19 Popular Bazaars and Festivals in Uttarakhand
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If you want to experience the mighty power of nature, you must plan a trip to Uttarakhand, also known as Dev Bhoomi or the land of the gods. The religious environment of this state is where people immerse themselves spiritually. Different tribal communities, ethnic groups, and even immigrants celebrate Uttarakhand festivals with great enthusiasm.
Let us know about festivals in Uttarakhand and how people in this state celebrate them through this article.
Popular festivals celebrated in Uttarakhand:
Once you experience the festival of Uttarakhand, you will have the opportunity to understand the beauty and majestic power of nature. Also, the sacred temples, people’s beliefs and festivals are perfectly intertwined to make your trip an unforgettable one.
1. Kumbh Mela:
Uttarakhand’s Kumbh Mela is one of the state’s famous and most important festivals, which lasts three months every twelve years in Haridwar. This congregation includes devotees swimming in the Ganges, the holy river of the world. After an elaborate ceremony, the Vikrant calendar chooses the exact date. The festival is celebrated every four years in rotation among Haridwar, Nasik, Ujjain, Allahabad, one of which is chosen only once every 12 years. According to mythology, when Lord Vishnu was delivering the elixir, four drops of the elixir were dropped at the four places where Kumbh Mela is now celebrated.
Main Attractions: Pilgrims from all over the country gather to take a dip in the holy river.
when: at the end of the year or the beginning of the year.
Where: Haridwar.
Festival Duration: three months.
2. Vasant Panchami:
Uttarakhand’s Basant Panchami celebrates the arrival of spring with significance in the state. The festival is celebrated in the month of Mag, marking the end of winter. People perform traditional dances such as chounphula and Jhumelia, while drums reverberate around. On the occasion of Basant Panchami, a bazaar was held inside the Bharat Temple in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. Jagat Guru Shankaracharya installed idols in this temple, and during Vasanth Panchami, Lord Bharat is carried through town in a procession.
Main Attractions: Goddess Saraswati is dressed in yellow, flying a kite and dancing Jumeirah.
when: Jan Feb.
Where: throughout the state.
Festival Duration: one day.
3. Bear’s Well Holi Festival:
The historical and cultural celebration of the Hindu Holi festival in Kumaon, India is the prominent Kumani Holi festival in Uttarakhand. It symbolizes the end of winter, the beginning of the planting season, and the victory of good and evil. As the name suggests, it is one of the important festivals of the Kumani people. In this celebration, the local traditions of Kumaon and the cultural practices of North India are fused.
Main Attractions: folk music.
when: march.
Where: Kumamoto.
Festival Duration: one day.
4. Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra:
Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra is held every twelve years for three weeks and is called Himalayan Mahakumbh. This sacred Yatra attracts devotees from the Garhwal and Kumaon regions to honor Goddess Nanda Devi. This Yatra takes almost 22 days to complete as Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra spans 280 kilometers. Brahmins are responsible for ceremonial umbrellas, Thakur plays bankoalas, and Dalits play drums, involving all levels of society.
Main Attractions: Jat yatra walks through this place with all the devotees.
when: It varies according to the Hindu lunisolar calendar.
Where: Chamorli district, Garvar region.
Festival Duration: 3 weeks.
[See Also: Best Places to Visit in Uttarakhand]
5. Kandari Festival:
The Kandali festival commemorates a flower called Kandali, which blooms every 12 years and is celebrated by the Rung tribe. Devotees prepare the idol of Lord Shiva with buckwheat and barley, worship the idol with great vigor, and celebrate for a week. The locals then raise flags, perform pujas, a ritual feast, and pay homage to icons. In the end, the bushes of Kandari were attacked by the locals.
Main Attractions: Shiva idols are made with buckwheat and barley, pujas and ritual feasts.
when: August September.
Where: Pittolagarh District.
Festival Duration: a week.
6. Harera and Bitauli Festivals:
Harera in Uttarakhand commemorates the wedding of Lord Shiva and Parvati, marking the arrival of the rainy season. Small idols of goddesses and gods are made of clay called DIkars for people to worship. The festival provides an opportunity to test growers’ seed quality in stores.
The Bithauli festival is an occasion for young girls in the family to get money. The occasion means a lot to the farming community in the area. On the first day of the nine-day festival, women sow seven grains in the soil, symbolizing a future harvest. The germination process produces yellow leaves, called Harela, which are cut off on the tenth day.
Main Attractions: Harrell was sent to a relative’s house.
when: July-August.
Where: Kumamoto.
Festival Duration: nine days.
7. Ganges:
The arrival of the holy river Ganges from the paradise dwelling is known as Dasar or Ganga Dussehra in Uttarakhand. This is a ten-day festival held in Dashami in the month of Jyeshtha. In the Ganges Ghats of Haridwar, Rishikesh and Allahabad, devotees soak in holy water for ten consecutive days to rid themselves of their sins. This enriching experience is considered an act of purification, and watermelon and kakdi are offered to the gods during Dashan.
Main Attractions: Devotees from all over the country take a dip in the Ganges.
when: June.
Where: Rishikesh.
Festival Duration: 10 days.
8. VAT Savitri:
Another famous festival in Uttarakhand is Vat Savitri puja, in honor of the legend of Savitri, who underwent severe penance to restore the life of her husband Satyavan. She melted Yamraji’s heart with her fierce repentance and rock-solid determination. During this festival, married women pray to the god Savitri and the banyan tree while fasting for a whole day for the happiness of their husbands.
Main Attractions: Women fast for the health and longevity of their husbands.
when: June.
Where: throughout the state.
Festival Duration: one day.
9. Punagiri Rimera:
Purnagiri Mela is a sacred festival celebrated in the temple of the same name in honor of the goddess Sati. The purnagiri temple is located at the navel where the Vishnu chakra cuts Sati and Savant Prajapati and is also one of the 108 Siddha peethas with great religious significance. This mela spans two months and pilgrims visit the area throughout the year.
Main Attractions: It is one of the Siddha peethas.
when: March April.
Where: Punagiri Temple.
Festival Duration: two months.
10. Syalde Bikauti Mela:
Celebrated in the town of Dwarahat, Syalde Bikhausi Mela is an annual fair. This mela is held in two phases, the Vimandeshwar temple is the first phase and the Dwarahat market contains the second phase. People gather on traditional foliage and you can see folk dances and songs. The striking of the stone (Oda) Oda Bhetna in honor of the fallen leader is the basic ritual of this mela. The fusion of cultures showcases numerous traditions and Jalebi’s mouth-watering delicacy.
Main Attractions: Folk music, dance, jalebi communication.
when: April-May.
Where: Vimandeshwar Temple and Dwarahat Market.
11. Pool Devi section:
Phool Devi festival commemorates the arrival of spring and celebrates the harvest of the year, making it the harvest festival of Uttarakhand. Locals prepare ceremonial pudding with jaggery, curd and flour, which is an important part of the festival. Young girls sing the folk songs of Phool Devi and go door to door offering coconuts, rice and flowers. Flowers and rice on the doorsteps of houses are considered blessings, and the girls offer blessings and sweets in return.
Main Attractions: Blooming flowers, folk songs, puddings called dei.
when: March April.
Where: throughout the state.
Festival Duration: one day.
12. Raman:
As the name suggests, Raman is a festival celebrated in Uttarakhand where devotees perform an epic Ramayana with the help of songs and dances. The villagers then began to pray to Lord Ganesha and play their respective roles regardless of caste and creed. A musical compilation of local legends that appeal to the deity known as Jagar is an important aspect of the festival. Ramman commemorates the enactment of the performance part of the ceremony with the historical memory of Maal Nritya.
Main Attractions: The Ramayana is beautifully performed in the form of song and dance.
when: April.
Where: The town of Saloor-Dungra in the Chamoli region.
Festival Duration: 11 days or 13 days.
[See Also: Best Places for Honeymoon in Uttarakhand]
13. Ghee Sankranti:
Ghee Sankranti is a famous festival in Uttarakhand that marks the start of the harvest season and expresses the gratitude of the locals for making a living through agriculture. It is celebrated in August when cows laden with milk are read to be milked and crops are in full bloom, also known as the Olgia Festival. According to ancient tradition, uncles and father-in-laws received gifts from nephews and sons-in-law, respectively. This evolved into artisans and farmers giving gifts to their landowners, including axes, ghee, firewood and metal toothpicks.
Main Attractions: Serve with urad dal and ghee filled pancakes.
when: August.
Where: throughout the state.
Festival Duration: one day.
14. Hiljatra:
Hill Jatra is a famous pastoral and agricultural festival in Uttarakhand. The village of Kumaour in India is where Hill Jatra was first observed. To ensure good yields for the ongoing farming season, a ritual associated with planting rice fields, devotees sacrifice buffaloes to please the gods. People wear masks and express pride in Uttarakhand’s rich cultural heritage as they recite songs during the festival. With performances of traditional dances like Chanchare, the festival becomes a wholesome and immersive experience.
Main Attractions: Traditional dance performances such as Chanchari, white deer are worshipped.
when: September.
Where: Kumaoar Village, Pittorgargh Village.
Festival Duration: one.
15. Uttaraja Nimera:
Uttarayani Mela is celebrated at Makar Sankranti in Uttarakhand and usually lasts a week. Traditionally, mela is important in Bageshwar, but it has also been observed in Ranibagh and Haneswari. Uttarayani Mela is on the banks of the Saryu River and is home to the Temple of Bagnath. The devotees take a dip in the river water because the devotees think it’s optimistic because throughout this mela, the sun shifts from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere.
Main Attractions: During this auspicious festival, people take a dip in holy water.
when: January.
Where: Kumaon, Bageshwar, Ranibagh, Hanseswari.
Festival Duration: a week.
16. Mag Mela:
Magh Mela is one of the famous bazaars in Uttarakhand and has a good reputation in the Uttarakhand region. It is considered an important source of income through tourism as devotees flock to the Ramlila area. The believers were immersed in the Ganges, and the god was carried in a sedan chair. Artisans from all over Uttarakhand showcase local products at this fair.
Main Attractions: Devotees immerse themselves in the Ganges and ski.
when: January.
Where: Utakashi District.
Festival Duration: a week.
[See Also: Temples to Visit in Uttarakhand]
17. Bizumela:
Celebrated by the Jaunsari tribe, whose origins can be traced back to…