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Minjar Mela in Chamba: a week of silk tassels, ending in the Ravi
Silk maize-flower tassels pinned on a whole town, then given to the Ravi
Minjar Mela is the week-long fair of Chamba, a town on the Ravi in Himachal Pradesh, and one of the state fairs of Himachal. Next dates: 25 July – 1 August 2027 (expected). It runs from the second Sunday of the month of Shravan to the following Sunday, in late July or early August. A minjar is a silk tassel shaped like the flowering top of a maize plant: people wear it all week, and on the last Sunday they give it to the river.
The Chamba district administration announces the dates between April and June.
The legend
A minjar is a silk tassel shaped like the flowering top of a maize plant. The festival belongs to the maize harvest and to prayers for good fields.
Tradition dates the festival to the 10th century, to the victory of Raja Sahila Varma of Chamba over the ruler of Kangra.
For a week the tassels are pinned on clothes all over town; on the last Sunday they go into the Ravi with a coconut and a coin.
Customs
The first tassel
On the opening Sunday a minjar is offered at the Lakshmi Narayan temple, and the festival flag goes up on the Chaugan, the green in the middle of Chamba.
Fair on the Chaugan
All week the Chaugan holds a fair with Himachali folk songs and dances; Chamba's embroidered rumals and metalwork are sold here.
Procession to the Ravi
On the last day a decorated chariot goes from the Akhand Chandi Palace down to the river, followed by musicians and townspeople in festive dress.
Where to celebrate
Chamba
Chamba's week of the minjar, a silk tassel shaped like the maize flower: pinned on across town for a week, it goes into the Ravi on the last Sunday with a procession from the palace to the river.
What the fair remembers
The Chamba district administration dates the fair to 935 AD, to the victory of the Raja of Chamba over the ruler of Trigarta, the old name of Kangra; Wikipedia names the king as Sahila Varma. By tradition, the people greeted the returning king with sheaves of paddy and maize as tokens of prosperity. The silk minjar stands for those first shoots of paddy and maize, which appear at this time of year, and the festival belongs to the maize harvest and to prayers for good fields.
The Himachal government has declared Minjar a state fair, and the state government has given it international status: it is now held as the International Minjar Mela.
How the week runs
The detailed programme, including the evening concerts, is announced by the district administration each year.
- Opening Sunday
A minjar is offered at the Lakshmi Narayan temple in the centre of Chamba, and the Minjar flag is raised on the Chaugan, the long green in the middle of town. Minjars are handed out, and men and women pin them on their clothes.
- The week on the Chaugan
A fair with Himachali folk songs and dances, sports and evening cultural programmes. Chamba's embroidered rumals (handkerchiefs) and metalwork are sold here.
- Closing Sunday: the procession
The Minjar procession of the deities leaves the Akhand Chandi Palace with a decorated chariot, dance troupes, drummers, people in traditional dress and the police band, and goes down to the river near the Police Lines at Nalhora.
- Offering to the Ravi
The chief guest, once the Raja, offers a coconut, a rupee, a seasonal fruit and a minjar tied in red cloth (lohan) to the river. Then everyone throws their minjars into the Ravi, while local artists sing the traditional Kunjari-Malhar.
Where to be
The fair and the procession are free to watch.
The Chaugan, all week
For the fair, the sports and the evening programmes.
Between the palace and the river
The lanes on the route of the closing procession from the Akhand Chandi Palace.
The riverbank at Nalhora
Where the minjars go into the Ravi. A large crowd gathers here before the procession arrives.
Getting there and staying
Minjar falls in the monsoon, and that shapes the trip more than anything else.
- The road from Pathankot — Trains go as far as Pathankot, about 120 km away, and the hill road up to Chamba is slow in the monsoon. The UK government (FCDO) warns that monsoon rain can cause flash floods and landslides with little warning, especially in the mountains, and close roads. Follow local authorities and check the India Meteorological Department forecast.
- Do not cut it fine — Arrive the day before the procession rather than driving up that morning: landslides can hold up the road.
- Book about a month ahead — Stay in Chamba near the Chaugan if you can; Dalhousie, 55 km away, is the fallback. Trains to Pathankot and HRTC buses go on sale 60 days before departure.
- In the crowd — Chamba is a small hill town, and the riverbank fills on the last day. Keep to the edges near the water. More in Is India safe?.
In the same district
The Manimahesh Yatra, the pilgrimage to Manimahesh lake from Bharmour, is also in Chamba district. Dalhousie and Khajjiar fit into the same trip.
FAQ
When is Minjar Mela?
Next: 25 July – 1 August 2027 (expected). It runs for a week from the second Sunday of Shravan to the following Sunday, usually in late July or early August. The Chamba district administration announces the dates between April and June.
In which state is Minjar Mela celebrated?
In Himachal Pradesh, in the town of Chamba on the Ravi river. It is one of the state fairs of Himachal Pradesh.
What does minjar mean?
A minjar is a silk tassel shaped like the flowering top of a maize plant. It stands for the new shoots of paddy and maize and is worn on clothes during the fair.
What is the history of Minjar Mela?
By tradition it marks the victory of the Raja of Chamba over the ruler of Trigarta (Kangra) in 935 AD, when people greeted the king with sheaves of paddy and maize.
Where is the Minjar procession?
On the last Sunday it goes from the Akhand Chandi Palace down to the Ravi near the Police Lines at Nalhora, where the minjars are offered to the river.
Sources (5)
Facts checked: 21 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.