Pauri, celebrated during the third week of August, is a significant annual festival of
Lahaul and Spiti District in
Himachal Pradesh. It is held at
Trilokinath Temple in Udaipur village, and attracts not only locals but also folks from other regions such as
Chamba and Kullu. This temple is considered sacred by both Hindus and Buddhists.
Pauri is a blend of festive and pilgrimage activities. The devotees, after making darshan to the statue of the presiding deity, move to the parikarma gallery and complete three or seven clockwise circumbulations of the gallery by chanting mantras. A specialty is that ghee and mustard oil lamps are continuously lighted inside the temple. The devotees offer money and ghee to sustain the lamps.
The fair begins after the prayers and rituals. In night, the devotees dance in a huge circle, and a folk song is sung. The next day, the head or thakur of the temple leads a traditional procession. The thakur rides on a decorated horse, and he heads to the place, where as per legends Trilokinath (the presiding deity) had appeared from seven springs.
After this, the procession returns to the fair venue for other cultural activities. A number of tea stalls, hotels and shops can be found in the fair ground.
