Rampur (Himachal Pradesh) [India], June 30 : The Ashadh fair is organised to seek relief from extreme heat and drought in the village of Nogli in Himachal Pradesh's Rampur.
As soon as the fair starts, the clouds begin to rain naturally; meanwhile, Dev Milan is the main attraction during the fair. The three-day Ashadh fair is celebrated under the leadership of the deity Lakshmi Narayan Kumasu.
Before the fair, the deity Laxmi Narayan Kumsu goes on a tour of the entire area. As soon as the deity starts returning to Nogli, the clouds also begin to pour rain naturally.
During this district-level fair, the deities of the surrounding area also make their presence felt. The main attraction of the fair is Dev Milan, and traditional plays remain the centre of attraction. People from far-off places come to Nogali for the dance and singing, and the fair lasts for three days.
The people of the region eagerly await the Ashadh fair because it is certain that as soon as the fair begins, regardless of the drought, the clouds start to rain. Call it faith in God or the grace of nature, it rains heavily as soon as the fair starts. This not only gives relief to the people from drought, but also from the heat.
Krishna Gopal of the fair organising committee said that the Ashadh fair of Nogli has been celebrated for centuries. As soon as the deity starts returning after visiting the area, the clouds also begin to rain.
He said that during this time, a drought situation prevailed in the area. As soon as the deity comes from the Parikrama towards Nogli, it starts raining. In this happiness, a series of fairs begins in the area.
Shakuntala Thakur of Mahila Mandal Nogali stated that the Nogali fair has been held since ancient times. The deities of the region are also invited to this fair.
The people of the region are delighted by the arrival of the deities, and a round of singing and dancing follows. People are happier about the Ashadh fair because there is a drought situation, and they get relief from the heat due to the rain clouds.
Happy Soni said that this time the fair was quite grand. People enjoyed it a lot. During the fair, women from Mahila Mandals also danced in their traditional costumes. Overall, people thoroughly enjoyed this fair.