The weeklong Shivratri festival of Mandi began here on Wednesday with a great gaiety and fervor as thousands of people thronged to participate in the opening day festivities in Mandi town.
Hundreds of deities carried by kardars on their shoulders accompanied by drummers and dancing devotees marched from Madho Rai temple to the Paddal ground. Palanquin of the principal deity of the shivratri festival lord Madho Rai was the main attraction.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur wearing a colourful turban, joined by his cabinet colleagues Mahender Singh Thakur, Gobind Singh Thakur, MLAs from Mandi district and a large number of dignitaries wearing traditional turbans participated in the jaleb (traditional procession). A contingent of police and other organizations also participated in the jaleb.
Earlier, the Chief Minister paid obeisance in the Madho Rai temple and carried out traditional worship before participating in the jaleb.
CM formally inaugurated the weeklong shivratri festival at the Paddal ground.
Before beginning of the programme the CM also inaugurated Sankriti sadan.
Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the shivratri festival Thakur said, “It is very important to preserve our traditional culture as only those societies perform better who respect and love their culture”
He said, “Mandi Shivratri reflects the deep faith of the people in the deity culture and the festival provides them an opportunity to pay obeisance and socialization, besides being a major trade fair.”
The festival is basically a congregation of local deities of Mandi district as nearly two hundred deities accompanied by their kardars; pujaris and devotees attend the festival every year and stay here for a week. Being a famous festival of the region, lakhs of devotees make a beeline to attend this festival.