Six-day Renukaji fair starts Thursday, CM to skip inaugural ceremony

Six-day Shri Renukaji international fair--the biggest annual congregation of people in Himachal's Sirmour district--will commence here on Thursday.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur will skip the inaugural ceremony, breaking almost six-decade-old tradition, due to a global investors' meet.

Dr R K Paruthi, Deputy Commissioner and chairman of Shri Renukaji Development Board said Himachal Speaker Rajiv Bindal would inaugurate the fair and perform all rituals.

He said the CM would preside over the concluding ceremony on November 12.

He said the CM would perform the traditional puja before taking part in the departure ceremony of the deities and lead the procession by shouldering the palanquin of Lord Parshuram.

He said preference would be given to local folk artistes and famous Himachali Singer Kuldeep Sharma would perform on the November 12 evening.

The fair, said to be a 5,000-year-old tradition, starts with the arrival of the palanquin of Lord Parshuram on the bank of the Renukaji lake.

The palanquin is brought from a temple situated in Jamu Koti village.

Saints from parts of the country have arrived to witness the holy event.

Nearly 12 lakhs devotees, mainly from northern parts of the country, visit the fair besides taking a holy dip in the lake.

According to puranas (Hindu religious texts), Renuka Tirth is considered as the birth place of Lord Parshuram, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu.