Lavi Fair

International Lavi Fair Lavi Mela
CM Virbhadra Singh's address at Paat Bungalow during Lavi Mela
A Kinnauri Market view from Lavi Fair
Status	active
Genre	Trade Fair, Night Functions
Begins	11 November
Ends	14 November
Frequency	Annually
Venue	PGSS Boys' school Rampur Bushahr-Night Function Part Bungalow, Rampur Bushahr-Main Traders Alongside NH 05-Small Traders
Location(s)	Rampur Bushahr
Coordinates	31°27′0″N 77°37′59″E
Country	India
Years active	From 17th Century
Founders	Trade treaty between Bushahr and Tibet
Previous event	11 November 2022
Next event	11 November 2023
Participants	Tourist, Traders, Sellers, Shoppers, Local people
Attendance	From all over the globe
Organised by	Lavi Mela Committee (Mela Organising Committee)
Member	Chairperson- DC, Shimla Vice-Chairperson-SDM, Rampur Bushahr
Sponsor	Government of Himachal Pradesh

The Lavi Fair or Lavi Mela officially known as International Lavi Fair is fundamentally a trade fair held in Rampur Bushahr, Shimla. The main attraction is the cultural night function starts from 11 to 14 November in PGSS boys' school. While the trade fair runs throughout November in Part Bungalow. This fair is the outcome of signing of the trade treaty between the erstwhile Bushahr state and Tibet in the end of the 17th century (1679-1684).

Historically, it is an important commercial fair and is attended by tourists from all over the world. It is the most significant trade and commercial fair (Mela) of Shimla as well as of Himachal Pradesh.

Meaning of word "Lavi" in Lavi Fair

The word Lavi is derived from the word "Loe" which means "A sheet of woolen cloth". Another meaning of Lavi is "Shearing of the Sheep". These word meaning clearly indicates the trade of something woolen or sheep.

History

Lavi once served as a major trading centre and the stopover point on the old trade routes that led to Kinnaur, Tibet, Ladakh and Afghanistan. The fair that takes place there also finds a mention in the records of the erstwhile state of Bushahr.

The Lavi fair started after trading treaty between the Hindu raja of Bushahr, Kehri Singh (1639-1696), and the government of (Tibet) Lhasa (dGa' ldan pho brang) headed by Bio bzang rgya mtsho, the Fifth Dalai Lama (1617-1682). Historical ties between Tibet and Bushahr go back to at least the 17th century, when the princely ruler of Bushahr, Kehri Singh, sided in 1679 with the Mongol commander dGa' ldan tshe dbang on a Tibetan-Mongol punitive expedition against the kingdom of Ladakh. The result of their mutual cooperation during the war was a sworn agreement stipulating that no taxes be levied on Bushahri and Tibetan merchants when trading on each others' territories,an official delegation from Bushahr should be sent tri-annually to the towns of Tsaparang, Purang, Dawa, Ruthog and Gartok in western Tibet.

For the small Himalayan state of Bushahr, the Tibet-Bashahr treaty of 1679-1684 was undoubtedly of great economic importance. Historical documents, testify that tax-free commerce between Tibetans and Bushaharis should be observed in perpetuity. Similarly, the Kinnauri oral tradition preserves the formulaic expression that the treaty was meant to last until the "Sutlej goes dry, crows become white, horses get horns, and stones - stated to be at the borders of both the States and on which the treaty was written - produce hair or wool".

Concerning the origins of Lavi Fair of Rampur Bushahr, the Census of India (1961) reports:

* About three hundred years ago during the regime of Raja Kehar Singh of Bushahr,a trade treaty was signed between the Bushahr State and Tibet ... Horses from Tibet and swords from Bushahr were exchanged in token of this friendship. It was written in the treaty that their friendly relations would continue till this time ... Since then,it is presumed that trade relations increased and eventually [The] Lavi fair was held.

— Census of India (1961)

In earlier time, traders from Tibet, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan used to do business at the International Lavi Fair. They used to come here especially with horses including dry fruit, wool, pashmin and sheep. In return, traders used to take salt, jaggery and other rations from Rampur. This salt was brought from Gumma in Mandi district. "Chaumukhi"(also called Chamurthy) horses were also traded at the Lavi Fair.