The “land of gods” is rich in spiritual, cultural, and natural wealth. Uttarakhand is home to many famous festivals across the country, such as The Kumbh Mela and Makar Sankranti. Most of the festivals in this godly state are associated with its rich spirituality and cultural heritage. Festivals in Uttarakhand are a perfect blend of its spiritual and cultural heritage. In this guide, you will be introduced to the famous festivals of Uttarakhand and its rich cultural significance. So without any futher delay lets start our blog.
Festivals of Uttarakhand
Here is a list of 15 famous festivals of Uttarakhand, each holding significant cultural and traditional importance for the people of Uttarakhand.
1. Kumbh Mela
The world’s most prominent religious gathering happens in Kumbh Mela, which occurs every 12 years, and Ardh Kumbh, which occurs every 4 years. The place of taking the holy bath changes every 4 years. Other than that, Haridwar is considered the most sacred place for taking this holy dip, which is believed to purify the soul. The Mela usually lasts for months in cities like Haridwar, Allahabad, Nasik, and Ujjain.
2. Phool Dei
A festival that welcomes spring and emphasizes the significance of flora in our lives. During this festival, young girls visit homes in villages, placing rice and flowers on doorsteps, and in return receive sweets and blessings. People also prepare a meal called “dei” with ingredients like curd, jaggery, and flour.
3. Ganga Dussehra
Also known as the Dasar festival, Ganga Dusheera is celebrated in May and June. Celebrated as the victory of good over evil. This festival lasts for 10 days, where people take holy dips in the sacred river Ganga and participate in the Ganga Aarti at Haridwar and Rishikesh.
4. Harela
Harela means “the day of the green”. It is celebrated every three months by the people of the Kumaon region. It marks the beginning of each new season. It is a way to celebrate our agriculture and environment. It’s most prominently celebrated in July, welcoming the monsoon season. In Harela, people plant green trees and sow barley and wheat seeds, and the green sprouts that arise after a few days are used in rituals of this “green festival”.
5. Kanwar Yatra
Kanwar Yatra is a significant festival celebrated by a group of devotees called “Kanwaries” who walk barefoot to the spiritual places of Uttarakhand, i.e. Haridwar and Rishikesh, to collect the holy Ganga water. These saffron-clad devotees celebrate this throughout the Sawan, i.e. monsoon season, with great enthusiasm, chanting mantras, dancing, and walking barefoot to Haridwar and Rishikesh.
6. Basant Panchmi
Basant Panchami is celebrated by welcoming the spring season on the first day of spring, also called Basant. It marks the end of the winter season. People dress up in yellow and worship Maa Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom and knowledge. Sweet rice is prepared to be eaten that day. Basant Panchmi is celebrated by flying kites and dancing, wearing yellow clothes, and worshipping the goddess Saraswati.
7. Ghughutiya (Makar Sankranti)
A very well-known festival in Uttarakhand is Ghughutiyais, which is celebrated during Makar Sankranti. Ghughutiya is celebrated by making sweet delicacies in different shapes and offering them to crows. The festival is also known as the Kale Kauwa Festival. It is believed to bring good fortune to those providing food to the crows and welcome the arrival of migratory birds. People also prepare khichdi on Makar Sankranti and offer it as charity to the needy.
8. Bishu
Celebrated in the Charata Block of Dehradun. Bishu is a festival celebrated for an entire week in the region during harvest season. People from all villages gather and dance to the tunes of local folk music in their traditional attire to celebrate their ethnicity.
9. Igas
Famously known as “Budhi Diwali”, Eggas is celebrated 11 days after Diwali as people of Upper sloping areas believe that Lord Rama got back to his exile in the upper regions after 11 days, so they celebrate the festival wholeheartedly just like Diwali a few days later. It is mainly celebrated in the “pahadi” village regions of the Uttarakhand State.
10. Kumaoni Holi
Unlike normal Holi with just colours, Kumaoni Holi is known for its spiritual and musical significance. A great get-together happens between the Mahila Holi, where they sing and dance traditionally. A few other Holi variations are Baithaki and Khadi Holi. The Kumaoni Holi is more like a great musical and traditional event than just a colourful Holi.
11. Kandali Festival
Kandali festival is celebrated by the Rung tribe of the Pithoragarh district in the Kumaon region. It is celebrated as a victory over invaders and a connection to folklore. The kandali festival is celebrated every 12 years when the kandali flower blooms. Prayers and rituals are performed in front of the local deities, and people dance to their traditional music and enact historical events.
12. Magh Mela
Magh Mela is a well-known fair in Uttarakhand that takes place in the Uttarkashi district. It is held during the second week of January. In this religious fair, dolis of local deities come to take a holy dip in the Ganga, and thus, all the people come over to celebrate and take blessings. It has become a ritual, and a fair has become a good income source for all the locals and tourists alike.
13. Uttranyani Festival
The Uttranyani fair is celebrated in the second week of January during the Makar Sankranti in Uttarakhand. The Uttranyani fair is famously celebrated on the grounds of Bagnath Temple in Bageshwar. It is also celebrated at a few other places like Rani Bagh and Hanseswari. It is a seven-day festival. It is believed auspicious to dive into the Saryu river at its banks, and the sun migrates from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere.
14. Hill Jatra
Hill Jatra is celebrated in the Kumaon region of the state of Uttarakhand. It is an agricultural festival that is celebrated during the plantation of paddy called “ropai”. People dress in traditional attires and dance to their folk tunes, and dances like “Chanchari” are performed and enjoyed by the people of the Kumaon region. This is celebrated around September or late August.
15. Ghee Sankranti
Ghee Sankranti is held on the first day of August, also called ”Bhado”. It is also called the Olgia Festival. This celebration is marked as a gratitude towards agriculture, cattle, and prosperity. The festival is celebrated by preparing food that is rich in dairy products like ghee, curd, milk, etc. Ghee plays a significant role and is applied on the forehead as a symbol of well-being.
Conclusion: Famous festivals of Uttarakhand
The godly state of Uttarakhand is known for its spiritual, natural, and cultural heritage. The state has various famous festivals that have been there for generations and are passed down for generations. The significance of these festivals is celebrated vibrantly throughout the state, and the Grand festival, like the Kumbh Mela, attracts tourists across the globe. These festivals are a way to bind people together, celebrating and enjoying livelihood throughout the year. To get a deeper insight into the soul of Uttarakhand state and get to know the local livelihood, you should come during these festivals and enjoy the local festivities that this beautiful Himalayan State has to offer. With this we will end this blog on festivals of Uttarakhand. To read more such informative articles related to Uttarakhand visit Uttarakhand Magazine!
