Famous festivals of uttarakhand
The state of uttarakhand is famous for its various festivals each of which is special and full of a lot of colors. So if you are planning to visit uttarakhand kindly view the following article which may help you to know these festivals more closely.
FAMOUS FESTIVALS OF UTTARAKHAND
India is known for its unity in diversity. Different kinds of religions, different cultures, different lifestyles, different languages, different festivals and lot more but still we are united. These are the things which make our country different from the others. Each and every state is known for its different cultures and different beliefs. Like every state, uttarakhand also celebrates its different festivals all over the year. The land of uttarakhand is famous for its various festivals and fairs. The state is full of various kinds of festivals, various fairs, various traditions and celebrations. In most of the rural areas the festivals are related to the land, soil and the harvest of the crops. Various fairs and festivals of uttarakhand are very colorful and full of life and too have a historical background. These small festivals are a better way to preserve the local folk art and culture. These festivals play a very important role especially in the lives of the women as they prepare special dishes, keep fasts and worship their gods and goddesses. These play a significant role in increasing the brotherhood and improving the personal relationsFAMOUS FESTIVALS
- Basant panchami
- Bhaitauli and harela
- Makar sankranti
- Phool dei
- Ghughutia
- Khatarua festival
- Bat savitri
- Kandali festival
- Nanda Devi rajjaatBASANT PANCHAMI
This festival is celebrated at the beginning of the spring season. Basant panchami is also known by the name sripanchami and is dedicated to goddess saraswati, the goddess of wisdom, intelligence and arts. People are supposed to wear yellow cotton clothes, eat yellow food and put a yellow tilaks on their forehead which literally means that they are welcoming the spring season. This is the festival which fills people's life with colors and happiness. According to the Hindu calendar, basant panchami comes in the month of 'magh'. The main attraction of this festival is the kites flying all over the sky. Different types of dances are also performed in the name of goddess saraswati. Chounphula and jhumelia are some of the famous dance styles performed on the occasion of basant panchami.BHAITAULI AND HARELA
As basant panchami is celebrated to mark the beginning of the spring season, harela festival is celebrated to welcome the rainy season or the monsoon. This festival falls in the month of shravan, in fact on the first day of shravan. On the other hand, bhaitauli is celebrated in the month of chaitra, according to the Hindu calendar. There is one tradition in which the holy water is sprinkled on each and every member of the family after the completion of the worship for peace. Young girls are given some gifts or pocket money on these special occasions. On the occasion of bhaitauli, fathers or brothers visit the places of their daughters or sisters respectively to with lots of gifts to make sure that they are happy after marriage.MAKAR SANKRANTI
The word 'sankranti' has been derived from a Sanskrit word which means 'to move'. This festival is celebrated not only in India but in many other countries on south east. This festival is also celebrated on the harvest of the crops. On this special occasion, people take a dip in the holy river to wash away their sins. The special foods of this festival are khichdi and til k ladoo which are made and distributed in each and every house of uttarakhand. The famous fair uttarayani is also organized around this time to encourage the young children to participate in it and enhance their talent.PHOOL DEI
All the festivals celebrated in uttarakhand have their own significance and moral value. The festival of phool dei is celebrated to pray for the better growth of crops, their harvest and the well being of their families. According to the Gregorian calendar, this festival is celebrated on the very first day of the chaitra which falls in the mid march. On this auspicious occasion, most of the young girls go to the different houses of the villages with the plates full of white flour, curd, sweets and flowers. They give their good wishes to the people and get many gifts, blessings and money in return.GHUGHUTIA
Ghughutia is also known by the name kala kauva. During this festival, children make different shapes such as drums and knifes with the help of dough of flour. These different shapes are then deep fried and tied together to form a necklace. After that the pieces of the necklace are distributed amongst the migratory birds as a welcome tribute and food. Children are supposed to sing a special song to attract the bids. KHATARUA FESTIVAL
It is a special festival which is celebrated in the month of ashwin, according to the hindi calendar which comes in the month of september. This festival is celebrated to welcome the autumn season. It is also an agricultural festival which is celebrated by all the farmers for the abundance of their crops. People light fire to burn away all the evils. People sing and dance to mark the beginning of the autumn season. Other than that, this festival is also organized to celebrate the victory of the great king kumaon.BAT SAVITRI
Bat savitri is mainly the festival of married women. All the married women keep fasts since the morning for the long life of their husbands. In the evening, they worship goddess savitri who fought with yamraj for the life of her husband. According to the tradition, women offer water to the banyan tree as it is believed that satyavan took shelter under the banyan tree when he was about to die. This festival is celebrated with a great zeal and enthusiasm. KANDALI FESTIVAL
Kandali is the name of a flower which grows in the chaudans region of pithoragarh district of uttrakhand state. This flower blooms only once in every 12 years. Kandali festival is celebrated on this auspicious occasion. This flower is really poisonous and dangerous and many stories are related to this festival. In this festival, shiv linga is made up of the barley and wheat flour and is worshipped. People wear new clothes and traditional ornaments. According to the tradition, peoples tie strip of a white cloth on the tree.
h2>NANDA DEVI RAJJAAT
This festival goes on for the long three weeks and is the most popular festival of uttarakhand. It is mainly celebrated in garhwal – kumaon where goddess nanda devi is worshipped with a lots of singing and dancing. In chamoli, this festival is organized after 12 long years. In this festival, sheep plays a vital role. After the yatra is over, sheep is decorated with new clothes and ornaments and then freed.
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