Discover Galu Mela, a centuries-old mountain fair in Himachal Pradesh, located within the Himalayas

Alivewanderer
Jun 29
2 min read

Hello Reader!

Today, let me tell you about a mela in the mountains 🗻🎡

A story from April 2016

While traveling from Bir to Kasol, something unexpected caught my attention—a burst of color and energy in a quiet mountain village. I turned to my cab driver, curious.“It’s Galu Mela,” he said. I had never heard of it before. But a fair in the mountains? I couldn’t just pass by.

I stepped out, instinctively drawn in. What I found wasn’t just a festival—it was a celebration of faith, legacy, and community.

Galu Mela - A photo from April 2016 , on my way to Kasol from Bir

🌿 Where It Happens

Galu Mela is held in the peaceful village of Galu, part of Haargunain Panchayat in Jogindernagar, Himachal Pradesh.Set along the Mandi–Pathankot National Highway, between the borders of Haargunain and Ropa Padhar, this otherwise quiet location transforms into a spiritual and cultural epicenter for three days each year.

🕉️ Tradition in Every Step

The fair begins with a gathering of local deities and a ritual lamb sacrifice, honoring an age-old tradition passed down by the villagers’ ancestors. These sacred rites aren’t just symbolic—they breathe life into stories, beliefs, and unshaken devotion.

Celebrated on the eighth Pravisthe of the Baisakh month, the event is inaugurated by Dev Pashakot, one of the most revered deities in the Chauhar Valley. His arrival marks the spiritual peak of the mela, drawing devotees from across the region.

🪔 More Than a Fair

Galu Mela is more than a religious gathering—it’s a cultural homecoming. It’s where people return not just to pray, but to reconnect with their roots, with each other, and with the rhythm of life carried by generations.

And for me, someone who wandered in by chance, it was a quiet moment of belonging. A glimpse into a living tradition that welcomed even the outsider. There’s something powerful about walking into a story mid-sentence and realizing you were always meant to hear it.