Suket Fair
suket fair annual indian statelevel fair held sundar nagar himachal pradesh hindu festival chaitra navratri according local people also known name suket devta mela sundernagar mela among others according hindu calendar suket fair organized every year day start fifth day shukla paksha chaitra month panchami navratri continues ninth day final navratri corresponds marchapril according westerner calendar due immense popularity festival accorded status statelevel festival people regard expression faith devotion deity every year deity invited fair make considered deilargestty fair himachal pradesh participation deity festival celebrated april th april th fair particularly famous transforms sundar nagar magnificent festival ground deity said suket princely state participate celebration history suket fair nearly year old foundation laid th century king narendra singh suket princely state time fair used held great pomp show capital suket state lohara said suket king organized fair family deity kamaksha inception began king invited family deity palace fair gradually became center faith throughout region though tradition faced several interruption th century king prithvi chand shifted capital lohara sundar nagar also known banead since fair started taking place ashoknagar lal pahadi sundar nagar became hub fair attracting devotee said th century number deity participating fair began increase gradually historical record mention th century raja shyam sen freed manhunag deity aurangzebs captivity result king promised grant half kingdom deity even though deity didnt take kingdom thereafter people suket started recognizing deity king following suket king hosted manhunag deity palace according local several historian interval fair multiple time causing tradition break reconnect th century fair restarted foundation laid raja lakshman sen main deity fair became shri mool manhunag bkhari devi kamaksha devi mahamaya pangda five guardian dev kamrunag ji gradually time number deity increased deity participate suket fair set suket fair apart deity various part mandi district come bless devotee adorning vibrant traditional attire creating devotional atmosphere devotee visit deity make wish seek blessing fair organized fifth day new year per fair commences sukhdev vatika various deity entire suket princely state gather start procession chariot family deity kamaksha mool manhunag ji mark beginning suket fair per suket king kamaksha mahamaya hold first position procession worshiping deity procession start culminating fairground known jawaharlal nehru park afterward day deity stay devotee distant place come faith devotion witness deity marvelous spectacle amidst beauty nature perhaps reason himachal pradesh called land god displaying preserving devotion inhabitant towards deity fair various activity take place including cultural contest like brajantari competition fair also showcase performance depicting story deity million people gather daily fair fair concludes king procession starting mahamaya temple sundar nagar culminating king palace procession five palanquin mahamaya prepared leading way accompanied devi kamaksha lord kamrunag also initiate grand procession fair forefront along route king suket stand devotee palace welcome deity performing worship ritual courtyard palace deity perform dance worship deity completed reenter suket fair five palanquin mahamaya subsequently five palanquin mahamaya taken tour throughout sundar nagar everyone darshan nightfall deity depart respective place sunser nagar accessible road mandi shimla chandigarh pathankot delhi nearest railway station joginder nagar shimla narrowgauge train connected chandigarh kalka broad gauge line indian railway kullumanali airport bhuntar nearest airport km mandi town