Maghi Mela

Maghi Mela is held in the holy city of Sri Muktsar Sahib every year in January, or on the month of Magh according to the Nanakshahi calendar.
It is one of the most important festivals for Sikhs.
Today, the Mela starts on Maghi day and continues for another day or two.
People from different parts of the state and even outside come to Muktsar to take a holy dip in the sarovar (lake) of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib and enjoy the festivities.
The festival marks the martyrdom of 40 Sikh soldiers in the Battle of Khidrana against the Mughals.
In the 1700s, the Mughals and Sikhs were at constant war with each other.

About Battle of Khidrana

In 1704, during the siege of Anandpur Sahib by the Mughals, 40 Sikh soldiers deserted their posts and fled.
Upon arriving at their village near Amritsar, a woman named Mai Bhago scolded them and rallied the fighters to return to Anandpur Sahib in the service of their Guru.
The freshly motivated soldiers along with Mai Bhago set off towards Anandpur Sahib to help Guru Gobind Singh hold fort against the Mughals.
They met the Guru at Khidrana where they took on a large Mughal army, sacrificing their lives in the process.

Back in the day, people would arrive in the city days before the actual Maghi day.
In the evenings, there would be kavi darbars (poetry sessions) where politicians would speak.
This is likely how the political conferences, which can be traced back to the mid-1950s, started.