Suhi Fair, only for women & kids, starts today

Naresh Thakur

Chamba, April 10

The three-day Suhi Fair, which commemorates the sacrifice of Queen Sunayana, is set to kick off on Thursday with gaiety and fervour in Chamba town. According to the lore, Queen Sunayana sacrificed her life to quench the thirst of her subjects.

The Chamba Municipal Council has put elaborate arrangements in place for the fair, which witnesses the participation of only women and children. Municipal Council Chairperson Neelam Nayar said the fair would commence with singing of traditional Ghurei songs and offering of prayers at the Akhand Chandi Palace.

The Lore

• It is believed that, to solve the water issue in Chamba, the king ordered water to be brought from the Sarotha stream through a kuhal (canal). Despite the efforts of workers, water could not be supplied through the canal.
• One night, the king heard a divine voice in his dream. The voice said the water would come through the canal only if the queen or a son of the king was buried alive at the source of the water.
• Consequently, the queen decided to sacrifice herself for the welfare of the people.
• It is believed that the queen ordered the preparation of a trough. When she entered the trough to make the sacrifice, the entire valley filled up with tears. As the trough was filled with soil, water started flowing through the canal.

Following the prayers, the mohra (mace) of Queen Sunayna would be carried in a palanquin to the Suhi Temple situated on a hill overlooking the town.

During the procession, women of the Gaddi community will sing songs and perform dances in remembrance of the queen. Upon reaching the temple, prayers would be offered to the queen, followed by rituals lasting three days, according to Nayar.

On the concluding day on April 13, a community feast is set to be organised at the Suhi Temple.

According to the folklore, Queen Sunayana of Chamba, in the sixth century, chose to be buried alive to quench the thirst of her subjects. It is believed that, during the foundation of Chamba city, there was a serious water problem. To solve the issue, the king of Chamba ordered water to be brought from the Sarotha stream, about two miles away from the city, through a kuhal (canal).

Despite the efforts of workers, water could not be supplied through the canal. According to the legend, one night the king heard a divine voice in his dream. The voice said the water would come through the canal only if the queen or a son of the king was buried alive at the source of the water. The king became very distressed due to this dream.

When Queen Sunayana asked the king about his worries, he narrated the entire dream to her. Consequently, the queen, despite opposition from the king and the locals, decided to sacrifice herself for the welfare of the people.

It is believed that the queen ordered the preparation of a trough. When she entered the trough to make her sacrifice, the entire valley filled up with tears. As the trough was filled with soil, water started flowing through the canal.

Even today, water flows from this canal in Chamba town. Every year, a three-day fair is organised in the memory of the queen, and as a tribute to her sacrifice.

King Sahil Varman created a monument for Queen Sunayna’s memory on the banks of the flowing Kuhal. A stone idol in memory of the queen is enshrined at this monument. This idol is still worshipped with great reverence by the people of Chamba, especially the women. Interestingly, while women and children participate in the fair with great pomp and show, the men are not allowed to take part in the festivities.

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