The state of Haryana celebrates the rich, glorious culture of India . various fairs and festivals that are celebrated with equal pomp and gaiety here as all over the country. There are several fairs and festival in Haryana that attract a large number of visitors to the state at different times of the year.

FAIRS OF HARYANA :

• Haryana has witnessed the rule of many civilisations and cultures. Haryana celebrates numerous fairs and festivals that are unique to the state.

GOPAL-MOCHAN FAIR :

• This fair is held in Ambala at Gopal-Mochan near Bilaspur in Jagadhari tehsil. There is a sacred tank of the same name at this place. The legend is that once Lord Shiva bathed in this tank to clean himself. Since, then the water of Gopal-Mochan have retained this virtue.

CHETAR CHAUDAS FAIR :

• This fair is annually held in Pehowa in Kurukshetra. This place has the holy Saraswati tank, that is why this place is also called Saraswati Teertha or Prithudak Teertha. Here, at this place the Chetar Chaudas fair is held in the spring season i.e. in the month of March. Pilgrims, both Sikhs and Hindus, flock to this place to offer pinds for their ancestors. It is claimed that here in this holy spot, Yudhister had offered pinds in memory of all their relatives killed in the Mahabharata war. Pilgrims take bath in the Saraswati tank during this fair.

MANSA DEVI FAIR :

• These fairs are held twice a year in March-April and September-October. These fairs were held in Bilaspur village close to Mani Majra.

BASDODA FAIR :

• At the village of Basdoda in Rewari tehsil, there is an ancient temple of Bhaironji. A fair is held on Chatsudi 11th for two days. For this, people come from as far as Delhi and Agra.

DEVI FAIR :

• This fair is held at Beri in Jhajjar of Rohtak district, twice a year. According to a legend, the image of Goddess Bhumeshwari Devi was brought from the hills and installed at Beri. Newly married couples blessed with a son come here to pay homage.

MASANI FAIR :

• This fair is held in the honour of the Goddess of small-pox in the month of April. Masani temple is situated in Gurgaon village. There is a legend about this temple.There was a shrine, sacred to the Goddess Devi, locally known as Masani at the village of Kesopur in the Delhi district. Some two hundred and fifty years ago according to tradition, the Goddess appeared in a dream to one Singha, a Jat of some influence and a resident at the village of Gurgaon. The Devi communicated to Singha that she wished to leave Kesopur and directed him to construct a shrine for her in his village. The orders of the Goddess were promptly carried out.

BABA MAST NATH AND SAT KUMBH FAIR :

• It is held in February-March each year at the Samadhi of the saint at Bohar near Rohtak. It is also held at Khera Sadh and the people worship both at the Samadhi and the temple. Sat Kumbh fair is a religious celebration and is held at Kheri Gujjar (Sonipat) twice a year.

SOHNA CAR RALLY :

• The Sohna Car Rally has evoked the nationwide interest, it was started in the year, 1964. Sohna lies on the Delhi-Alwar highway. It is a rally of old vintage cars, which has aroused so much of attention that people from all corners of the country come over to Gurgaon to witness it.
• The vintage car rally starts from Delhi, then passing through Gurgaon, it finally reaches Sohna. This hilly attraction commands a lovely view of the plains below. Sohna attracts largest number of visitors during the Sohna Car Rally. It is in fact one of the most important events in and around Gurgaon.

MANGO FAIR :

• This fair is organised in the month of June or July at Yadavindra gardens in Pinjore near Chandigarh. Hundreds of kind of mangoes from as far as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and also from Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab arrive, delighting everyone with their hybrid shapes and quality.

SOLAR ECLIPSE FAIR :

• This fair is held at Kurukshetra district where at the time of solar eclipse lakhs of pilgrims come to this sacred land and take bath in tanks and perform religious ceremonies according to their capacity and status.

PHALGU FAIR :

• This fair is held in Faral village on Somwati Amavasya in the month of Ashwin. On this occassion people take holy bath and offer oblation of water to the ancestors.

SHEETLA MATA FAIR :

• This fair is organised on every Monday and Tuesday in the month of Chaitra and Aashadh in Gurgaon district. People perform prayer of Sheetla Devi.

SURAJKUND CRAFTS FAIR :

• It is the most popular fair of Haryana, which is held in the month of February at Surajkund in Faridabad. The fortnight-long fair takes place every year from 1st to 15th February. The event provides one of the best platforms to local artisans and craftsmen from all over India to showcase their products to a large audience that arrives to witness this important annual event.

IMPORTANT FESTIVALS OF HARYANA :

HARYANA DAY :

• One of the many festivals that keep the state of Haryana in a festive spirit almost all the time is the Haryana festival in Haryana. Haryana day is celebrated every year on the first day of September. The Haryana day is celebrated all over Haryana in order to commemorate the establishment of Haryana Tourism Corporation in all the tourist resorts. During the Haryana festival, there are cycle rallies as well as a rally cum race that is held from Chandigarh to Panchkula town.

BAISAKHI :

• It is one of the most popular festivals of North-West India that is celebrated on a large scale particularly in the states of Punjab and Haryana. As such, Baisakhi at Pinjore, a small town in Haryana, is a grand event that is celebrated with much pomp and gaiety among the locals as well as visitors from across the country. Baisakhi festival in Pinjore, Haryana is celebrated to mark the start of the wheat harvest season. The festival falls on 13th April every year and is also observed as the first day of the new year as per the traditional Vikrami calendar in India. Baisakhi is celebrated to welcome the arrival of that time of the year, when the farmers prepare for the harvesting of wheat.

KARTIK FESTIVAL :

• It is celebrated at Nahar Singh Mahal in Gurgaon. Named after Raja Nahar Singh, a Young a King, who ascended the throne in the year 1739, during the reign of the last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zaffar, the palace was in a dilapidated condition until it was selected by the Government of Haryana to celebrate the fest. The State Government took upon themselves the responsibility of restoring it to its former glory. The kartik cultural festival in Gurgaon aims at promoting different martial arts and folk arts that were on the verge of extinction. It is indeed very heartening to know that several traditional song and dance forms have either been revived or have received a new boost on account of this festival.India’s richness in the field of performing arts can very well be gauged on a visit to the Kartik cultural festival in Gurgaon.

LOHRI :

• It is one of the most popular festivals in Haryana. Lohri marks the end of winter welcomes the season of fertility. It is celebrated every year on 13th January just before Makar Sankranti. Lohri is actually meant for the Punjabis, but the entire state celebrates it with equal joy and fervor. On the day of Lohri people burn huge bonfires and throw sweets, puffed rice, groundnuts and popcorn into the flames.

GITA JAYANTI :

• One of the most pleasant experiences that have begun at Kurukshetra is the Gita Jayanti celebrations. A series of events are held. Seminars on the holy Bhagwad Gita and performances by theatre groups, Bhajan recitals, the Aarti and Deep Daan at the Brahma Sarover holy water tank mark the day. Each event is glittering memorable and deeply soulful experience.The celebrations commemorate the holy scripture Bhagwad Gita and Lord Krishna.

HOLI :

• It is celebrated with considerable zest, particularly in the area bordering Uttar Pradesh. Four days before the festival, married women play holi with their men folk by throwing coloured water on them. The day following holi, dhulandi (Phag), men folk throw water on women, who retaliate by a mock beating with sticks or kolras (twisted cloth strips). The men act as if they are powerless and they pretended attempts at shielding themselves lead to much fun and amusement.

TEEJ :

• It is celebrated to welcome Sawan or the rainy season. After first showers of Sawan, a small red insect called Teej in Haryana comes out from Earth's soil. Swings are set-up in the open courtyards and Teej gets the first swing of the season. Girls apply Heena on their hands and feet, are excused from household chores on this day. On Teej girls receive new clothes from their parents and the mother sends a baya or gift. Puja is performed in the morning.

GANGORE :

• It is celebrated on April Chaitra Idols of Ishar and Gangore are taken out in procession and songs in their praise are sung till they are immersed into water. This spring festival is held in honour of Gauri, the Goddess of abundance. Girls dress up in their finest clothes and pray for a spouse of their choice, while married ladies do the same for the happiness of their husbands. Girls worship the Goddess throughout the preceding fortnight. Thousands of people take part in the procession of the Gangore image.

NIRJALA AKADSHI :

• This festival forms a very important part in the lives of women of Haryana. It is celeberated in the month of May-June. The women perform some religion rites and rituals for the family welfare.

JANAMASHTAMI :

• It is celebrated as the birth anniversary of Krishna, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The temples witness an extravagant and colourful celebration on this occasion. The image of the infant Krishna is bathed at midnight and is placed in a cradle.
• Devotional songs and dances mark the celebration of this festive occasion all over Northern India. This festival is celebrated with a special fervor by people of Brij Bhoomi area of Faridabad district.

DIWALI :

• Diwali is a festival of lights symbolising the victory of righteousness and the lifting of spiritual darkness. The word diwali literally means rows of deepaks or diyas (clay lamps). It is celebrated 20 days after Dussehra on the 13th day of the dark fortnight of the month of Asvin (October-November).

GUGGA NAUMI :

• This is a religious festival, celebrated all over Haryana. It is connected with snake-worship and observed in August-September. A number of legends have clustered around Gugga Pir or Zahir Pir (the saint). He was reputed to have the power of curing people of snake-bite.The shrine is distinguished by its square shape with minarets and domed roof. It is called Mari.

DUSSEHRA :

• Dussehra is probably the Chief Hindu festival, being associated with the great epic Ramayana and its renowned hero, Rama. The celebrations last nearly a month. First come the Shradas, early in September and lasts over a fortnight. The Brahmans are fed on these days in memory of the deceased elders of the family. On the Dussehra day, pudding (halwa) is eaten with rice and curd.