Lavi Fair is Coming on November month Every Year in Rampur Himachal Pradesh India.
Lavi fair largely popular for the trade and exhibition of special goods and products is held in great esteem and is celebrated with much fanfare. Rampur accompanied by river Satluj has been a major trading route for India. The town has maintained this age-old tradition and has been hosting the International Lavi Fair for more than 300 years.
The fair is famous for the wide range of native handicrafts, ‘Pashmina’ wool, agricultural produce and dry fruits. The surefooted ‘Chaumkhi’ horses are also brought here from the tribal areas for sale.
The Lavi Fair is actually a trade fair where various sorts of merchandise are sold. The tribal people of Himachal Pradesh come to this fair to sell their indigenous products. They sell dry fruits, handicrafts, handloom products and products made from wool and also leather. The tribal people also sell Chaumkhi horses. The merchants coning from across the borders bring different exotic spices for selling. In the fair, cultural programs are also organized like music and folk dances.
There are many stars and celebrities taking part in this fair and show him/her performance at night in various cultural programmes. Many local residents and visitors from Himachal come at night to see the performance of stars. There are a large number of people and tourists coming to Rampur Bushahr in November month to see this fair. Lavi fair shows the ancient culture of Himachal Pradesh. Stunning Pashmina is the famous thing which can be bought by the customers numbers at this fair. There are other agriculture products which are sold in a large number of this fair like dry fruits.
“Many people from Kinnaur, Lahul- Spiti and Tibet come for trade here. This fair is being organised from past 200-250 years. This fair is being organised with the help of local administration and city council,” said B. R. Negi, organiser of International Lavi Fair.
Pashmina is one of the biggest draws at the fair, along with agriculture products like dry fruits and nuts being sold in a large numbers.
“Tibetan goods and Chinese items are on sale here in this fair, and nuts from Kinnaur are also being sold here. Though they are costly because of inflation but we have to buy, so we are buying,” said Usha Chauhan, a visitor.
The fair is named after ‘lovi’ (woolen long coat), which is a traditional dress that people wear during winters in the Shimla and Kinnaur districts.The status of Lavi fair has reached to an international level and numerous efforts are made by government to restore the popularity and status of lavi fair. Over the past few years, the government is making efforts to modernize the activities at fair. Many traders from all parts of country come here during the month of November to lure customers and popularize their art and craft.
Lavi fair is also mentioned in the history of erstwhile Bushair State. According to some historical evidences, atrade treaty was signed between the Bushair state and Tibet, during the reign of Raja Kesar Singh. Swords and horses were also exchanged between the two as a mark of friendship. At that time the trade relationship was very strong and it was promised that the relation would remain so for ages. But, after the occupation of Tibet by China, all trade between the two came to a standstill.
Lavi fair attracts large number of people every year during the month of November. Numbers of shops are established and goods are sold.
There is an age old tradition of churning the water of River Satluj before the commencement of Fair. Any act of barter, exchange, selling is preceded only after the water is properly churned.
A lot of trading activity is carried on. However there are several customs that are followed to this day before the commencement of the business.
One the major attraction of the fair is the display and sale of wide variety of native products. Himachal Pradesh is famous for its “Pashmina” wool, some kinds of Dry fruits and other agricultural products. Also, not to forget surefooted ‘Chaumkhi’ horses, especially found in the nearby tribal areas are bought in here at the fair to be sold.
Apart from the Horses, woolen pattoos, kala zira and dry fruits are also brought and sold in the Lavi Fair at Himachal Pradesh. The Lavi Fair in Himachal Pradesh is renowned for its excellence in bringing to the forefront the ancient Indian Culture.
