Learn About the local Culture with these vibrant festivals of Uttarakhand

People of Uttarakhand Express their culture religion and social aspect through various fairs and festivals that are closely related to the economic activity of this region. On the occasion of these fairs and festivals, various folk songs and dances are performed. During the early time when there were fewer Modes of transport then these festivals were the only opportunities when people could meet their relatives regularly. There is a various festival that is related to the trading activities of people of Uttarakhand and other showcases the cultural point of the states. The four most prominent cell which attracts people from all around the world is the Mahakumbh Mela which is held once in a twelve-year. These fairs and festivals of Uttarakhand are having a distinctive blend of Cultural social and natural factors. Here is the list of various festivals that are performed in Uttahrakand with great enthusiasm and dedication.

1. Harela

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Harela is a Hindu festival that is celebrated in the month of July. This festival is celebrated as the day of green and is held generally during the monsoon months. Harela is celebrated in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand and also in some regions of Himachal Pradesh. Generally, this festival is celebrated three times a year that is on the occasion of Chaitra Navratri, Sharad Navratri, and on the occasion of Shravan Harela. This is the exact day when the farmers of this region start the cycle of sowing. This festival is celebrated in Uttarakhand and Himachal region so as to get a good harvest. On this occasion, the local people of this region make the idol of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati out of clay and then celebrate the wedding of these two deities. And on the festival of Harela, the offering that is made to God is off the seeds that are sown in their place of worship.

2. Basant Panchmi

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On the occasion of Basant Panchami the Goddess of learning and music that is goddess Saraswati is worshipped. On this day the people seek the blessing of goddess essay want her to grant them the wealth of knowledge full staff on the occasion of Basant Panchami yellow is considered as the favorite color and is worn by each individual if not then a yellow handkerchief is kept in the pocket. On the occasion of Basant Panchami, the Kesar halwa is distributed as Prasadam. The hilly people welcome Basant season for the spring season with the sound of drums and some dance forms like Chounphula and Jhumelia are performed on this occasion full staff in the yoga capital that is Rishikesh a fair is organized in the Premises of Bharat Temple and the idol of Lord Bharat is carried all along with the town because this idle was installed by Jagadguru Shankaracharya in this temple on the auspicious day of Basant Panchami.

3. Chaupakhya

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Chaupakhya festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and Chaumi Devta is worshipped by the locals. This festival is celebrated in front of Chaumin Devta Temple. On the occasion of Vijayadashami, the people of the local village take the idol for a religious procession. The people from nearby villages also take part in this religious activity the processing is done in a circular area around the temple where the people dance and sing on the drumbeat. On the occasion of this festival, local people put all their problems and issues in front of Shaman and ask for the appropriate solutions. Flower and rice are offered to the local people by the shaman.

4. Kandali

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Kandali festival is also known as Kirji festival that is celebrated by Jainila people. This festival is celebrated once in 12 years during the month of August and September in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand. This festival is celebrated to rejoice in the defeat of the Zorawar Singh Army who attacked this region in the year 1841 from Ladakh. On this occasion, the folk dance and song are sung also the Kandali plant is uprooted. Since the kandali flower blooms once every 12 years and hence this festival is also celebrated just once in 12 years.

5. Bikhoti

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Bikhoti festival is also known as Vishuvat Sankranti, which is a traditional New Year Festival of the Hindu religion. This festival is celebrated in the Uttarakhand region with great zeal and enthusiasm. This festival is celebrated to rejoice the arrival of the spring season and it is believed that if it rains on the day of this festival then all the plants and crops get free from any kind of diseases and the next harvest will be the more fruitful one. This festival is celebrated on the first day of Vaishakh month which is marked as the beginning of the Hindu new year that generally happens in between the month of April and May. This festival is celebrated in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand.

6. Hilljatra

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Hilljatra festival is a traditional festival that is celebrated in the Pithoragarh district of the Kumaon region in Uttarakhand. This festival is generally celebrated by the people that are associated with farming in the Uttarakhand region. This festival is also celebrated in different parts of Uttarakhand with different names such as Hiran Chital in Kanalichhina and the Askot region. a deer with a white cloth is worshipped on this festival. There are three phases of this festival wherein the first phase a goat is sacrificed and in the second phase drama I performed for the public and in the last phase, regional songs and dances are performed. This festival is celebrated with the plantation of paddy crop and also to rejoice the victory of the Champawat ruler.

7. Ganga Dussehra

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Ganga Dussehra is a festival that is organized in the month of May and June in the state of Uttarakhand. The 10 days of this festival are the days when River Ganga is worshipped. As per the mythology, it is believed that these are the days when the holy river Ganga was descended from heaven to earth. The festival starts on the day off Amavasya night and ends on Dashmi Tithi. Ganga aarti is performed on various sacred Ghats located in Haridwar and Rishikesh. On this occasion, people tend to take bath in the holy river Ganga to cleanse their soul. In the evening Aarti organ lamps are immersed in the water that floats over the river and the melodious spiritual songs are sung by the devotees.

8. Bhitauli

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Bhitauli festival is celebrated in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. The word bitterly means to meet and on this festival, the newly married females receive their first Bhitauli and is followed by the upcoming years during the month of Chaitra. This festival is celebrated by the married female in the Chaitra month which is the first month of the Hindu calendar. The parents of married girls take along some homemade sweets and offer them to their daughters.

9. Bat Savitri

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As we all know that Uttrakhand is a region of culture and festival. But Savitri is one of the famous festivals of the Uttarakhand region that is celebrated with full dedication and enthusiasm. This festival is celebrated on the day of Krishna Amavasya which is the last day of the dark half of the month. This festival is generally celebrated in the month of Jyestha which is the June months as per the English calendar. During this festival the females of Uttarakhand fast for the long life of their husbands. Goddess Savitri is worship in this festival and various sacred sweets are prepared in the house by the local peoples of Uttarakhand. In the evening time, all the women wear traditional clothes and ornaments and offer water to a banyan tree. After performing their prayers in the evening time female can break their fast and have Prasad.

10. Budi Diwali

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Budi Diwali is one of the most important festivals of the Uttarakhand region which is celebrated 15 days after the Diwali festival. This festival is celebrated in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand on the day of Amavasya that is the New Moon after Diwali and is known as the Kartik Krishna Amavasya. This festival is celebrated in regions like Semmukhim, Barkot, Uttarkashi, Budakedar,  Rawai-Jaunpur, etc. This festival is celebrated in the month of October and November as per the English calendar.

11. Chhipla Jaat

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Chhipla Jaat is a festival that is celebrated with great enthusiasm and Uttrakhand. On the occasion of this festival, various fairs are organized in the state for which the people eagerly wait for an entire year. On the occasion of this festival, the Jaat travelers collect the flag of red clothes from different villages and then move towards Barmano. The people that I was participating in this festival have to cross different villages such as Bunga, Ganbhujdhura, Mangthil Gwar, Garapani,  etc. to reach the Brahma Kund. On the occasion of this festival songs and dance are performed and a foot journey is done.

12. Dhaulinag

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There is a Dhaulinag temple which is located in the Bageshwar region which is dedicated to Nag Devta. During the month of mid-August and September, a fair is organized on the occasion of Nag Panchami and on the night of Ashwin Shukla Panchami. This festival or fair is known as Dhaulinag. In this region, Dhaulinag is worshipped as the Ishtadevta which means personally preferred deity. On this occasion, Nagdevta is welcomed in the temple premises with drumbeats and songs. After that, a flaming lamp is lighted and people carry these lamps and walk around the temple complex.

13. Jagda

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Jagda festival is celebrated in the Jaunsar-Bawar region of Uttarakhand with great zeal and excitement. This festival is celebrated in honor of Mahashu Devtaon. This festival is celebrated on the third and fourth day of Bhadrapad month which falls with the auspicious festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. Mahashu devta temple was established during the 9th century on the bank of Rivet Ton. Mahashu devta is the God of Justice and is considered the incarnation of Lord Shiva. On this occasion, people gather in groups and sing traditional songs and dance.

14. Khatarua

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Khatarua Festival is celebrated in the month of September in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. This festival is celebrated to rejoice in the victory of the king of Kumaun. various Dance music is performed to celebrate this festival and good food is offered to the local peoples. This festival is generally celebrated at the beginning of the autumn season where a bonfire is set up and people and children dance around this bonfire. On this occasion, the local people of the village offer cucumber to the fire so as to destroy all the evil influence in the environment.

15. Sameshwar Utsav

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Sameshwar Utsav is a festival that is celebrated on the annual basis during August and September month. This festival is celebrated in Uprikot village that is located in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. This festival is celebrated for 3 days and the main attraction of this festival is the different rituals that are performed by Shaman during the fair. On the first day of this festival drums are played loudly and the Saman dance on the beat of these drums. On the second day of this festival, a Doli Nritya is done where the idol of God is placed in a decorated palki.