Hey there! Did you know that in Udaipur, a sub-division of the beautiful region Lahaul and Spiti in the wonderful state of Himachal Pradesh, there's a fair where people bow before the horse as a sign of respect to the god Mahadev? The festival is so exciting that the whole community eagerly waits for it. Both Hindus and Buddhists celebrate this festival. Famous for the fair, the Trilokinath Temple, possessed of high decorations, has the presiding deity Lord Shiva in the lingam form anointed with pure yoghurt and milk. Here, people follow a horse's lead during the festival, believed to be guided by the lord himself. After a warm welcome and nourishing bath in the sweet waters at the local Thakur house, the horse leads the way to the hilltop commencing the fair around mid-morning. A grand feast takes place and the horse is fed some delicacies and let it take rest. While the locals form a band and start dancing enthusiastically to devotional local songs, the insiders of the place play music. The festival symbolizes Trilokhpur's cultural heritage and temples.
The glowing lights, songs, and incense sticks turn the place into a divine paradise. During the festival, people lit butter lamps and kept them burning by pouring ghee into them. After the festival, people offer colorful cloth pieces to others as a sign of respect and perform appropriate rites to please the gods.
And you know what adds even more fun to the fair? The presence of tourists like you! This festival takes place during the third week of August, which is a blissful period to explore the region and have a blast. Plus, the fair is a way to honor Lord Shiva and bring all of his devotees together, no matter what their background is. So come on over and join the fun!
Month of the festival: The third week of August is when the festival takes place.