UpdateBot at 21:51, 16 January 2022

2022-01-16T21:51:20Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
[[File:VeerGogaji.jpg|thumb|Guga Ji]]
[[File:Gogga.jpg|thumb|Guga Ji]]
'''Chhapar Mela''' is celebrated in the village of Chhapar in the district of [[Ludhiana]], [[Punjab (India)|Punjab]], India every year in September.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ludhianadistrict.com/mela.php |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2009-09-04 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090520014916/http://www.ludhianadistrict.com/mela.php |archivedate=2009-05-20 }}</ref> This [[mela]] (fair), held in the memory of [[Gogaji|Gugga]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unp.me/f16/mela-chappar-da-17681/|title=Mela Chappar da...|website=www.unp.me|accessdate=31 May 2017}}</ref> is one of the most popular and spectacular festivals of the [[Malwa (Punjab)|Malwa belt of Punjab]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090903/ldh1.htm#7|title=The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Ludhiana Stories|website=www.tribuneindia.com|accessdate=31 May 2017}}</ref>

This three day fair commemorates the descent of the Gugga Veer, a [[Chauhans of Ajmer|Chauhan]] [[Rajput]], into the bosom of mother Earth along with his steed.

According to the legend, he obsessed extraordinary powers over all kinds of snakes. The fair is celebrated at Gugge di Marhi, a big holy place built in his memory that has a reputation for curing people of snake bites. Earth is scooped up seven times to appeal to Gugga Veer for safety against snakes.

People sing folk songs and present folk dances. The fair is held on the [[Anant Chaturdashi]] on the 14th day of bright half of the [[Bhadrapad|Bhadon]] (mid August- midSeptember as per [[Hindu calendar]]).

People mainly worship the snake embodiment of [[Gugga]] at this fair. The fair falls on the fourteenth day of [[Shukla Paksha]] of the month of [[Bhadrapad]] every year. It is believed that, the Chhapar Fair was started around 150 years ago by a small congregation of devotees. In recent years the number of people attending the fair has risen to millions.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://www.festivalsofindia.in/chappar-mela/#sthash.e3jb2oL6.dpuf|title=Chappar Fair of Punjab, Fair in the Month of September 2015|first=Pan India Internet Pvt|last=Ltd.|website=www.festivalsofindia.in|accessdate=31 May 2017}}</ref>

The Minor Chhapar Mela is also held at the same place. The special trend of scooping the land (seven times) is also practised in this fair. People consider digging of land will bring [[Gugga]] Veer to protect them against snakes.<ref>{{Cite web|title=छपार मेले के पहले दिन महिलाओं ने की मिट्टी की रस्म|url=https://www.jagran.com/punjab/sangrur-on-the-first-day-of-chhapar-fair-women-performed-earthen-rituals-22031965.html|access-date=2021-09-19|website=Dainik Jagran|language=hi}}</ref> The fair has much music, fun and dance. The fair has emerged as a grand festival in the past few decades.<ref name="auto" />

The legend narrates the story of a boy and a snake born together in an agricultural family of Chhapar village. The serpent and the boy were so intimate that if one suffered a pain the other used to cry. One day the mother of the child went to the fields after laying him on a cot. To save him from the scorching sun, the snake stretched its hood over him. Thinking that the snake was going to bite the child, a passerby killed it with a stick. The child died immediately after the death of the snake and the family was left in sorrow. The family was advised by the elders to perform religious ceremonies to worship [[Gugga]] and [[Siddha]] and a [[he-goat]] was left free to mark the place of worship by striking at a particular place. The place was recognised as Mari [[Gugga]] where people from all walks of life have been worshipping Gugga on the fourteenth day of bright half of the month of Bhadon every year. The farmers of the [[Malwa, Punjab|Malwa]] belt recognise the fair to the extent that they change the agricultural chores according to the dates of the mela.

People also narrate another story regarding the second fair known as Minor Chhapar Mela. At the beginning of the 20th century, the [[Maharaja]] was said to have banned the [[Melā|Mela]] because of a complaint by some farmers. But soon after the ruler banned the event, his horses started dying mysteriously and the misfortune stopped only after the ruler announced plans to organise the Minor Mela following the major one.

According to another story, a [[faqir]] once anchored a twig after cleaning his teeth. A local person uprooted the twig in fun. The faqir then cursed the people of the local area so that the place would witness a heavy camp here, which would be followed by a deserted look.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Punjabi folk religion}}

==External links==
* http://www.unp.me/f16/mela-chappar-da-17681/#ixzz2ht86Xp00

{{Punjab, India}}

[[Category:Ludhiana district]]
[[Category:Punjabi culture]]
[[Category:Punjabi festivals]]
[[Category:Punjabi folk religion]]

Chhapar Mela - Revision history

UpdateBot at 21:51, 16 January 2022