International Shri Renuka Ji fair to commence in Himachal's Sirmaur district on Nov 11

Nahan (HP), Nov 9 (PTI) The five-day long International Shri Renuka Ji fair will commence in Himachal Pradesh's Sirmaur district on November 11, officials said on Saturday.

The fair will begin on Monday with the arrival of palanquin of Lord Parshuram on bank of Shri Renuka Ji lake in Renuka Ji from a temple situated at Jammu Koti village about three km away, as per the schedule released by the Renuka Development Board chaired by Sirmour Deputy Commissioner Sumit Khimta.

Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhku will inaugurate the fair while Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla will preside over the concluding ceremony, as per the program released by the administration.

Nearly half a dozen palanquins of other deities brought from different parts of the district will also join the Shobha Yatra (traditional religious procession) of Lord Parshuram on this occasion.

The Shobha Yatra will start from Dadahu and reach the bank of Renuka Ji Lake in the evening.

Swami Ramchandra, who is participating in the Shobha Yatra for the past two decades, said that thousand of devotees throng from different states of north India to participate in this Shobha Yatra and seek the blessings of Lord Parshuram.

As per ancient (pauranik) references, Lord Parshuram comes every year on the eve of Hari prabodhini ekadashi (also known as Dev prabodhini and devothan ekadashi) from his temple situated on the hillock of Jammu Koti to meet his mother Shri Renuka Ji.

As per her promise mentioned in the puranas, mother comes out of the lake to meet her son once in a year on the occasion of Hariprabodhini ekadashi.

The holy dip in the Renuka lake on the occasion of Hari prabodhini ekadashi will take place early in the morning at 3 am on November 12 as per the schedule and will continue till the evening while the holy dip on the occasion of Kartik Purnima would take place on November 15.

After 'karthik snan' (holy dip), Lord Parshuram will take departure from his mother in a traditional 'dev vidai' ceremony and the five-day fair will conclude.

Khimta told PTI that elaborate security arrangements have been made to ensure cleanliness, fresh water and other facilities for the convenience of visitors in the fair. PTI BPL AS AS