Famous Fairs and Festivals Of Uttarakhand
The fairs and folk festivals of Uttarakhand are very colourful and distinctive, and are the blend of various natural, social and cultural factors. The people of Uttarakhand also celebrate all the major Indian festivals. The religious, social and cultural urges of the people of Uttarakhand find an expression in various fairs, which are in turn closely linked to the economic activities of the region. Various folk songs and dances have been kept alive because of these fairs. In older times, when means of transport were not so good these fairs were an opportunity for friends and relatives to meet regularly. Inspite of all the changes in our society, the tradition of fairs has been kept up by the people.
Uttarayani Fair
The Uttarayani fair is a very important fair to the cultural and social fabric of Uttarakhand. It is organized at not one but many places throughout the land of Uttarakhand. However it's Bageshwar where maximum crowds gather, though all are important from cultural, social and economic point of view. Today it's an important commercial center. Items like iron and copper pots, baskets, casks, bamboo articles, mats, mattresses, carpets, blankets, herbs and spices are traded during the fair. Whole night local music and dance festivals are organized here.
Nanda Devi Fair :–
Nanda Devi is the patron goddess of people of mountains. The Nanda Devi fair is held at many important cities. The fair started in Kumaon region during the time of Kalyan Chand in 16th century. The fair is very important and sees visitors from far-flung areas. Rich with folk expression, the Nanda Devi fairs are also important from economical point of view. This is one of the most popular festivals of Uttarakhand. People from all the remotest corners of the state as well as the country comes to participate in this festival in which the main deity of worship is Goddess Nanda Devi. Worship, traditional dances and the ritual of collecting Brahkamals form a main feature of this grand festival.
Basant Panchami
Basant Panchmi is a very famous festival, celebrated not only in Uttarakhand but in the whole of North India.This is one of the most important religious festivals of Uttarakhand and celebrates the coming of the spring season. The festive season marks the end of the winters which symbolizes death and decay. It usually falls in the Hindu month of Magh.The people worship Goddess Saraswati with much veneration. The locals adorn themselves in yellow outfits and some even put yellow ‘tikas&’ on their foreheads. This festival marks the onset of spring season. It is celebrated between the months of January and February. On the occasion of Basant Panchmi, Goddess Saraswati is worshipped.
Bat Savitri
The festival is celebrated on the last day of the dark half of the month of Jyeshtha according to Hindu calendar. Women worship Savitri who with her intense devotion brought her husband from death and observe fats. They also worship a holy tree called Bat or Banyan tree. On this special day the married females worship Savitri and Bat or Banyan tree to seek blessings for the welfare and the prosperity of their beloved husbands. The married women also observe a fast for the whole day in remembrance of Savitri and Satyavan and also remember how Savitri with her extreme dedication saved her husband from the scrabble of death.The Bat Savitri festival is generally celebrated on the last day of the dark half of the month of Jyeshtha, according to the Hindu calendar.
Bhitauli
This festival of Uttarakhand is feted in the month of Chaitra.it falls on the very first day of Shravan and is celebrated with much pomp and show all over the state. It is a grand festival of sharing gifts from the brothers to their sisters. The religious rites and rituals during this festival are celebrated with much veneration.
Chhipla Jaat
This is one of the main festivals of Chhiplakot situated in the heartland of Kali and Gori rivers. This much-awaited festival expresses different aspects of human faith. The religious rites and rituals include barefoot journey, bath, worship, traditional songs and dances, collective food and the possession of the body of Bonia by the folk God are the essential parts of this festival.
Ganga Dusshera or Dasar
The festival is celebrated sometime between May and June on the tenth day of the month of Jyeshtha according to Hindu calendar. This is the day of worshipping river Ganga and people take a dip in holy rivers. Many people put up stalls and offer water and food.On this special day the sacred River Ganga is worshipped and Dussehra posters adorn the doors of houses and temples. The hands of the much-honored Brahmins once wrote these posters but now with the progress of time they are available in an assortment of printed designs. On this auspicious day the people of Uttarakhand also bathe in the holy rivers.
Harela and Bhaitauli
This festival is celebrated on first day of navaratri. It's an important Kumaoni festival where women fill baskets with soil and sow seven different kind of seeds in them. On the tenth day, when the seeds have germinated and grown into grasses, they are plucked and put in head and behind the ears. It is during this time that brothers send gifts to their sisters. The presents are called Bhaituali. This festival is mostly observed by the women folk as most of the customs of this festivals are for the women. During this festival, they fill their baskets with soil and atleast seven different kinds of seeds are sowed in the soil. These seeds are regularly watered and are given ten day's time to germinate. After ten days, the seeds sprout as green grasses shoot out from the soil.
Hill Yatra
This is one of the most popular festivals of Uttarakhand and is celebrated with much fervor in some parts of the Pithoragarh district. It can be regarded as a festival of pastoralists and agriculturalists. It is regarded by the locals of Uttarakhand as a living tradition and care should be taken to preserve its style in a rapidly changing society. Animal sacrifices also form an important aspect of this much-awaited festival. Recitation of religious hymns and performance of circle dance also known as ‘Chanchari’ are added attractions.
Kandali
This is one of the most unique festivals of Uttarakhand and the people of the state celebrate this festival when the Kandali flower blooms once in every twelve years, in the months of August and October. The festive celebration spreads over a week and the Shaukas or the Rangs participate in it with much vigor and enthusiasm. This auspicious ceremony commences with the worship of the linga of Lord Shiva made of barley and buckwheat flour mixture. The courtyard of every house is beautifully adorned and the locals perform the puja with much veneration for prosperity and well-being. A procession is also taken out where the woman who leads it is armed with a ril.
Khatarua
It's celebrated sometime in mid September, the first day of month of Ashwin according to the Hindu calendar. Bonfires are lighted around which children dance. People offer cucumbers to fire as it is said to destroy all the evils. Special care is taken of animals during this time. This is essentially one of the most special festivals of Tripura and is observed by the pastoral agricultural society with much fun and vigor in the month of Ashwin which falls in mid-September. This grand occasion calls for unrestrained merriment and on this special day people light bonfires around which children dance displaying multi-hued flags. The peasants take special care of their animals by feeding them with grass. To ward off the evil influences cucumbers are offered to the fire of Khatarua.
Kumaon Holi
This is one of the most unique festivals of Uttarakhand and its uniqueness lies in the fact of it being a musical affair. The festive celebrations begin in the premises of the temples where the professional singers gather to sing traditional lyrics to the accompaniment of the classical music. This festival is known by two different names, Baithki Holi and the Khari Holi. The former one is celebrated with much vigor in the temple premises while the later one is celebrated in the rural areas of Kumaon.
Makar Sankranti
Uttarayani fair is held around this time. Another locally celebrated festival around this time is Ghughutia or Kale Kauva. People make sweetmeats of flour and jaggery and make it in the shape of pomegranates, swords and knives and other such interesting shapes. A necklace is made with these then with an orange in the centre. Little children wear these and go out to attract crows and other birds and offer them pieces from their necklaces.
The song "kale kale, bhol bate aile" marks the festival of Makar Sankranti in Uttarakhand. This special day marks the change of season and is considered to be very auspicious. Numerous religious rites and rituals are observed and the festival ends with a hope that the birds would come back in the subsequent year.
Olgia/Ghee Sankranti
The festival is celebrated on the first day of August or Bhado as it is called in the Hindi calendar. This is the time when the fields are full of lush green harvest and the milking animals are very productive. Earlier son in-laws to father and nephews to maternal uncles used to give presents, however now a days it has changed. People eat chapatis with ghee and urad dal (pulse) filled in it. The festival 's popularity has declined over a period of time. . It is also believed by the people of Tripura that walnuts become sweeter after this festival. Though this festival marks the produce of the land, it is now seldom celebrated.
Phool Dei
The festival is celebrated in the beginning of month of Chaitra according to the Hindu calendar, which comes sometime in mid March. It is mainly a festival of young girls, where in they go from house to house with plates full of rice, jaggery, coconut, green leaves and flowers. These girls give their blessings and wishes for the prosperity of the house and are given presents, jaggery, sweets, and money in return. This is one of the most special festivals of Uttarakhand and is celebrated on the first day of the month of Chaitra in mid March. This special day belongs to the young girls as they are seen conducting most of the ceremonies. The festive celebrations in some regions are observed for the whole month with the advent of the spring. The young girls during this festival goes to the all the houses in the locality with plates consisting of rice, coconut, jaggery, flowers and green leaves and offer their good wishes for the prosperity of the household. They are also given blessings and presents and return. A pudding made of curd, flour and jaggery is a special delicacy of this festival. Spring songs sung during this festival enhance the festive spirit.
The fairs and folk festivals of Uttarakhand are very colourful and distinctive, and are the blend of various natural, social and cultural factors. The people of Uttarakhand also celebrate all the major Indian festivals. The religious, social and cultural urges of the people of Uttarakhand find an expression in various fairs, which are in turn closely linked to the economic activities of the region. Various folk songs and dances have been kept alive because of these fairs. In older times, when means of transport were not so good these fairs were an opportunity for friends and relatives to meet regularly. Inspite of all the changes in our society, the tradition of fairs has been kept up by the people.
Uttarayani Fair
The Uttarayani fair is a very important fair to the cultural and social fabric of Uttarakhand. It is organized at not one but many places throughout the land of Uttarakhand. However it's Bageshwar where maximum crowds gather, though all are important from cultural, social and economic point of view. Today it's an important commercial center. Items like iron and copper pots, baskets, casks, bamboo articles, mats, mattresses, carpets, blankets, herbs and spices are traded during the fair. Whole night local music and dance festivals are organized here.
Nanda Devi Fair :–
Nanda Devi is the patron goddess of people of mountains. The Nanda Devi fair is held at many important cities. The fair started in Kumaon region during the time of Kalyan Chand in 16th century. The fair is very important and sees visitors from far-flung areas. Rich with folk expression, the Nanda Devi fairs are also important from economical point of view. This is one of the most popular festivals of Uttarakhand. People from all the remotest corners of the state as well as the country comes to participate in this festival in which the main deity of worship is Goddess Nanda Devi. Worship, traditional dances and the ritual of collecting Brahkamals form a main feature of this grand festival.
Basant Panchami
Basant Panchmi is a very famous festival, celebrated not only in Uttarakhand but in the whole of North India.This is one of the most important religious festivals of Uttarakhand and celebrates the coming of the spring season. The festive season marks the end of the winters which symbolizes death and decay. It usually falls in the Hindu month of Magh.The people worship Goddess Saraswati with much veneration. The locals adorn themselves in yellow outfits and some even put yellow ‘tikas&’ on their foreheads. This festival marks the onset of spring season. It is celebrated between the months of January and February. On the occasion of Basant Panchmi, Goddess Saraswati is worshipped.
Bat Savitri
The festival is celebrated on the last day of the dark half of the month of Jyeshtha according to Hindu calendar. Women worship Savitri who with her intense devotion brought her husband from death and observe fats. They also worship a holy tree called Bat or Banyan tree. On this special day the married females worship Savitri and Bat or Banyan tree to seek blessings for the welfare and the prosperity of their beloved husbands. The married women also observe a fast for the whole day in remembrance of Savitri and Satyavan and also remember how Savitri with her extreme dedication saved her husband from the scrabble of death.The Bat Savitri festival is generally celebrated on the last day of the dark half of the month of Jyeshtha, according to the Hindu calendar.
Bhitauli
This festival of Uttarakhand is feted in the month of Chaitra.it falls on the very first day of Shravan and is celebrated with much pomp and show all over the state. It is a grand festival of sharing gifts from the brothers to their sisters. The religious rites and rituals during this festival are celebrated with much veneration.
Chhipla Jaat
This is one of the main festivals of Chhiplakot situated in the heartland of Kali and Gori rivers. This much-awaited festival expresses different aspects of human faith. The religious rites and rituals include barefoot journey, bath, worship, traditional songs and dances, collective food and the possession of the body of Bonia by the folk God are the essential parts of this festival.
Ganga Dusshera or Dasar
The festival is celebrated sometime between May and June on the tenth day of the month of Jyeshtha according to Hindu calendar. This is the day of worshipping river Ganga and people take a dip in holy rivers. Many people put up stalls and offer water and food.On this special day the sacred River Ganga is worshipped and Dussehra posters adorn the doors of houses and temples. The hands of the much-honored Brahmins once wrote these posters but now with the progress of time they are available in an assortment of printed designs. On this auspicious day the people of Uttarakhand also bathe in the holy rivers.
Harela and Bhaitauli
This festival is celebrated on first day of navaratri. It's an important Kumaoni festival where women fill baskets with soil and sow seven different kind of seeds in them. On the tenth day, when the seeds have germinated and grown into grasses, they are plucked and put in head and behind the ears. It is during this time that brothers send gifts to their sisters. The presents are called Bhaituali. This festival is mostly observed by the women folk as most of the customs of this festivals are for the women. During this festival, they fill their baskets with soil and atleast seven different kinds of seeds are sowed in the soil. These seeds are regularly watered and are given ten day's time to germinate. After ten days, the seeds sprout as green grasses shoot out from the soil.
Hill Yatra
This is one of the most popular festivals of Uttarakhand and is celebrated with much fervor in some parts of the Pithoragarh district. It can be regarded as a festival of pastoralists and agriculturalists. It is regarded by the locals of Uttarakhand as a living tradition and care should be taken to preserve its style in a rapidly changing society. Animal sacrifices also form an important aspect of this much-awaited festival. Recitation of religious hymns and performance of circle dance also known as ‘Chanchari’ are added attractions.
Kandali
This is one of the most unique festivals of Uttarakhand and the people of the state celebrate this festival when the Kandali flower blooms once in every twelve years, in the months of August and October. The festive celebration spreads over a week and the Shaukas or the Rangs participate in it with much vigor and enthusiasm. This auspicious ceremony commences with the worship of the linga of Lord Shiva made of barley and buckwheat flour mixture. The courtyard of every house is beautifully adorned and the locals perform the puja with much veneration for prosperity and well-being. A procession is also taken out where the woman who leads it is armed with a ril.
Khatarua
It's celebrated sometime in mid September, the first day of month of Ashwin according to the Hindu calendar. Bonfires are lighted around which children dance. People offer cucumbers to fire as it is said to destroy all the evils. Special care is taken of animals during this time. This is essentially one of the most special festivals of Tripura and is observed by the pastoral agricultural society with much fun and vigor in the month of Ashwin which falls in mid-September. This grand occasion calls for unrestrained merriment and on this special day people light bonfires around which children dance displaying multi-hued flags. The peasants take special care of their animals by feeding them with grass. To ward off the evil influences cucumbers are offered to the fire of Khatarua.
Kumaon Holi
This is one of the most unique festivals of Uttarakhand and its uniqueness lies in the fact of it being a musical affair. The festive celebrations begin in the premises of the temples where the professional singers gather to sing traditional lyrics to the accompaniment of the classical music. This festival is known by two different names, Baithki Holi and the Khari Holi. The former one is celebrated with much vigor in the temple premises while the later one is celebrated in the rural areas of Kumaon.
Makar Sankranti
Uttarayani fair is held around this time. Another locally celebrated festival around this time is Ghughutia or Kale Kauva. People make sweetmeats of flour and jaggery and make it in the shape of pomegranates, swords and knives and other such interesting shapes. A necklace is made with these then with an orange in the centre. Little children wear these and go out to attract crows and other birds and offer them pieces from their necklaces.
The song "kale kale, bhol bate aile" marks the festival of Makar Sankranti in Uttarakhand. This special day marks the change of season and is considered to be very auspicious. Numerous religious rites and rituals are observed and the festival ends with a hope that the birds would come back in the subsequent year.
Olgia/Ghee Sankranti
The festival is celebrated on the first day of August or Bhado as it is called in the Hindi calendar. This is the time when the fields are full of lush green harvest and the milking animals are very productive. Earlier son in-laws to father and nephews to maternal uncles used to give presents, however now a days it has changed. People eat chapatis with ghee and urad dal (pulse) filled in it. The festival 's popularity has declined over a period of time. . It is also believed by the people of Tripura that walnuts become sweeter after this festival. Though this festival marks the produce of the land, it is now seldom celebrated.
Phool Dei
The festival is celebrated in the beginning of month of Chaitra according to the Hindu calendar, which comes sometime in mid March. It is mainly a festival of young girls, where in they go from house to house with plates full of rice, jaggery, coconut, green leaves and flowers. These girls give their blessings and wishes for the prosperity of the house and are given presents, jaggery, sweets, and money in return. This is one of the most special festivals of Uttarakhand and is celebrated on the first day of the month of Chaitra in mid March. This special day belongs to the young girls as they are seen conducting most of the ceremonies. The festive celebrations in some regions are observed for the whole month with the advent of the spring. The young girls during this festival goes to the all the houses in the locality with plates consisting of rice, coconut, jaggery, flowers and green leaves and offer their good wishes for the prosperity of the household. They are also given blessings and presents and return. A pudding made of curd, flour and jaggery is a special delicacy of this festival. Spring songs sung during this festival enhance the festive spirit.
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