Shivratri festival invitation cards designed with Mandi Kalam style

The invitation for the Mandi International Shivratri festival will be sent to the deities through specially crafted invitation letters designed in the traditional Mandi Kalam art style. The unique invitation cards were launched today by Deputy Commissioner and chairman of the Shivratri Mela Committee, Apoorv Devgan.

The festival will be celebrated from February 25 to March 5 and it will feature a blend of ancient customs and traditions. The Deputy Commissioner emphasised that the festival is primarily a celebration for the deities and that the invitation cards would reflect the grandeur and heritage of the region. The cards have been designed to showcase the royal splendour of the 16th to 18th-century Mandi Kalam art style, which was prevalent during the reign of King Siddh Sen.

The launch event was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner Rohit Rathour, convenor of the deity sub-committee for the Shivratri Mela and Mandi ADM Dr Madan Kumar, District Revenue Officer Harish Sharma, District Development Officer Gopi Chand Pathak, and artist Rajesh Kumar, who played a key role in reviving the Mandi Kalam art. The festival committee also plans to send these traditional invitations to 216 deities, encouraging them to attend the event.

The DC explained that the invitations have been created using vibrant colours that reflect the royal traditions of Mandi. The artwork on the cards features shades of red, green, blue, yellow and gold, in line with the Mandi Kalam aesthetic.

Rajesh Kumar highlighted the symbolic details in the artwork, such as the depiction of the marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The simple yet meaningful colours and motifs convey the essence of divine love and unity. In the design, Lord Shiva’s vahan, Nandi, and Goddess Parvati’s vahan, the cheetah, are shown together in harmony, symbolising peace and affection.

“The overall design of the invitation reflects the geographical beauty and cultural heritage of Mandi. The green background symbolises the lush greenery surrounding the region, while the red colour signifies the spiritual power and faith that are central to the community. This effort aims to revive and preserve the traditional Mandi Kalam style while making it accessible to modern audiences, especially as a representation of the region’s rich artistic legacy,” he added.