Dhungri Mela 2026

1. Sacred Epigraphy: The Forest Goddess of Dhungri Van Vihar

Nestled beneath the towering, centuries-old Himalayan cedar (*Deodar*) forest of Dhungri Van Vihar in Manali, the Dhungri Mela is Himachal Pradesh’s most enchanting spring forest festival. Celebrated annually from May 14 to 16 to commemorate the birth anniversary (*Jayanti*) of **Goddess Hadimba Devi**, the 3-day fair transforms the serene cedar woods into a vibrant carnival of Pahadi music, colorful traditional attire, and sacred Devta ceremonies.

According to the *Mahabharata*, Hadimba performed severe penance in this mountain cave (*Dhung*) and married the Pandava prince Bhima; their son **Ghatotkacha** became a legendary hero of the Kurukshetra war. In 1553 CE, Raja Bahadur Singh of the Kullu royal dynasty consecrated the present four-tiered wooden pagoda temple over her rock footprint.

2. Sacerdotal Pageantry: The Chariot Assembly of Valley Devtas

The fair grounds welcome the sacred palanquins of local deities:

3. Living Architectural Grandeur: The 1553 CE Pagoda Temple

The temple is a masterwork of indigenous Himalayan timber architecture (*Kath-Kuni* style):

• Four-Tiered Pagoda Roof: The temple rises in three square wooden roof tiers topped by a circular fourth tier crowned with a brass finial (*Kalasa*).
• Intricate Timber Reliefs: The sanctum door frames feature delicate 16th-century wood carvings of Lord Shiva, Goddess Durga, elephants, and mythological beasts.

4. Ancient Epigraphy: Sage Manu’s Sanctuary in Old Manali

The festival territory is intimately linked with the Vedic progenitor of humanity:

• The Abode of Manu (Manali): Manali derives its name from *Manu-Alaya* (Home of Manu). Just 1.5 km from the Hadimba temple lies the historic stone-and-wood **Manu Maharishi Temple**, honoring the ancient sage who stepped ashore after the great cosmic deluge.
• Devta Confluence: During the fair, the palanquin chariot of Sage Manu is carried with great honor through the cedar forest to greet Goddess Hadimba at Dhungri.

5. Textile Artistry: GI-Tagged Kullu Shawls & Pattu Weaving

Fairgoers and dancers are attired in magnificent indigenous handlooms:

Local weavers display GI-tagged **Kullu shawls**, cap borders (*Patti*), and thick handwoven woolen blankets (*Pattu*) featuring vibrant geometric motifs inspired by Himalayan wildflowers and snow-capped mountain ridges.

4. Authentic Himachali Gastronomy: Steamed Siddu & Ghee Feasts

Dining at Dhungri Mela is a rich culinary journey into traditional Pahadi food:

6. Thermal Sanctuaries: The Sacred Sulphur Baths of Vashisht

The pilgrimage circuit of Manali encompasses ancient geothermal springs:

• The 4,000-Year-Old Vashisht Temple: Perched on a steep cliff across the Beas River, this wood-and-stone temple honors Sage Vashisht, the royal guru of Lord Rama, featuring natural hot sulphur springs renowned for healing skin ailments and arthritis.
• Ritual Holy Dips: Devotees traveling to Dhungri Mela take purifying morning baths in the carved stone kunds of Vashisht before ascending to the Hadimba Devi forest sanctuary.

7. Hereditary Carpentry: Pahadi Kath-Kuni Timber Sculpting

The cedar timber craftsmanship of Manali is maintained by hereditary masters:

Master woodcarvers (*Tarkhans*) sculpt fragrant deodar timber into intricate cantilevered balconies, floral door panels, and ceremonial deity masks (*Mohras*), preserving ancient interlocking wood-and-stone earthquake-resistant *Kath-Kuni* architectural traditions.

Himalayan Pagoda Sanctum: Hadimba Devi's Dhungri Forest Conclave

Celebrated annually for three vibrant days in mid-May in the resort town of Manali, Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh, the historic Dhungri Mela is a colorful celebration of mountain folklore, forest reverence, and local deity worship. The fair celebrates the birthday of Goddess Hadimba, the patron forest deity of the upper Beas Valley, who was married to the Pandava hero Bhima during their exile in the Mahabharata.

The setting of the fair is the majestic 16th-century Hadimba Devi Temple (constructed in 1553 CE by Raja Bahadur Singh), an architectural marvel of indigenous Himalayan woodwork featuring a four-tiered pagoda roof and intricate timber carvings of animals, dancers, and Vedic symbols nestled inside an ancient old-growth sacred grove of giant Himalayan deodars (Dhungri Van Vihar).

On the opening morning of the fair, colorful palanquins (Raths) carrying sacred metal face-masks (Mohras) of neighboring village deities (Devtas)—including Kartik Swami of Simsa and Manu Rishi of Old Manali—arrive amidst the booming fanfare of curved brass horns (Karnal) and double-headed wooden drums (Dhol-Nagara). In the surrounding forest clearings, hundreds of men and women wearing traditional handwoven Kullu shawls, round embroidered caps (*Topis*), and silver jewelry link arms to perform the mesmerizing circular Kullu Natti folk dance, followed by festive village feasts of steamed walnut and poppy-seed Siddu drenched in rich desi ghee.

5. Dhungri Mela Field Guide & Visitor Protocol

For mountain travelers, photographers, and heritage explorers:

Key Travel Logistics & Temple Access

• Location & Access: The temple is located in Dhungri, 2.5 km from the Manali Mall Road and 50 km from Bhuntar Airport (KUU). Accessible via a scenic 15-minute walk through the cedar forest from Old Manali.
• Festive Atmosphere: Spring temperatures in mid-May are pleasant (15°C–22°C); carry a light cardigan for cool evening Nati performances.
• Respect Devta Protocols: Do not touch the sacred silver palanquins (*Raths*) of the visiting Devtas without explicit permission from their hereditary attendants (*Kardars*).

8. Alpine Landscapes: Solang Valley & The Sacred Jogini Falls

Visitors to Dhungri Mela explore breathtaking mountain valleys in upper Manali:

• The 150-Foot Jogini Waterfalls: A scenic 3 km pine forest trail from Vashisht leads to the cascading Jogini Falls, revered as the sacred bathing retreat of mountain nymphs (*Joginis*) and village guardian spirits.
• Solang Valley Meadows: Located 13 km north of Manali, Solang Valley offers panoramic views of snow-capped peaks, alpine meadows, paragliding, and historic shepherd trails leading toward the Rohtang Pass.

9. Sacerdotal Feasts: The Traditional Himachali Dham

Community celebrations feature the grand traditional mountain banquet:

Hereditary Brahmin chefs (**Botis**) slow-cook the multi-course **Himachali Dham** in massive tin-lined copper cauldrons (*Degs*) over wood-fire trenches, serving rich aromatic dishes like *Madra* (chickpeas in spiced yogurt and desi ghee), *Maha Dal*, and sweet *Khatta* on broad dried leaves (*Pattals*).

10. Forest Sanctuaries: The Open-Air Ghatotkacha Altar

Adjacent to the Hadimba temple stands a sacred shrine dedicated to her warrior son:

• The Tree Shrine of Ghatotkacha: Just 70 meters from Hadimba’s temple, an ancient deodar tree is adorned with hundreds of iron tridents, wooden bows, and stag horns, dedicated to **Ghatotkacha**, the demon-prince hero of the Mahabharata.
• Martial Invocations: Local youth offer prayers at this tree altar before athletic competitions, wrestling matches, and archery duels held during the Dhungri festival.

11. Orchard Agro-Tourism: Rhododendron Flower Brews & Apple Blossoms

The spring fair coincides with the vibrant flowering season in Kullu orchards:

Visitors walk through pink-and-white blooming apple orchards, tasting refreshing wild **Buransh Flower Squash** (crimson rhododendron nectar) and hot saffron-infused mountain green tea brewed with cinnamon bark and crushed green cardamom.

12. Riparian Splendor: The Rushing Glacial Waters of Beas River

The geography of Manali is defined by the mighty Beas River:

• The Sacred Beas (Vipasha): Originating at Beas Kund near Rohtang Pass, the river cascades through deep granite gorges in Old Manali, nourishing the dense deodar and pine forests of Dhungri Van Vihar.
• Riverbank Trails: Travelers enjoy peaceful nature walks along the rocky riverbanks, observing Himalayan white-capped redstarts, blue whistling thrushes, and wild mountain irises.

13. Pastoral Traditions: Gaddi Sheep Wool Shearing & Hand-Spinning

Dhungri fair is a major marketplace for pastoral nomadic wool trade:

Nomadic **Gaddi shepherds** descending from high alpine meadows bring raw sheep wool to the fair, where village women demonstrate traditional drop-spindle hand-spinning (*Takli*) and handloom weaving of water-resistant felted wool coats (*Chola*).

14. Ecological Sanctity: Sacred Cedar Conservation in Dhungri

The local temple committee maintains strict environmental preservation protocols:

• Protection of Centuries-Old Deodars: The towering Himalayan cedars (*Cedrus deodara*) of Dhungri forest are venerated as living deities, with cutting or damaging sacred branches strictly tabooed by custom.
• Annual Spring Plantation: Festival attendees participate in annual cedar sapling planting drives around Manali to preserve the verdant canopy of the Kullu Valley for future generations.

6. Frequently Asked Questions