Minjar Festival in Chamba

Festivals celebrated in Chamba fall into two distinct categories. While some like Dusserah, Diwali and Shivratri are pan Indian in nature, others like Minjar and Sui Mata festivals are unique to the city. These later group of festivals are integral part of their thousand year old history and have many tales to tell. Among them the Minjar festival is of international repute and attract visitors from all over the world
Legends behind Minjar Festival

According one of those stories, this festival commemorates the victory of Chamba over Trigarta, now called Kangra. As the king came back victorious from the battle field, the subjects welcomed him with sheaf of maize (minjar), which signifies prosperity. They also organized a carnival in his honor. The king was so touched by this simple gesture that he declared the day to be Minjar Day and the carnival as Minjar Fair.
Another story says that an old lady wanted to meet the king; but she was too poor to take any present for him. Finally she decided take maize flower as a mark of honor to the king. The king was very much moved by this simple honor and declared a carnival to be organized.
However, if the third story is to be believed, this festival originated after 11th century AD because it involves the Hari Rai Temples built in the same century by Raja Salavahana. It is said that during that period, River Ravi used to flow between Champavati Temple and Hari Rai Temple. Consequently, the devotees had a tough time visiting the other temple. The king asked the saints to try and mitigate this problem. They summoned the Brahmins from the city of Varanasi and soon a yagna or fire sacrifice was arranged. It went on for seven days and as part of the rituals, the Brahmins spun a cord out of minjar.
Nonetheless, as soon as the yagna was concluded a miraculous thing happened. The mighty river changed its course and shifted towards the west. This brought Hari Rai temple on the same shore as rest of the temples. The people began to attribute such miracles to minjar rope prepared by the Brahmins and so the festival that was organized to celebrate the occasion was called Minjar Festival.
Celebration of Minjar Festival in Chamba


End of Minjar Festival in Chamba

Earlier, instead of coin a buffalo was thrown into the river. If it died it was taken as good omen and if it could swam across the turbulent river, it was a good omen too; for it was taken that all the bad luck has now been banished to the other side of the river.
After the immersion ceremony another gods and goddesses who had accompanied the procession and the flag of Chamba is taken back to the Akhand Chandi Palace. A special puja is held in the Lakshmi Narayan Temple and Kunjari Malhar is sung by the local artists. With that the curtain on the week long ceremony is drawn.