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Chamba’s historic eight-day Minjar Fair kicks off
The Minjar Fair, believed to have first started in the 10th century to mark the victory of King Sahila Varman over the King of Kangra, symbolises the blossoming of maize and is associated with the monsoon
The famous Minjar Fair of Chamba began amid fanfare on Sunday as governor Shiv Pratap Shukla inaugurated the eight-day fair.
The Minjar Fair, believed to have first started in the 10th century to mark the victory of King Sahila Varman over the King of Kangra, symbolises the blossoming of maize and is associated with the monsoon, wherein the farmers pray for heavy rain for a good harvest. The term “Minjar” refers to silk tassels, worn by locals on their dresses that glow like maize blossoms in the sun.
Until 1943, a live buffalo used to be pushed into the river to propitiate it. If it got washed away with water, the event was considered as propitious as a sacrifice. And, If it crossed the river and reached the other bank, it was still regarded as auspicious for having transferred the village’s sins to the other side of the river.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony, the governor hailed the festival as a remarkable example of deep-rooted connections with ancient folk traditions, beliefs and faiths. The fair started off with hoisting of the national flag and inauguration of the arts and crafts fair by Shukla.
The fair was accompanied by the melodious Kunjdi Malhar songs, the major attraction. The governor announced the formal commencement of the Minjar Mela Sports Competitions and offered Minjar (silk tassels) to the ancient Lakshminarayan temple.
He expressed his concern over the recent loss of life and property caused by heavy rains and resultant flash floods, before lauding the prompt response of the government, administration, police force, and the central assistance of over 350 crores, which helped in bringing the situation back to normalcy.
