International Minjar Mela 2016

The eight-day historic Minjar fair will begin from July 24 in Chamba.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Sudesh Mokhta presided over a meeting of the Minjar Fair Celebrations Committee recently.

The DC, who is also the chairperson of the committee, said Governor Acharya Devvrat would inaugurate the famous fair while Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh would be the chief guest on the concluding day of the fair .

Minjar Mela is a famous festival in Chamba in Himachal Pradesh. Minjar means ‘tassels’ and Mela means ‘fair’. During the festival people sacrifice Minja in the Ravi Riverto drive away the evil spirits and pray for their prosperity.

The main attraction of the festival is a huge fair, folk dances and other folk programs.                                                                                                          

     Minjar Mela Story – Why Minjar Mela is Held?

Legend has it that the Ravi River used to flow between Champawati Temple and Hari Rai Temple in Chamba. People found it difficult to visit both the temple together.

Then Raja of Himachal Pradesh asked a saint to make the temples easily accessible to people.

The saint then performed a yajna at the ChampavatiTemple. Several sadhus participated in the yajna which was witnessed by the king and his subjects.

During the yajna sadhus used a colored stick called Minjar. As a result of the Yajna the course of Ravi River changed and people could easily access both the temples.

The fair is held in remembrance of this event.