Fairs and Festivals of Punjab - Punjab PCS Exam Notes

Fairs and Festivals of Punjab

Fairs are an exhibition of the living culture of a place. A fair showcases the folklore, folk arts, folk-dances, folk customs and folk tales. Legends can be witnessed in a fair. Culture may be defined as ―Shared learned behavior. It consists of commonly accepted and expected ideas, attitudes, values and habits of individuals which they learn in connection with their social living.
A fair signifies a common participation of masses belonging to different faiths and religions. So basically a fair provides a common ground for social interaction. The bubbly and busting Punjabis never leave any occasion without celebrations.
Life here is full of eating drinking, merrymaking and talking in contrast to hard working. So the toughness acquired by the people of Punjab over a period of centuries is perhaps the reason for the importance given by them to the fairs and festivals which are infact, the part and parcel of their life.
Almost every fort night, there is a fair being celebrated in one or the other part of the state. Fairs are occasions where men, women and children all gather from for away places in hundreds and enjoy numerous fascinating features of the fairs like singing, acrobatics, wrestling, bouts, shopping, toys, rides and of course the food.
A visit to a traditional fair is infect a very enriching experience and a portrayal of a typical punjabi culture. One can buy local handicrafts, rural toys, taste folk cuisine and enjoy the performance by the folk artists.
The folk artists can be seen playing traditional musical instruments like algoza, iktaara etc. Punjabis not only celebrate their fairs with great gusto but festivals are also awaited with the same zeal. The rituals followed for the celebration of almost all the festival are the same. People get up early in the morning, freshen up and dress up in their best attires and accessories. Traditionally gifts are sent to the daughters of the family. Rather than being linked with business purposes, the fairs in Punjab are primarily related to the various aspects of life and culture and depict the punjabi lifestyle. Bedi Sohinder Singh (2002) has categorised them into the following types:-

Seasonal fairs
Mythical fairs
Fairs held in the honour of Saints
Fairs connected with festivals.

However another two catagories of fairs and festivals are added by Walia Harjinder Singh (2002) i.e. (1) Fairs held in the honour of celebrated personalities or historical events. (2) Specially arranged fairs like University Youth festivals & Kissan Mela of PAU, Harvallabh fair of Jalandhar, cattle fair of Dhuri etc. He further lays emphasis on the classification based on local fairs, regional fairs and fairs of national importance.

Chhapar fair of Punjab

Chhapar fair is held at Chhapar village in Ludhiana district. This festival is celebrated in the honour of Gugga Pir‘ who is a very respectable Pir in the area. According to the legend, Gugga Pir possessed special powers over all kinds of snakes.
He was a Chauhan Rajput and he gently descended into the bosom of mother earth along with his steed and never returned.
Even today people believe that incase of a snake bite, if the victim is taken to the Shrine of Guggapir, then he is sure to be cured.
The Shrine was built in 1890. There is a big Shrine known as Gugge the Marhi‘ and a fair is held on Anand Chaudas on the 14th day of bright half of Bhadon in the honour of Gugga Pir.
Again the type of celebrations are almost the same, like young people indulge in singing and dancing, many artists perform acrobats and local artisans bring all kinds of hand made articles, like handicrafts, toys and utility items to sell.

Jarag fair of Punjab

Another important fair celebrated in Punjab‘s countryside is Jarag fair, district Ludhaiana, which is also famous as Baheria fair. It is celebrated in the month of Chet (March- April) in honour of Goddess Shitla.
Being observed in many parts of Punjab, the fair is mainly held in Jarag and Goddess Shitla is worshiped. Sweet Gulgulas (a dish made by mixing wheat flour with Jaggery and deep frying the balls made of it) are prepared, one day before the event.
Early in the morning people go to the temple in large procession and give these Gulgulas as offering to the Goddess and to her favourite donkey.
All the devotees gather around the pond and scoop the earth and raise a small hillock, which is accorded the status of the Goddess‘s Shrine.
Potters very tastefully decorate their donkeys with bells, coonch shells, colourful blankets. Many folks songs are especially sung on this fair.

Roshni fair of Punjab

Roshni fair of Jagraon, near Ludhiana is another fair which is held in the honour of a Muslim Pir Abdul Kader Jalani. People from all religions come and participate in the fair with high spirits due to the faith that all the wishes of the devotees are fulfilled at this Shrine.
As the nomenclature suggests, the devotees come and light up the Shrine with earthen lamps all over and spread roshni(light) every where. Just like other fairs, this fair also becomes an occasion for fun and frolick, dancing, singing, playing of folk instruments like Tomba etc by the folk artists and the youth of Punjab.
Sweet songs especially related to the fair are an attraction for the rural folks who look forward to such fairs. A four day fair starting from the full moon night in the month of November is held at Swami Ram Tirath near Amritsar since time immemorial.
Ram Tirath is Mahrishi Valmiki‘s Hermitage and there is an ancient temple and many huts. One of the huts marks the site where Sita mata is believed to have given birth to her sons Luv and Kush.
The Bedis of Punjab (Guru Nanak Dev the first Guru of Sikhs) trace their origin to Kush and Sodhis(Guru Gobind Singh,the Guru of Sikhs was a Sodhi ) trace their origin to Luv.

Mala Shah Kartar Da‘of Punjab

Mala Shah Kartar Da‘ is another famous fair which is held at Jhiri of Jogi‘ i.e. (the Pir between the villages of Sheikh and Talwara in Sidhwan block on 7th of Ashad every year. Shah Kartar was a fakir in the Durbar of King Virat of Tihara.
He was famous for milking a heifer. The legend says that the jungle around the village was dominated by an evil spirit till midnight and for the rest of the night the Pir ruled over it.
Once around midnight Baba assumed his spiritual powers and by placing his hand on the spirit‘s head pushed it down. The spirit caught hold of the Baba‘s feet and dragged him also under the ground. As the spirit had touched the Baba‘s feet, he was blessed by the Baba. And Baba said that people will first light earthen lamps on the spirit`s grave and only then they will worship the Pir.
There are three graves of his male disciples and one of his female disciple. Even today the devotees pray at the peer‘s mazar only after lighting earthern lamps at the spirit‘s grave. However the nature of celebrations and the protocol followed here highlight the secular nature of Punjabis.
The fair is held on Muslim Pir‘s mazar, a Havan‘ takes place according to Hindu rites and Dhadis‘ sing Vars‘ about Sikh Gurus and martyrs
However a famous local saying signifies the thrill and zest with which the people wait for the mela, Mela Shah Kartar Da, Aunda Laftan Marda. (the fair of Shah Kartar comes with great zeal and gusto).

Nanaksar fair of Punjab

Nanaksar fair is celebrated in the memory of Baba Nand Singh at Nanaksar. He was an exceptional devotee of God and he attained conquest of self through prayers for a period of twelve years.
The fair is held on the occasion of his death anniversary. At present there is a large Gurudwara, a langar house and a residential sarai which can accommodate around 10000 pilgrims.
There is a tank for taking holy dips and a room where Sukhmani Sahib is being recited continuously for the last three decades.
On the day, a bhog of 101 Akhand Paths take place. On the third day a procession starts from the Gurudwara. Here the donations are only accepted in kind not in cash.
On the conclusion of the ceremony Amrit Prachar, a Sikh baptismal ceremony also takes place. About two lakh people attend the fair during the five days celebrations.

Shaheedi Jor Mela of Punjab

Shaheedi Jor Mela at Fatehgarh Sahib is another attraction for the people of Punjab who wait the entire year for celebrations which take place for three days roughly in the last week of December.
Area around Gurudwara Fatehgarh Sahib is the main venue. The Sikhs gather here in lakhs and many devotees start langars (free kitchens) even 2-3 days before the event. This mela is basically held to commemorate the martyrdom of the two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji who despite their tender age didn‘t accept Islam and happily accepted to be bricked alive in a wall,which is still there.
Gurudwara Fatehgarh Sahib is named after the younger son of the Guru i.e. Baba Fateh Singh, the elder one being Baba Zorawar Singh. The mode of observence is a combination of var singing, speeches by scholars, the performance of gatka and other martial arts etc.
A Palki Procession is taken from Gurudwara Fatehgarh to Gurudwara Jyot Sarup on the last day of the Mela.
Lot of handicrafts are brought by the artists for sale. It is a food lover‘s paradise as there is a free langar offering almost every vegetarian delicacy of Punjabi cuisine.

The Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelen of Punjab

The Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelen is a regional fair which has gradually acquired the status of a National Fair.
Due to the efforts of Pt. Tolo Ram(who was the disciple of Swami Harvallabh), this fair has become a pilgrimage site for the classical music lovers of India.
Tolo Ram devoted himself entirely to make this event a success and a means of paying homage to his Guru and travelled extensively throughout the country after the death of his Guru.
Swami Harivallabh, a saint and a musician, is believed to have come from the rich family of Bajwara village of Hoshiarpur. He was a disciple of Swami Tulja Gir who is credited with great compositions of classical music especially, Dhrupads‘.
Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan is organised every year from 27th December to 30th December, near the Samadhi of Swami Harivallabh. It is a great honour for the classical musician to perform at this stage. The admission, boarding lodging and food are provided free by the organisers.

Lohri Festival of Punjab

Lohri is the seasonal harvest festival of Punjab. After the plantation of wheat crop in October-November, in January the fields begin to show the promise of good harvest and Lohri is basically thanking the God for good crop and thanking the Sun God for bringing warmth. After this day, the days and nights start getting warmer.
However the Lohri festival enthralls the spirits of kids and young children. A week before the festival the kids get together in groups and visit the neighbouring households, singing songs related to Lohri, to collect eatables, fuel and money for the celebrations.
The offerings are made to Agni -Dev (fire) in the form of groundnuts, popcorns and chikkies made of Jaggery and groundnut. People bow and go around the Agni (fire goddess) and pray. Lohri has special significance for a new couple and for those families who are blessed with a male child. But today educated and broad-minded people celebrate Lohri even for a girl child.
The very next day, i.e. on 14th January after Lohri is another significant festival known as Maghi or Makar-Sankranti. On this festival Sikhs organise fairs at many places, the most significant is the Muktsar fair and take holy dip in Sarovars and Gurudwaras. For Hindus this day signifies Uttarayan i.e. the Sun now starts its journey to the northern hemisphere.
Traditional and orthodox Hindus find it auspicious to take a holy dip in Ganga on this day. Kheer is specially made with milk, rice and sugar cane juice. Jaggery laddus with til are eaten.

Karwa Chauth of Punjab

Karwa Chauth‘, is another festival of Punjab celebrated mostly by Hindu ladies for the long life and well being of their husbands. It falls in the month of Kartik on the fourth lunar day.
It is customary that the daughter-in-laws give gifts to their mother-in-laws. All the Suhagans, dress up like a bride and observe this fast with great love and affection and zest.

Diwali festival of Punjab

Diwali is celebrated all over India. It occurs in the month of October or November. A great historical significance is attached to this festival. According to Alberuni ―The cause of this festival was Laxmi, the wife of Vasudeva, once a year on this day, liberated Bali, the son of Virochana, who was a prisoner in the seventh world and allowed him to go out in to the world….Another explanation is ―King Vikrmaditya of Ujjain of the Gupta dynasty was crowned on this day.
The most popular belief is that after the conquest of Lanka, Lord Ram had returned to Ayodhya on this day. For Jains, it was the nirwana day of Lord Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankar. However for Sikhs it has a great historical & religious significance.
The sixth guru Hargobind Ji was imprisoned by Jahangir in Gwalior. On this day he along with 52 Hindus Kings were released from the Gwalior Fort. He is since accosted as Bandi Chhor‘ and the day became famous as Bandi Chhor Diwas’.
Markets are very well decorated and are full of Buzz. People wear new clothes, exchange gifts and sweets, light earthen lamps and candles and play crackers at night. In the evening people pray to Goddess Laxmi.
The Golden Temple is most tastefully lighted on Diwali night.

Basant Panchami of Punjab

One of the most famous seasonal festivals of Punjab is Basant Panchami which falls on the fifth day of Magh-Shukla Paksh (Feb-March) according to the Hindu Calandar. It is the celebration of spring season.
In rustic Punjab, both the fields and the folks can be seen presenting a fascinating colourful sight. The countryside is resplendent with gorgeous golden yellow fields and the young ladies wearing yellow dresses and bangles. This fair is celebrated in many villages where the people can be seen roaming in high spirits.
The yellow dominates the scene. Kite flying is a popular sport which is enjoyed on this day.
Initially the celebrations of this festival were held at Lahore (before partition) at the Samadhi of Hakikat Rai, who preferred martyrdom at the hands of Mughals to sheering off his chosen path of duty.

The festival of colours Holi‘of Punjab

The festival of colours Holi‘ is an occasion which enthrals the youth and is celebrated with high spirits. This is seasonal and is historical in nature. It marks the end of winter and among Hindus many stories are famous like that of Lord Krishna-Putna, Prahlad-Holika-Hiranyakashyap and for Sikh people it is celebrated as Holla Mohalla which literally means, ―Mock fight.
After the foundation of Khalsa Panth in 1699, Guru Gobind started the practice of Holla Mohalla on the following Holi in 1700 A.D at Anandpur Sahib and also at Kiratpur Sahib. The festival signifies the enlistment of Sikh followers into the military order of Khalsa.
Since then it has become an occasion for the depiction or demonstration of the martial arts including archery, fencing, horse-riding, tent-pegging and weapon handling.
The festival reminds the Sikhs of their bravery and strength which has always helped them to defend their country and religion from the foreign rulers.
The Sikhs celebrate it over a period of three days, in the form of mock battle, display of weapons, Gatka etc. which is followed by kirtans, music and poetry competitions etc.
The almost week long festival concludes at Gurudwara Holgarh (which stands at the sight of Holgarh Sahib).

The Sports Mela of Punjab

The Sports Mela at Quila Raipur 6 km near Ludhiana is organised every year in the month of February. The fair is a great effort in promoting rural sports like Kabaddi, Bullock cart races, Camel races, Tug-of-war, Traditional Wrestling etc.
The folk lore says that a person named Inder Singh Grewal had conceived the idea of organising a recreational meet for farmers of the area in 1933.
The meeting eventualy became a stage for the rural sports lovers to show their rural sport skills for example, one Nihang striding on 3 horses and another pulling a heavy vehicle with one‘s moustaches etc.
Today this a great attraction for foreign tourists also, as most of them have never seen bullock carts and camels running for getting prizes in such races. This event infact has attained the status of Rural Olympics

Other Fairs of Punjab

There are several festivals which are celebrated by the Sikhs in the honour of their 10 Gurus. These are called Gurupurabs‘.
Although the birth anniversaries of all the Gurus are celebrated, yet the two Gurupurbs are most significant and are celebrated with great devotion, zest and zeal.
One is the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev which occurs on the full moon of Kartik. The devotees recite the nonstop recitation of Adi Granth two days before the event. Religious congregations are held at many places and the religious hymns are chanted from Shri Guru Granth Sahib.
Large processions or nagar kirtans are carried out with great pomp and show. Other Gurupurabs related to Guru Arjun Dev and Guru Gobind singh are celebrated in the same manner.

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