The six-day International Shri Renukaji Fair started today with the arrival of the palanquin of Lord Parashuram from the ancient temple in Jamu Koti village to the bank of Renuka lake.
Chanting of Vedic hymns, singing of bhajans, playing of traditional musical instruments of Sirmour such as the ransingha and beating of drums, amidst chanting the names of Lord Parashuram and Bhagwati Renuka Ji, marked the occasion.
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As per traditions, the fair was formally inaugurated by Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on the arrival of the palanquin at the Dr YS Parmar Senior Secondary School ground on the bank of the Giri River at Dadahu.
‘Devabhinandan’ (a religious welcoming ceremony of deities) was performed and six more palanquins of deities were brought from different parts of the district.
The palanquins joined Lord Parashuram’s ‘durbar’ where thousands of devotees paid obeisance and had ‘darshan’ of the deities.
The chief minister performed the pooja, lifted the silver palanquins and joined the traditional ‘Shobha Yatra’ of Lord Parashuram. The ‘yatra’ passed through the Dadahu market and thousands of devotees participated in it.
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The centuries-old fair is the biggest annual congregation of people in Sirmour district and is mentioned in several old scriptures, including the Skand Puran and the Brahmand Puran.
It is a religious assembly dedicated to Lord Parashuram and his mother Bhagwati Renuka Ji. The fair also depicts the rich cultural heritage of Sirmour district.
Scores of devotees from all over the state as well as from the adjoining states of Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana and even Delhi attend the fair.
As per traditions, the fair commences on the eve of Devprobodhani Ekadashi and concludes on November 14, after the ‘Purnima Snan’ (full moon dip) in the holy Renuka Ji lake.