5-day kisan mela begins at Padhar in Mandi

Mandi, April 16

A five-day district-level kisan mela (farmers’ fair) began at Padhar in Mandi district yesterday. The fair was inaugurated by Padhar SDM Surjit Singh Thakur by offering prayers to the deities.

A shobha yatra of deities was taken out under the leadership of Sutradhari Brahma deity from the Dalah rest house of the Jal Shakti Department in Padhar. More than two dozen deities took part in the shobha yatra, bowed their heads at the Lord Shiva temple in Padhar and gave blessings to the people.

Symbols of culture

Such fairs are the symbols of our culture and we should participate in these enthusiastically. Our brotherhood is maintained through such events. This fair was started by local people in 1956 and is part of our culture. — Surjit Singh Thakur, Padhar SDM

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On this occasion, women groups from Government Senior Secondary School, Padhar, Himgiri School and Gurukul Public School of Padhar participated in cultural programmes.

Tehsildar Puran Chand Kaundal welcomed the chief guest Surjit Singh and his wife Meenakshi Thakur by giving them a shawl, cap and a picture of the deity as souvenirs.

In his address, the SDM congratulated the people for organising the fair. He said: “Such fairs are the symbols of our culture and we should participate in them enthusiastically. Our brotherhood is maintained through such events.”

He added that this fair had been started by the local people in 1956. In 2016, the fair was made five-day long and a district-level event.

Naib Tehsildar Vikas Kaundal, DSP Dinesh Kumar, Panchayat Samiti vice-president Krishan Bhoj, zila parishad member Ravikant and principal Lalit Thakur were among the others present on the occasion.