According to local folklore, the festival also commemorates the wedding of Lord Shiva and the Goddess Parvati.
The Harela Mela possibly evolved as an extension of a farmer’s market around the harvest season.
Prior to Indian independence, traders transported crops and other wares from far off places in the planes like Bareilly, Rampur, etc.
People from the hills of Kumaon would gather to purchases these products and over time this became the Harela Mela.
Politicians like Narayan Dutt Tiwari started off their career by attending political programmes organized at this fair.