festivals of Lahaul & Spiti

LADARCHA FAIR

Previously, this fair used to be celebrated  in Kibbar  in Spiti in the month of July where traders from  Ladakh, Rampur Busher and Spiti meet in this fair to barter  their produce. Due to closure of Tibetan traders, this fair is  now being celebrated at Kaza, the headquarters of Spiti Sub  Division in the 3rd week of August.

PAURI FAIR

This  fair is celebrated during summer in the 3rd week  of August every year.  The  fair is combination of pilgrimage and festive activities.   

TRIBAL FAIR KEYLONG

Tribal  fair coinciding with Independence day is celebrated with great  pomp and show from 14th to 16th August, at Keylong the  headquarters of the district.    People from all parts of the  valley congregate in their queer disposition and a large number  of Indian and foreign tourists gather here to witness the fair.  It is being celebrated as at State level fair.

TSHESHU FAIR

Tsheshu fair is celebrated in  Shashur, Gemur, Kyi, Kardang Tabo  and  Mane Monasteries in the months of June.  A large number of  devotees/ people gather on these occasions.Devil dance is performed by the  Lamas bedecked in colourful dresses and wearing masks of  different birds and animals.

FESTIVAL OF LIGHT

A  festival of lights known as Diwali is celebrated all over India  in October every year. A similar type of festival is celebrated  as Khojla in Pattan valley and Halda in  other valleys of Lahaul  at the second and third week of January.  The date is fixed by a  Lama while in Pattan valley it is celebrated to Magh Poornima  coincide with (full moon). Pencil cedar branches are cut into  strips and are tied together into bundles to make a torch called  Halda quite similar to Hola in upper regions of Shimla  district.  In the evening halda at each house are lit and  brought together at one centre place. This is repeated four to  five times, each time in honour of different deities. When  the ceremony is over, the villagers return to their houses.  The  haldas are prepared and lit in the same manner and collected at  one place where they burn to lashes. But there is slight  difference. Along with honouring  the deities, the people of  Gahar valley curse the Ranas of clans  hostile to their own.   The people of  Keylong curse the Ranas of Goushal and Kardang  threatening to bite their hearts.

 

GOTHSI ( GOCHI)

There is a festival of the Bhaga valley which is celebrated in  February in the houses where a son was born during the preceding  year.