Winter in India paints an entirely new mood. Lanterns shimmer in temple towns, river confluences turn festive, and village squares fill with craft, music, and the comfort of shared traditions. 

Move past the usual favourites like Rann Utsav and Hornbill Festival, and you’ll find winter melas(fairs) that hold stories of culture, community, and craftsmanship. Here are five such fairs worth discovering.

At the meeting point of the Kali and Gori rivers in Pithoragarh, the Jauljibi Mela comes alive each November, bringing old Himalayan trade routes into focus once again. Started in 1914, this bustling fair once linked traders from India, Nepal, and Tibet.

Woollens, carpets, horses, medicinal herbs, and Himalayan produce fill the stalls. Nepalese traders arrive with honey, ghee, and herbs, while local families bring jaggery,........

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