Disappearing Himachali Culture In Melas

Himachal This Week Team(cover story)

Himachal is known to be the land of fairs and festivals with every nook and corner of the state having its own mela. And there can be no better show window than these fairs and festivals to depict art, culture, customs and traditions of the land. Himachal’s fairs (melas) and festivals were considered to be most interesting and fascinating because of their unique style and display. However, time for display of Himachali culture is fast deceasing in different melas held across the state. The entertainment quotient is now the dominating factor to attract more visitors. In the process, Himachal’s art, artists and culture has been pushed to the back stage.

Rising Popularity of Chhinj

Apart from holding different sports competitions during such fairs, Chhinj (wrestling bouts) is becoming an integral part, especially in rural melas especially in lower parts of Himachal. Renowned wrestlers from Himachal and others states compete for the honours and prize money during such bouts that attract a huge crowd.

Cultural Transformation To Star Nights

Anjana Thakur

Display of local folk dance, songs and traditional music instruments was common feature in such melas that helped in conservation and promotion of Himachali art and culture. These evenings were marked by stage dramas and skits but the mainstay was the folk drama. Himachal’s established artists were provided a platform to showcase their talent in cultural nights held during these fairs. However, these started witnessing a cultural transformation during the past two decades. The organising committees started preferring artists from Punjab and Bollywood, citing public demand as the reason. As a result, Himachali culture and artists were pushed to the backstage. Now cultural evenings are dominated by renowned Punjabi and Bollywood singers only with Himachali artists given very little time. Not only this, the major chunk of the revenue collected by the organising committee is given to outside performers and Himachali artists get meager amount.

Need For Mela Development Authority

This hilly state has not explored its tourism potential and is dependent upon traditional tourist inflow only. Himachal holds a large number of fairs and festivals in different parts that depict social, religious and commercial angles. However the state has not been able to project these fairs and festivals as Brand Himachal as they are associated with various activities, culture and traditions. These are celebrated with much fervour and enthusiasm. The government had also started some festivals to promote tourism potential of the state including summer festivals at Shimla and other places. But efforts to make them Brand Himachal had been lacking. Such festivals are turning out to be administrative rituals to attract huge number of people during cultural evenings dominated by Punjabi and Bollywood singers. As a result, very little space is left for local artists to showcase art and culture of different parts of Himachal. Knowledgeable persons feel that government should brings such festivals and melas under one umbrella and constitute an independent Mela Development Authority. Notably, nearly 100 such big and small festivals are organised every year in Himachal that can be linked with different themes to attract tourist.

Link Summer Festivals With Themes 

Shimla Summer Festival attracts a large number of tourists who visit this festival for fun and frolic. Knowledgeable persons feel that theme based summer festivals should also be held at other tourist destinations across the state to promote tourism. As these are purely entertainment festivals, increased inflow of tourist will boost local economy hospitality sector.

Important Fairs

* Lavi Mela of Rampur

* Shivratri of Mandi

* Dussehra of Kullu

* Renuka Mela of Sirmaur

* Minjar fair of Chamba

Forty Fairs in Himachal

About forty fairs are held across the state with some of them holding importance at international level also. Lavi Mela is oldest in Himachal that has been associated with trade activities of traditional art and craft items, woolens, local produce and sale of rare Chamurthi horses. Apart from these purchases in small quantity, traders now brings different items from other states to sell here. It also depicts culture of Kinnaur and Lahaul & Spiti districts. Shivratri of Mandi and Dussehra of Kullu are world famous and have retained their original character to some extent due to people’s faith in deities. However, these are also held at a mega scale now. Minjar Fair of Chamba and Renuka Mela of Sirmaur have also changed over the years. Nalwar Fair held in Bilaspur was famous for sale and purchase of quality breeding bulls. It is now losing relevance due to changing breeding techniques. Animals were brought from other states also as they fetched a good price here. Animal Mandi is still being held during this mela but without much enthusiasm.

Uniqueness of Melas

Every fair and festival held in Himachal has its own uniqueness and importance for people of the area. Some of them have also carved a niche across the globe. Some  Himachali melas have cultural importance whereas others are known for trade activities. Though these melas have contributed in strengthening state’s economy, yet the state has failed to project them as Brand Himachal for promotion of tourism sector. The state government has certainly taken some initiatives but most of melas are held by the local administration. Deputy Commissioners manage these fairs and festivals organised by Language, Art and Culture Department.

Rural Melas

There are rural melas at village level whereas others are organised at a greater scale. At a small mela, the village god is the centre of worship and all visitors to the venue can be assumed his devotees. The fairs at a higher level draw more than one deity. Generally fairs are held when people are free of the agricultural engagements. These melas give them an opportunity to go for things of their need and choice as traders from far and near join these festivities and a market emerges with all sorts of things. However, Himachali melas, especially those held in rural areas, have changed in character with the passage of time thus losing the sheen with which they were associated originally. Apart from the religious festivities, most of these melas now become big markets where traders sell their goods to people. Melas in Himachal can be categorised as religious, commercial and administrative. Interestingly, number of visitors at these melas is increasing due to increasing population and better connectivity but folk culture associated with them is being pushed into oblivion as cultural nights are dominated by Bollywood and television stars now. Every fair and festival has an interesting legend about it in which people have unflinching faith.

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