| Chet : |
(Dholru) is the first
month of the lunar year and the first day of the month is cellebrated
with a belief to bring hapiness and prosperity. This festival
is known as Chatrali in Kullu and Dholru in Bharmaur area of
Chamba district. In district Kangra, Hamirpur and Bilaspur, first
day of Chet month hold special importance. |
| Navratras
: |
Navratras are celebrated
with great interest in Himachal Pradesh. Durga Ashtami is of
great importance all over the state. People visit nearest Durga
temple to offer prayer during Navratras. |
| Baisakhi : |
It is knows as Bisowa
in Kangra, Bissue in Shimla hills and Lisshoo in Pangi-Chamba.
This festival is generally celebrated on 13th of April. Preparation
for the festival starts much early. The houses are white washed.
People take holy dip at Haridwar, Tattapani near Shimla, Banganga
near Kangra, Markanda near Bilaspur. During day time, Baisakhi
fair is held at many places with traditional gaiety and attraction.
Women's participation in large number add special color to the
festive mood of the people. |
| Haryali : |
It is also known as Shegtsum
in Lahaul, Dhakhrain in Jubbal and Kinnaur. This festival is
celebrated on the Ist Sawan - 16th July. Few days before the
festival, seeds of five to seven kinds of grains are sown together
in small basket full of earth by any member of the family near
the place of the household deities. Stems are offered to household
deities and are also placed on the upper frame of the door. Farmers
do not yoke oxen on this day. Blood sucking insects like Lice,
Bugs, Flees etc. are burnt with cowdung balls. People in Kinnaur
district garland village deity with wild flowers. Dancing and
singing is a common practice during the festival. |
| Rakhi : |
Rakhi is one of the major
festivals celebrated all over India. It is known as Rakhrunya
in Mandi district, Salunnu in Sirmaur district and Rakhpunya
in Shimla district. It is well known as 'Rakhri' in most of the
Himachal Pradesh. It is celebrated on the moon full in Shrawan,
when sister ties sacred thread round the wrist of her brother
and seeks protection and affection in exchange. Brother too give
her, either money or some other gift with sweets. |
| Chrewal : |
It is also known as Prithvi
pooja in some places. It is celebrated on the Ist of Bhadon -
middle of August. This continues for full one month. The farmers
do not yoke oxen during this month. In Kullu, this festival is
known as Badranjo. In Chamba, it is called Pathroru. It is a
festival of flowers here. This is an occasion of great celebration,
particularly for girls who dance on this day. |
| Jagra : |
It is a rite offered
to any village deitiy. This is commemorated each year on the
fourth day of the month of September. Mahasu Devta (deity) is
worshipped in upper Shimla hills, Kinnaur and Sirmaur regions
of the state. Singing and dancing is the common feature of the
festival. |
| Phulech : |
Celebrated only in Kinnaur
region in the month of Bhadon or in the beginning of Asauj. People
from each household proceed towards hilltops to collect flowers,
which are offered to village deity and afterwards these flower
garlands are distributed among the people. Priest makes forecasts
about crops and changes in seasons etc. Priest's words are taken
for granted by local people. |
| Sair : |
It is celebrated in the
month of September in new Himachal. This is a Bara-Din (Big day)
of the hillmen. Rich food is prepaired on the first day of the
month and people worship their local deity for prosperous future. |
| Jidjed : |
It is a religious festival,
takes place in the month of October at 'Thang-gyud Monastery'
In the month of October, a similar festival called Guitor is
held in the Monasteries at Ki, Tabo, Dankar and Pin Spiti subdivision. |
| Dushehra : |
Celebrations of Dushehra are same
in all the places of India. It is celebrated on the month of
Spetember or October. On Dashmi - 10th day of celebration, people
make a bonfire of effigies of Ravna, Kumbhkarna and Meghnatha.
It symbolises victory of good over evil. Dushehra of Kullu is
famous all over the world. |
| Diwali : |
Diwali is the most famous festival
of India. It is the festival related to returning of Lord Rama
to home after killing Ravna. It is celebrated in the month of
October or November. The festival is locally known as 'Diali.
Preparation for the festival starts much early. The houses are
white washed. People buy new clothes and new toys for their children.
People exchange sweets and other things with each other. Alomost
all the bazar are overcrowded on this day and there are celebrations
in the air. At night people perform Lakhshami Pooja and after
that whole state comes to a new life when children and young
ones indulge in Fireworks. |
| Lohri : |
In some areas, it is also known as
Maghi or Saza. It is celebrated on the Ist of Magh - mid January.
People celebrate it more as a continuation of the season of festivals.
After finishing agricultural activities, they feast and celebrate
and avail themselves of the time to meet their relatives. This
festival continues for 8 days. On 8th day, people make get together
and show social solidarity. Dance and music goes on for the whole
night. |
| Gochi : |
It is a festival organised in Gumrang
Kothi in Keylong and adjoining areas, falling sometime in January
or February. Date for the celebrations is decided by the Lamas
on the basis of their astrological calculations. This festival
is celebrated jointly by all the families, where male child were
born in the preceding year. |
| Lossar : |
This festival is celebrated in the
entire tribal belt of Himachal Pradesh and in the Tibetan colonies
at Manali, Shimla, Dharamshala, Solan and Baijnath. The old Buddhist
shrine, celebrating Padamsambhava's marriage with a local Princess
at Rewalser in Mandi district also emerges as a pivotal attraction
for these religious celebrations. This festival means a beginning
of a new year and is held in the last week of February.One can
witness a Chham dance, various mask dances and dramas remniscent
of the post Buddhist culture with traditional orchestra. |
| Shivratri : |
It is celebrated in the month of
February. The western part of India is influenced greatly by
the mythology of Lord Shiva. This festival is given the greatest
importance even in temples. Some people keep fast on this day.
Images of Lord Shiva and Parvati are made from cowdung or earth
soil for worshipping. Songs in praise of Shiva and Parvati are
sung. This is the festival of great significance in the life
of hill people. Shivratri of Mandi ranks above all in Western
Himalayas. Mandi town is tastefully decorated and thousands of
hill fork arrived in their traditional dresses participate in
the fair. |
| Halda : |
It is celebrated especially by the
people of Chandra and Bhaga Valleys in December or January in
Lahaul and Spiti district. It is like a Diwali festival for them.
Though it is a festival of light, no lamps or candles are lighted
except that two or three persons from every household carry burning
sticks of pencil, thin cedar in their hands to be piled together
to make a bonfire and later to be ceremoniously thrown towards
the villages of Gushal and Kardang. |
| Nawala : |
Gaddis of Kangra, Chamba, Mandi and
Kullu celebrate this festival, when a household individually
collects enough money for celebration. Nawala, in fact, is a
thanks giving ceremony to Lord Shiva, who is worshipped at the
time of misfortune and clamiti. Devotional songs in praise of
Lord Shiva are sung throughout the night. |
