PRENEETA SHARMA
Mandi’s spiritual heartbeat becomes more divine, deeper, and louder. Mandi, reverently named Chhoti Kashi, lives Mahashivratri rather than just commemorating it. One of the oldest and most spiritually significant congregations in the Himalayan region, Mahashivratri celebrates an incredible milestone in 2025: 500 years of continuous traditions.
Mandi Mahashivratri is regarded as a Dev Kumbh, a unique gathering when live deities from valleys, hills, and forests come to honor Lord Shiva in his ferocious yet empathetic form as Baba Bhootnath, in contrast to traditional religious fairs. It is a celebration where faith endures and mythology coexists with history.
Historic Arrival of Kamrunag Ji
A unique and profoundly symbolic event will ensure that the Mahashivratri of 2025 is remembered for generations to come. After eighteen hard years without his Gur (oracle), Bada Dev Kamrunag Ji, one of Himachal’s most potent rain and justice deities, finally makes it to Mandi. Rather, there is a significant change in ritual tradition since he is accompanied only by Pujari Bodhraj Ji.
Such discrepancies are always the result of divine will in Himalayan religious systems. Because it coincides with the festival’s 500th anniversary, devotees see this as a symbol of metamorphosis, rebirth, and cosmic recalibration.
Gods Arrive at the Celestial City
Mandi becomes a cosmic doorway on February 14. Deities arrive ceremoniously in accordance with a long-standing, painstakingly maintained order:
Members of the Sarv Devta Seva Samiti, district authorities, and Magho Ray Ji’s sacred chhadi greet Bada Dev Kamrunag Ji as he leads the procession and enters first at Gharat Bridge.
He is followed by:
Maa Baglamukhi Ji (Bakhli) Badi Bhairava Ji (Pandoh) Sukhdev Rishi Thatta Ji Dhagandu Rishi Sharti Ji
With hundreds of devotees lining the roads, traditional music, and ritual chants accompanying each entrance, the city is transformed into a living mandala of devotion.
Budha Bingal Ji is a special exception, receiving separate ceremonial honors at Victoria Bridge that are commensurate with his unique spiritual status.
Dev Milan
At the Magho Ray Temple, the hallowed Dev Milan (meeting of deities) occurs, setting the stage for the spiritual crescendo. Here, it is thought that celestial spirits unite, trade blessings, and seek Lord Shiva’s grace as a group.
In a custom that symbolizes rest, reverence, and acknowledgment of their divine journeys, the deities are ceremoniously enthroned in their various beds after being presented to a royal audience following Dev Milan.
The Mythical Jaleb
The Jaleb parade, the festival’s most famous event, takes place on February 15.
During this holy march: 27 gods move in a large circle. The Madhoray Ji has six primary devtas in his wake. The sacred chanting, traditional instruments, and rhythmic steps accompany the procession’s advancement.This Jaleb is more than just a parade; it is a formal invitation from God to Baba Bhootnath Ji, asking for his blessings and presence for the benefit of the region and its inhabitants.
After 52 years, the deities reclaim their traditional and rightful positions, restoring a dignity that had faded with time. For devotees and scholars alike, this act symbolizes cultural correction—where faith, tradition, and respect realign.
Special infrastructure, ceremonial protocols, and crowd arrangements have been designed to honor this historic reinstatement during the 500-year celebration.
