India, Nov. 18 -- justify;">Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday inaugurated the historic Jauljibi fair, a cross-border gathering held every year at the confluence of the Kali and Gori rivers on the India-Nepal border. The fair, which has existed for centuries, is considered a cultural bridge between communities living on both sides of the border and serves as one of the most important socio-economic events in the region.

Addressing participants at the opening ceremony, the chief minister recalled visiting the fair as a child and described it as a longstanding symbol of cultural exchange and traditional trade between India and Nepal. Officials said Dhami referred to the fair as a space that reflects "shared heritage, ...