Himachal Pradesh’s calendar is a mosaic of rituals, processions, dances, and divine celebrations, varying distinctly from valley to valley. Here’s a detailed guide to major festivals and fairs celebrated across Himachal’s districts—organized month-wise to help travelers connect with culture in real time.
🕯️ January – Winter Reverence & Rituals
Districts: Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur
- Halda Festival (Lahaul): A tribal new year celebration honoring local deities with bonfires and chants.
- Losar (Spiti/Kinnaur): Buddhist New Year marked by Lama dances, monastery rituals, and traditional food offerings.
🌿 February – Spring’s Soft Whisper
Districts: Kullu, Mandi
- Phagli (Kullu & Mandi): An ancient carnival with masked dances, wheat stalk costumes, and community feasts celebrating agricultural abundance.
- Nawala Festival (Mandi): Held when a devotee fulfills a vow to Dev Kamru Nag—involves a pilgrimage to his high-altitude lake.
🌸 March – Bloom, Celebration & Holi
Districts: Chamba, Kangra
- Chamba’s Minjar Planning Begins: Villages start preparing for this summer fair with community meetings and fabric dyeing rituals.
- Holi Celebrations (Kangra): Not just colors, but folk songs (Taal), temple gatherings, and Basant Panchami kite flying.
🐐 April – Livestock & Legends
Districts: Sirmour, Shimla
- Bishu Fair (Sirmour): A vibrant cattle fair where villagers trade animals, fabrics, and food, alongside dances and wrestling matches.
- Rohru Festival (Shimla): Local deities are taken on grand processions amid drums and dramatic narration of local myths.
🏞️ May – Valley Fairs & Sacred Journeys
Districts: Kullu, Hamirpur
- Rupi Bhabha Festival (Kullu): Celebrates the river goddess with rituals along the Rupi Bhabha stream.
- Tira Sujanpur Dussehra (Hamirpur): A scaled-down spring version of Kullu Dussehra with folk arts and royal temple tributes.
🕉️ June – Pilgrimages & Processions
Districts: Chamba, Bilaspur
- Manimahesh Yatra Prep (Chamba): Begins with cleansing rituals and flag processions to Bharmour.
- Sarkaghat Fair (Bilaspur): Celebrates local deity Narayan Devta with music, dance, and shared meals.
🌾 July – Dhamak, Devta & Monsoon Magic
Districts: Chamba, Mandi
- Minjar Mela (Chamba): Huge week-long fair with cultural dances, craft stalls, and symbolic offerings to the Ravi River.
- Rain Festival (Mandi): Villages host rituals for rain gods with songs and grain tossing.
🎭 August – Folk Drama & Deity Movement
Districts: Kullu, Kangra
- Rakhi Purnima Temple Rituals (Kullu): Sisters tie rakhi to family and deities; idols are bathed and re-clothed.
- Baijnath Shivratri Fair (Kangra): Combines stalls, food, and night-long prayers in the famous Baijnath temple complex.
🍂 September – Harvest Rituals & Dussehra Build-Up
Districts: Kullu, Mandi
- Kullu Dussehra Preparation Begins: Deity palanquins are cleaned and musicians rehearse traditional beats.
- Jhiri Fair (Mandi): A celebration of sowing season end, with folk theater and “rain songs” sung near wheat fields.
🔱 October – Dussehra & Divine Drama
Districts: Kullu, Solan
- Kullu Dussehra: A week-long international fair where over 200 village gods converge in grand processions.
- Shoolini Fair (Solan): Held in honor of goddess Shoolini, with music, stalls, and temple rituals.
🌕 November – Lights, Harvest & Giving Thanks
Districts: Shimla, Sirmour
- Diwali Celebrations (All districts): Temple aartis, diyas, prasad distribution, and rooftop fireworks.
- Haripurdhar Festival (Sirmour): Honors local deity Baba Haripurdhar with garland processions and village contests.
❄️ December – Silence & Snow Spirit
Districts: Lahaul, Kinnaur
- Winter Closure Rituals (Lahaul): Temples shut ceremonially as valleys go silent under snow.
- Fagli Preps Begin (Kinnaur): Villagers begin carving masks and storing grain for early spring festivals.
📍 Travel Tip:
Check local calendars and panchayat boards for dates—they often shift with lunar phases or community consensus. Participating in even a small village fair offers a rare glimpse into Himachal’s spiritual heartbeat.