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Mela Maghi ( Punjabi: ਮੇਲਾ ਮਾਘੀ ), held at the holy city of
Sri Muktsar Sahib Sri Muktsar Sahib ( ), often referred to as simply Muktsar, is a historical city and district headquarters in Punjab, India. The 2011 census of India put the total population of Sri Muktsar Sahib municipality at 117,085, making it the 14th large ...
each year in January or the month of ''Magh'' according to Nanakshahi calendar and it is one of the most important melas or fairs of India and the most important of all religiously significant gatherings of the
Sikhs Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Sikh'' ...
. Shri
Guru Gobind Singh Guru Gobind Singh (; born Gobind Das; 22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708) was the tenth and last human Sikh gurus, Sikh Guru. He was a warrior, poet, and philosopher. In 1675, at the age of nine he was formally installed as the leader of the ...
ordained Maghi as one of the three festivals that would be celebrated by the Sikhs. The other two are Baisakhi and Bandhi chor divas (Diwali) After the battle of Sri Muktsar Sahib which took place on 3rd May 1705, (21 Vaisakh 1762 Bikrami calendar)
Maghi Maghi is the regional name of Makar Sankranti, the Indian harvest festival celebrated on winter solstice. Maghi falls on the first day of the month of Magh and is celebrated in Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Himachal Pradesh. It follows on the heel ...
came to be associated with the forty Sikhs and the battle of Sri Muktsar Sahib. The Maghi fair is held to honour the memory of the forty Sikh warriors killed during the Battle of Muktsar in 1705. Muktsar, originally called Khidrana, was named as Muktsar ("the pool of liberation") following the battle. These forty Sikhs, led by their leader Mahan Singh, had formally deserted Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji in the need of hour, and signed a written memorandum to the effect. When Mai Bhago, a valiant and upright lady, heard of this cowardly act, she scolded the Singh's and inspired them refresh with spirit of bravery for which Sikhs are known. Hence, the unit returned and joined the Guru who was already engaged in action at Khidrana. All forty of them attained martyrdom. The memorandum (''bedawa'') was torn-down by the Guru himself just before Mahan Singh died. People gather from all over Punjab, even other parts of India to join the festival which is in fact spread over many days. Merchants display their wares for sale, which include from trinkets to high-end electronics, the weapons
Nihang The Nihang (also spelt as Nihung lit. "Crocodiles") or Akali (lit. "Immortals"), also known as '' Dal Khalsa'', is an armed Sikh warrior order originating in the Indian subcontinent. Nihangs are believed to have originated either from Fateh Sin ...
s bear and especially agricultural machinery (since most around are farmers). The country's biggest
circus A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicy ...
es, Apollo and Gemini, are there as a matter of rule, merry-go-rounds and giant wheels, and the famous Well of Death (trick motorcycling inside consortium of wood planks) are the special attraction for children. While kids enjoy the rides, there are tuck shops that are quite a find. Women buy crockery and home decor, men mostly interest in special (name embedded on rice grain) keyrings, posters. Kids have special corner for toys and other things. The shops sell out goggles, kitchen utensils, makeup, shoes and clothes, all in average quality and lowest market possible cost. You don't need big bucks to shop a lot. However, very limited use of electronic payments is done, as the end merchant is a poor villager, hardly touched by digital world. It is also a very important occasion from the political point of view, as all the significant politicos, including the chief minister are there on the main day. All major political leaders/ parties hold separate stages to throw political dirt at one another. Such arrangement needs extremely tight police -up which is met by calling out forces, sometimes even CRPF and BSF battalions from neighboring areas.


See also

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List of Sikh festivals This is a list of the major festivals of the Sikhism, Sikh religion. List Other Sikh festivals There are some other (around 45) festivals that are celebrated at a much smaller scale with some being centred in particular regions or towns that ...


References

{{Sri Muktsar Sahib district Sikh practices Sri Muktsar Sahib Sikh festivals Religious festivals in India