The seven-day International Shivratri Festival of Mandi district in Himachal Pradesh will begin today and will continue till 21 February 2026. The Deputy Chief Minister of the state, Mukesh Agnihotri, will formally inaugurate the fair this afternoon. The Deputy Commissioner and Chairman of the Fair Committee, Apurva Devgan, informed that this year the administration has invited more than 216 palanquins of local deities, who will stay in Mandi throughout the week.
The festival will commence with worship and the first Jaleb ceremony at the Shri Raj Madhav Rai Temple, in which the Deputy Chief Minister will participate. This grand procession will witness enthusiastic participation from local deities of Mandi district along with their Gurus, folk artists, and thousands of devotees.
Apurva Devgan further said that the biggest attraction of this year’s festival will be the International Cultural Parade to be held on 20 February, in which cultural troupes from France, the United States, Nigeria, Tanzania, Tajikistan, and Sri Lanka, along with several other countries, will participate. In addition, artists from North India, Himachal Pradesh, and Mandi district will also take part in the cultural evenings.
He stated that this festival will present a wonderful confluence of Mandi’s rich Dev culture, folk traditions, and international cultural exchange. He also appealed to people to participate enthusiastically in the events while wearing traditional attire.
