Kullu-Manali is an awe-inspiring valley with its own unique cultural and exquisite heritage. Throughout the year this beautiful valley indulges in many traditional fairs and festivals. The locals celebrates each festivals with the combination of colors, music, decorations, folk dance and mouth-watering local foods. The exotic aura of the festive season allures tourists and travelers to visit Manali from national and international boundaries. All tourists throughout the world come here to experience and witness such mesmerizing grandeur of local festivals. There are twenty festivals recognised by state government.
Each festival has a traditional, social, religious as well as an educational connection. These traditions help to unite the people and has also helped to preserve the historic cultures. All the fairs and festivals were systematically planned since many years at such a time when all people are free from their household chores. The locals get their golden opportunity to sale and purchase their required articles during the festive period. Shopkeepers from faraway places join these fairs to display articles like clothes, wool, pashmina, furs, leather, hides and skins, pottery, metal ware, jewellery, ornaments, fruits, vegetables and many other local items. Fairs and Festivals of Himachal have a lot of connection with the spiritual life of people. Himachal Pradesh is known as the called as Dev Bhoomi as it is called the land of the gods and goddesses. Festivals played an important role in various aspects, such as environment, business, cultivation, society, culture and many more. People participate in large numbers. There is hardly any village where no fair is held. There is almost continuous succession of fairs in the villages.
Now let’s have a look at the list of fairs and festivals that takes place throughout the year with all the necessary information provided:
Winter Carnival Manali
When: 2nd week of January
Duration: 5 days
Where: Manali
Time: 2nd week of January
Manali shakes of its winter hibernation and gets ready for the Winter Carnival in the 2nd week of January for the most awaited festival in the valley. Winter Carnival is a grand festival of Manali inviting artists and cultural groups from all over the country to participate in the celebration. Manu Kala Kendra swarms with tourists and locals,crowding places to watch the performances of classical and folk dances, group songs and dances, fancy dress, one-act and street plays. This festival ends with a fun competition like Mr. Manali Contest and the Winter Queen Contest.
Pipal Jatra
When: 28th to 30th April
Duration: 3 days
Where: Kullu
The Spring Festival is also known as Basantotsav or Pipal Jatra, which takes place in Dhalpur Grounds in Kullu. The Himachal Pradesh government has declared this as a state festival. Every village of Kullu has a different deity. Locals believe in a legend that long back, the king sat under the Pipal tree with his courtiers and watched the traditional dance. Crowds swarm Kala Kendra, an open-air theatre in Dhalpur, to witness the grand celebration. Winter sports competition are also conducted during this festival.
Kullu Dusshera
When: November or October
Duration: 1 day
Where: Kullu
The festival is nothing like the festival celebrated in the rest of the country. Instead of burning effigies, a massive procession takes place with Lord Raghunath. The deity is
seated on a huge chariot and pulled by huge ropes from its usual place in Dhalpur Maidan to another spot. All the idols are brought out of their temples to pay homage to Lord Raghunath. This spectacular traditional procession, starting from the Raghunath Temple and led by the Kullu Rajah and village deities, is also known as the running of gods.
Hadimba Devi Fair
When: Spring season
Duration: 1 day
Where: Kullu
The Hadimba Devi Fair is another known and grand festival of Kullu-Manali. Held during spring, locals celebrate this festival at the premises of Hadimba Devi Temple which is a popular tourist attraction. This season one can witness the grandeur of the temple decorations. The locals remain busy from morning to night, performing rituals to please their deity Hadimba Devi, the wife of Lord Bheema. The fascinating part of the celebration is the traditional dance performance by the local people.
Shamshi Vishu
When: 1st day of Baisakh
Duration: 1 day
Where: Khokhan Village, Kullu
Khokhan is a remote village in Kullu district its around 30kms from Kullu. Khokhan is famously known for the Shamshi Vishu festival. People of village have faith as they are the children of ancient Rishis and Sages. On the first day of Baisakh every year, the village goddess has been worshipped, people bring her out of the temple and later she is escorted back to the temple.
Mela Bhuntar
When: June to July
Duration: 3 days
Where: Bhuntar
The name Mela Bhuntar itself suggests that this festival takes place in the little hamlet of Bhuntar. Bhuntar is known its Airport. Its located at a distance of 50kms from Manali. This 3 day festival is celebrated to pay gratitude to the God & Goddess. Due to their blessings harvest flourish year after year.
Doongri Forest Festival
When: May
Duration: 1 day
Where: Kullu
Doongri festival celebrated in Van Vihar near Doongri Forest. Mainly arranged by the local women. Festival has been celebrated to please Hadimba Devi (wife of Bheema of epic Mahabharat). All women wear colorful dresses and perform the traditional folk dances. Lots of tourists specially comes to attend this festival.
Losar Festival Manali
When: January end to March
Duration: 15 days
Where: All of Himachal Pradesh
Losar is a tibbetian Buddhist word means New Year. Losar festival celebrated between February to March. This is one of the important festival among the people of Tibbetian community of Manali. Losar Festival is meant to celebrate Tibbetian New Year. During this festival in different monasteries prayers take place. The specialty of Losar celebration is the Chaam Dance which is performed wearing vibrant costumes and masks. The story represented through the dance tells us how the cruel Tibetan king Langdarma was killed in the 9th century, leading to the triumph of good over evil. Due to weird masks, this dance is also locally called Devil Dance.
Lohri in Manali
When: 13th January
Duration: 1 day
Where: All of Himachal Pradesh
Lohri is one of the famously celebrated festival of Punjab but this is widely celebrated in most part of Himachal, including Manali. Lohri has been celebrated to start harvesting of Rabi crops. People wear colorful traditional dresses and flowers. All are gather to dance and sing around the Lohri fire. People throw puffed rice in to the fire as an offering to God and pray for a good harvest.
Baisakhi
When: 13th and 14th April
Duration: 1 day
Where: All of Himachal Pradesh
Another festival celebrated widely in every nook and corner of Himachal Pradesh is the Baisakhi or Vaisakhi. This festival is the celebration of a good harvest. The main attraction of this festival is the fascinating combination of fairs, wrestling, dancing, and archery competitions, which make it a grand show. Always be a part of the festivals and make your trip memorable for ages.
