Governor of Himachal Pradesh Acharya Dev Vrat on Saturday inaugurated the traditional ‘International lavi Fair’ of the hills at Rampur Busher.
One of the most famous trade fairs of Himachal Pradesh, the International lavi Fair is held at the onset of winter season. It is organised at the banks of Satluj river and has a long tradition spanning more than three centuries.
lavi fair was started centuries ago, when Rampur was a trading centre of the hills, in those times traders and artisans from Tibet, China and Afghanistan used to come here with their products and trade in the fair.
The fair is especially known for woolen clothes, brass utensils, tools, dry fruit and honey and Pashmina shawls. Traders from Tibet and Afghanistan are still seen in the fair, besides traders from Punjab, Haryana and other states.
Around 300 cops have been deployed for security arrangements at the fair. The local administration has also imposed one-way traffic, to ensure smooth flow of traffic in the area.
This festival is generally held between November 11 to 14. Many folk singers and artists perform during the fair.
Inaugurating the fair, Acharya Dev Vrat said that India had a long tradition of organising fairs and the lavi fair is an epitome of the rich culture of the country. He said that fairs and celebrations had a great role in keeping the cultural heritage of the state and such traditions needed to be maintained.