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
River
Religious rituals during the fair is observed for a better harvest of corn and paddy during the next harvest season.
Religious rituals during the fair is observed for a better harvest of corn and paddy during the next harvest season.
The festival is observed on the last Sunday in July and
lasts for a week.
The main attraction of the festival is a huge fair, folk
dances and other folk programs.
Minjar Mela Story – Whey Minjar Mela is Held?
Legend has it that the Ravi
River used to flow between Champavati Temple
and Hari Rai Temple
Then Raja of Himachal Pradesh asked a saint to
make the temples easily accessible to people.
The saint then performed a yajna at the Champavati Temple
During the yajna sadhus used a colored stick called Minjar.
As a result of the Yajna the course of Ravi River
The fair is held in remembrance of this event.
But if the buffalo returned to the same side then it was feared that something bad will happen during the course of next year.
The animal was kept until the next year and it was sent to the river once more.
Today instead of the buffalo a coconut, a rupee coin, a minjar and corn is offered to the Ravi River.
Buffalo Offering To Ravi River during Minjar Fair
There used to be a practice of leaving a buffalo in the Ravi River to drown or swim to the other side. This was stopped after Independence. It was believed that if the buffalo drowned or swam to the other side it will bring good fortune for the next year.But if the buffalo returned to the same side then it was feared that something bad will happen during the course of next year.
The animal was kept until the next year and it was sent to the river once more.
Today instead of the buffalo a coconut, a rupee coin, a minjar and corn is offered to the Ravi River.