A true reflection of the Jalandhar culture is found in the Jalandhar festivals that are celebrated by the people residing in the city. The Jalandhar fairs and festivals mark a synthesis of the various religious who live in the city and equally participate in all the programs. The fairs and festivals of Jalandhar are also the exponents of music and art.
The Harballabh Sangeet Mela is an annual festival celebrated from 27th to 30th December. The festival is dedicated to the memory of the saint Swami Harballabh who was a patron of music. It is believed that the saint renounced his rich family life to become a devotee of Swami Tulja Gir. He mastered the art of music to which he was introduced by his mentor. The fair is organized by the Sangeet Academy that works under the aegis of the Harbhallabh Sangeet Mahasabha. A musical soiree is organized with the maestros of music performing on the day of the fair. People from the neighboring cities arrive on the day of the fair to watch and listen to the maestros of music.
The fair of Baba Sodal commemorates the death of the child deity, Sodal. It is an annual festival that is organized on the death anniversary of this god. The celebrations take place on the 14th of Shukal Paksh which falls in the month of September. Prayers are offered early in the morning on the day of the feast. Pilgrims from the neighboring states gather to seek blessing from the deity and take a holy dip in the Baba Sodal-Da-Sarowar. The portrait of the deity is embellished with garlands and rosaries.
One of the primary festivals of Punjab is the Baisakhi festival which is celebrated with great pomp in the city of Jalandhar. Baisakhi marks the foundation of the Khalsa or the brotherhood community of the Sikhs by Guru Gobind Singh. The festival also marks the beginning of the harvesting season in the villages. A procession is held in which the five senior Sikh members or the Panj Pyaras, who are emblems of the earlier Gurus, carry the holy book of the Guru Granth Sahib. The city of Jalandhar comes alive in the celebration of Baisakhi.
The following are the links to the festivals in Jalandhar:
Last Updated on 17th Dec 2012
