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The Dussehra festival of Kulu, the Ramlila demonstrations with crackers at many places, the Shivaratri festival at Mandi town, the week-long celebrations of the Minjar fair at Chamba, the Renuka festivities at Pachhad in Sirmur, the Sayar festivity at Bakloh (Kangra), Karsog (Mandi) and Sabathu (Simla) on the Ist of Asvin month (September) where a buffalo bull is sacrificed symbolic of the destruction of the Mahishasur are some Of the more famous religious festivals celebrated in large fairs..
The legend behind Renuka is as follows : "The sage Jamadagni had his ashram (hermitage) somewhere near the lake where he was living along with his wife Renuka. One named Sahasraijuna murdered the sage. Renuka was a very devoted wife. Struck by the incident, she jumped into the lake, thus putting an end to her life. The lake was named after Renuka, who assumed the status of a goddess after the great sacrifice. The event is celebrated every year from I0th to 12th day of the bright half of the Kartika (November) month at Renuka in tahsil Pachhad of district Sirmur.
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