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Culturally
speaking a Punjabi is a true citizen of the world having
capacity to make a comfortable home at the Poles and create
a new circle of friendship there.
Fair
and Festivals - Religious Fairs
Hola Mohalla, (National Fair) Anandpur Sahib:
90 km from Chandigarh. Mid-March immediately after
the festival of  Holi.The
10th Prophet of the Sikhs, Sri Guru Gobind Singh
ji had started this fair in 1700-AD. To the traditional
festival of the colours, Holi, he added spiritual and martial
dimensions. The fair begins a few days before Holi &
is marked by the congregation of Sikh from all over the
State, who arrive on trucks and tractors. A large number
of 'Langars' (community kitchen) offer free food to the
poor and the rich alike.The day after Holi, called Hola,
begins with the singing of the divine hymns in the ambrosial
hours of very early morning. With the dawning of the day
the Nihangs called the Guru's beloved force and a colourful
sects of the Sikhs come centre-stage. They still wear traditional
robes and armour of blue and saffron colours and all steel.
They tie conical rising double turbans inter-laced with
steel chakras (quoits) and steel rosaries, a cutlass daughing
at the waist and a sword. (sometimes also a lance) clutched
in the right hand. They take out a procession riding their
stallions. When they reach the bed of an old seasonal river
Charan Ganga they perform feats of martial valour such as
riding, two horses with one foot on the back of each and
a weight balanced on their heads, fencing and enacting of
mock battles. The splendorous pageant strikes as a fascinating
novelty.
Baisaki National Fair (April), Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda:
 It
is another unique Punjabi fair, which tempers gay abandon
with deep devotion. Dancing men and women, on the day of
Baisakhi, emerge singing and dancing from the surrounding
villages carrying a portion of the first harvest of wheat.
Everyone is seen to be proceeding to the historical gurudwara
to make an offering of it. Calm descends every where when
they approach the Gurudwara and make their obeisance offerings.
Devotees from far off places run free kitchens here. The
next day is taken over by the Nihangs and their awe-inspiring
feats of the martial arts.
RAM TIRATH AMRITSAR , National Fair 4 days starting on night
of the full-moon in November.
The Chhapaar Mela Village Chhapaar ( Ludhiana) :
 It
is celebrated every September to propitiate, Guga or Goga-the
Zahir Pir. He is described as the Lord of the snakes.
Snake poison is neutralised by his grace and barren women
are blessed with off springs. Thousands of devotees take
Guga Pir in a procession, common participation of the
people of different sects in this fair works it out as
a unifying force.
Fatehgarh Sahib:
Gurudwara Fatehgarh Sahib Jor Mela.(December)
Mukatsar
Maghi Fair:
on the occasion of Makar Sankranti in January every year.
Baba
Bakala:
every amavas (moonless night) and on the day of Raksha Bandhan
a very big fair is organised.
LUDHIANA:
Jarag Mela
Dera Baba Nanak, Gurudaspur:
Jor Mela eve of Maghi-second week of January.
Kartarpur: Jalandhar : Gurudwara Thumb Sahib,
Maghi, January
Ludhiana : Gurudwara Manji Sahib Alamgir:
(14-15, 16 posh last week of December)
Gurudwara Nanaksar Jagraon, Ludhiana -
Barsi,Five day function (August)
Bhagwathi
Temple -
Maiser Khanna Bathinda twice a year.
Kali Temple Kapurthala
A Mela is organised every year on the occasion of
?
Qadian,
Gurdaspur:
Urs, last week of December
Rauza Sharif, Sirhind, Fatehgarh Sahib:
Urs in August
Fair
and Festivals - Other Fairs and Festivals
Harballabh Sangeet Sammelan, Devi Talab, Jalandhar
National Fair, every December. Started by Baba Harballabh
in the memory of his Guru Swami Tulja Giri in 1875. It is
the only music fair of its type in India and even, abroad.
The best of the country's exponents of instrumental and
vocal music deem their careers incomplete unless they come
and perform here. Also, great people from all walks of life
look forward to attending this gathering. In 1929, Mahatma
Gandhi had attended this fair.
Rural Sports, National Fair (February), Kila Raipur,
6Km from Ludhiana
This meet or the fair epitomises the special Punjabi
bon homie and the spirit that never says die, ingenious
for finding competition and pleasure from ordinary things
of life. Bullock carts and other animal races, awe inspiring
feats of strength and danger, the traditional wrestling,
cock-fighting, kabbadi and jumps and races, the meet is
wound up with the electrifying dances of the Punjab, the
Gidha and the Bhangra.
Martyrs - Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev & Rajguru Fair
The Fair to honour their memory is held on March 23rd
every year at the site of the memorial in Ferozepur. Large
gathering of people, here, is then addressed by freedom
fighters and the leaders of Punjab and India who highlight
the sacrifices these patriots have made to free India from
the yoke of the British.
Prof. Mohan Singh Mela, Ludhiana
It is a unique fair of cultural confluence of Punjabi
artists, writers and folk performers- kind of a feast which
may , again, be called typically Punjabi. Alongside this
cultural extravaganza noted writers and artists are honoured
for their contribution to the promotion of Punjabi literature,
language and culture.
Mural Paintings, Frescoes and Other Art
Punjabis who like to live well have been traditionally
fond of embellishing their home. A.E. Parry who was struck
by this genius of the Punjabis has recorded :
"All villages have gates of immense height and breadth,
decorated with painted figures of animals, scenes from the
life of the Gurus, national games and from the battlefields."
The best samples of paintings, frescos are still available
in Amritsar and Patiala.
Amritsar
Most representative is the Sanctum of Harmandir Sahib, Akhara
Bala Nand, Tower of Baba Atal Rai, Ranjit Singh Museum.
The sanctum at Harmandir Sahib has 300 different patterns
of fresco paintings and floral and zoological designs in
stone in-lay and mirror work of typical Punjabi-genre. At
the Maharaja Ranjit Singh museum the most remarkable among
other miniature paintings are a set of ivory miniature paintings
of his Chiefs. The painting of Maharaja Sher Singh on a
horse back done by a Viennese artist August Scheoft who
visited Lahore in 1841 and a painting of Maharaja Dalip
Singh done by the famous English painter Winterhalter commissioned
by Queen Victoria are exceptional.
Tower of Baba Atal Rai is a mine of wall-paintings, stone-in-lay
and metal work. A big room in the second story of Akhara
Bala Nand near the Golden Temple has every inch of its walls
covered with frescos based mainly on religious themes.
 Qila
Mubarik Androon, Patiala
The murals in the residential palaces of Qila Androon are
peerless. Designed by great artists from Kangra and Rajasthan
they depict themes of Ramayana, Mahabharta, Shrimad Bhagwat,
Geet Govinda, Baramasas and Ragas and Ragnis. The legends
of Laila Majnu, Sassi Punnu and Sohni Mahiwal are also painted
in one of the bed chambers.
Sheesh Mahal, Patiala:
The builder of Sheesh Mahal, Maharaja Narendra Singh was
a patron of literature, music and fine arts. Murals and
paintings on the walls of this Palace translate the vision
of the poetry of Keshav Dass, Bhiari Lal and Surdas in the
finest of line and
colour. Others depict themes from mythology, legends, Raga
Ragnis, Nayak-Nayika and Baramasa. The placement of concave
and coloured mirrors in the prayer room create an
amazing effect on the mind when a light is put on there.
The floral designs on the walls are reminiscent of Emperor
Jahangir's time.
Ragunath Temple, Gurdaspur:
Vaishnav monastery, village Pandori Mahantan 12 Km from
Gurdaspur city. Temple was built 150 years ago with offerings
made by Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the hill Chiefs. 19th
Century frescos on its walls, mainly in Hindu themes are
still extant.
The Thakar Dwara of Bairagis, Village Ram Tatwali,
Hosiarpur
At the foothills of Shivalik. This monastery is full of
beautiful wall paintings covering a large range of socio-religious
themes. From a lady feeding a parrot, to Lord Shiva, Parvati,
and the Bull Nandi, to Sikh Gurus, Maharaja Ranjit Singh
with Dogra brother's the theme go on changing.
The Temple of Shekuhpura, Kapurthala":
Got constructed by Diwan Saudagar Mal in fulfillment of
a word given to a holy man. The temple with an octagonal
and a small sanctum is encircled by broad path in which
are seen large sized murals.
Gurudwara Baba Mati Sahib:
Daroli Kalan near Adampur, Jalandhar. Bhai Mati Dass had
embraced martyrdom along with Sri Guru Teg Bahadur ji at
Delhi in 1675. It has several mural panels still extant.
Gurudwara Harsahai, Muktsar, Faridkot:
The entire lengths of the walls which constitute the building
of this double-storied Gurdwara are embellished with frescos
depicting religious and gender themes.
The Fort Faridkot:
The second story of this fort has Sheesh Mahal, a hall of
mirrors which has exceeding by beautiful wall paintings
and mirror work on its walls.
Anonymous Samadh/Mausoleum at Talwandi Sabo Bathinda near
Gurdwara Damdama Sahib. The interior of the mausoleum is
embellished with murals with unusually elongated figures
depicting Hindu and Sikh themes. Samadh of Baba Dyal Das,
at Dera Balram at Barnala in Sangrur.
Well-built structure on a raised platform and encircled
by a passage. The interior of its walls and dome are decorated
with beautiful murals.
Ludhiana
: Samadh of Baba Mohar Singh, Mahima Sahi, near village
Lopon.
The Baba is the founder of the Nirmla Sect. Approached by
a flight of steps the interior of the Samadh is painted
with frescos which survive in very good shape.
Samadh of an anonymous sardar of Ladwa, Village Durali in
Kharar Sub Division. Ropar.
The modest structure with a dome has an interior embellished
by frescos which are fading away.
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