Renuka Ji Fair

An ancient lakeside fair celebrating the mythical, emotional reunion of Lord Parashurama and his mother Renuka.

Commemorates the legendary, emotional annual reunion of Lord Parashurama and his mother, Goddess Renuka. According to lore, Parashurama resides eternally on the Mahendra mountain but descends once a year to pay respect to his mother.

Thousands of villagers arrive carrying local brass trumpets (Karnals) and drums. The lake banks turn into a massive tent city. Folk musicians perform classical Himachali Nati dances in large circles, while evening cultural pavilions host traditional dramas and trading markets for regional handlooms and dry fruits.

The fair opens with a grand procession bringing the processional gold idol (Utsava Vigraha) of Lord Parashurama down from his ancestral shrine at Jamu Peak to the lakeside. Priests perform a symbolic wedding-like welcome ritual (Gauri-pujan) to unite the deities, followed by a mass holy dip (snan) by lakhs of pilgrims in the lake at dawn.

Taking a holy bath in the raw waters of the lake during the Kartika full moon is believed to grant lifelong marital prosperity, heal persistent skin ailments, and ensure a fertile winter crop yield under the goddess's direct protection.

Organised and paid for in the past by the rulers of the former princely state of Sirmaur, the fair is now funded directly by the state government and known well beyond India.

The peaceful green waters of the ancient lake echo with the thunderous, blasts of massive Pahari brass horns and the beating of traditional nagada drums. Long, colorful lines of pilgrims escort decorated palanquins down the mountain slopes under a shower of marigold petals. The atmosphere is an incredible mix of hill mysticism and festive trade, with an authentic insight into the sacred soul of Himachal.