Laxmi Narayan Sainj Mela Looks Mesmerizing With Hundreds Of Women Performing ‘MahaNati’

Sainj: The grand Sainj fair, known better as ‘Laxmi Narayan Sainj Mela’, kicked off on May 3 and i coming to a close on Tuesday at Sainj village’s jalor village. The fair, with more than a hundred stalls and thousands of visitor was a sight to behold this afternoon when women from different village gathered together in their traditional attire ‘Pattu’, and danced along the folk songs.

The fair is celebrated at the onset of summer in Sainj valley and also in the honour of the ‘devta’ of village around the valley. The devta or the lord of several villages are taken around the mela, or are given a tour of the whole fair to check if things are fine. The ‘chelas’ or disciples of each of the devta holds them and places them into a carriage with four handles. The lords are covered and clad in colourful clothes on the ocassion.

About a hundred year old traditional fair, it came to life only recently as the Mahanati dance performance began last year. Women from different villages and aspects of life register through Aganwadi or Mahila Samiti to enroll their names for the mass dance. The scenario is breathtaking as women go round and round with those subtle yet difficult dance steps with the live music.

Atop some of the terraces, one can get a bird eye’s view of the whole dance performance that mesmerizes you as one sees tiny people moving around with gentle hand movements. Prior to the dance performance, the crowd also releases a bunch of colourful balloons that fly away into the sky amid the Himalayan ranges.  One of the teachers here, Rakesh Chauhan, said the fair is a yearly entertainment and means of earning for people here. “A lot of stall are set up through which many people earn revenue. Besides, talented women also get a chance to showcase their talent by dancing. The dance, however, started only last year that brought limelight to the fair. Otherwise, it was just a small valley fair,” he added.

The roads going to the fair are slightly bumpy but seem worth it after witnessing the mass celebrating life together. The fair commences every year on the same date, i.e., May 3 and goes on for five days only. If you plan to visit it, do not forget to visit other popular and beautiful villages around including Shanghar, the treks and tour packagesof which are available on HMRA website.