International Lavi Fair begins, Governor inaugurates fair :

1. Governor Bandaru Dattatraya inaugurated the four-day long International Lavi fair at Rampur in district Shimla today. On this occasion, he appealed to the people to contribute towards making Himachal free from drugs.  He said that a massive campaign should be launched by involving more and more NGOs to eradicate this evil from the society to save the younger generation from its ill effects.

2. The Governor said that Himachal Pradesh was known for its rich culture, customs and traditions and it was evident from the fact that the people of the state celebrate the religious and traditional festivities with great enthusiasm and fervor.

3. The Governor said that fairs and festivals play an important role in preserving the rich cultural heritage of the state and every effort should be made to preserve it and to restore their old glory. The Lavi fair has its own historical importance and is famous not only for trading activities but also for its age-old long traditions. He said that such trade fairs provide self-employment opportunities to the rural people.

4. He said that Lavi fair has remained an important trade fair between India and Tibet for centuries, and was a unique example of the glorious, social, cultural, economic history and legacy of Himachal Pradesh. Even today, the tradition was as vibrant as ever, he added.  He hoped that all the folk artists of the district and other areas of the state would enthral the audience with their performances and leave an impression on the younger generation about the importance of socio-cultural and ethical values preserved by the hill people.

5. Governor also inaugurated the ‘Kinnauri market’ and the exhibition put up by various government departments and other organizations and evinced keen interest in the exhibits.

Lavi Fair :

Lavi Fair of Himachal Pradesh is organized annually in Rampur. Lavi once served as a major trading center and the stopover point on the old trade routes that led to Kinnaur, Tibet, Ladakh and Afghanistan. During the reign of Raja Kesar Singh, a trade treaty was signed between Bush air and Tibet, as a sign of friendliness named lavi fair. Amongst the things one can buy at the fair, the most popular ones are 'Pashmina' wool, dry fruits, 'Chaumkhi' horses that are surefooted and abound in the surrounding tribal areas and a variety of native handicrafts. Traders come to the Lavi Fair to sell quilts, utensils and other consumer goods.

Lavi Fair is held amidst a great deal of fanfare in Himachal Pradesh. Rampur had once been a very important commercial center. Its popularity dwindled with the passage of time. However from the time it became the venue of the Lavi Fair, it regained its former status. Rampur Bushahr is a city and a municipal council in Shimla district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.