The land of Uttarakhand is known for numerous fairs and festivals. All the festivals celebrated here have an immense deal of ceremonial grace and magnificence. Both the festivals of Phool Dei and Olgia/ Ghee Sankranti have a relation with nature and people pray for abundant crops and general well being of their families. People sing, dance and prepare special ceremonial dishes to please gods and their palates.
Phool Dei is celebrated on the first day of Chaitra or in mid March (according to Gregorian calendar). On this day young girls carry out most of the rituals and they are the most eager participants. In some places though, this festival is like a carnival and the celebrations goes on throughout the month. This festival shows the advent of spring. Dei, a special ceremonial pudding made of Jaggery, white flour and curd is offered to the visitors. On Phool Dei young girls go to every house in their villages with plates full of rice, jaggery, coconut, green leaves and flowers.
They put forward their good wishes for the prosperity of the household and are given blessings and presents like sweets, fresh jaggery and money in return. In a few places even today they sprinkle auspicious flowers and rice on the doorsteps and sing:
Phool Dei, Chamma Dei,
jatu dela utu sai.
It is celebrated in the months of March/April. On the occasion of Phooldei, young girls put the first flowers of the season on the entrance or threshold of every house in the village, for good luck throughout the year. This is a big example of how communities are closely bonded and linked in the hills of Kumaon as no one puts these flowers in front of their own houses alone.
Other prominent festivals that are part of the festival calendar of Kumaon are Samvatsar padyaoo, Govardhan, Dikar Puja and Ghuian Ekadashi among others. These festivals have been a source of inspiration and flag-bearers of brotherhood in the hills of Kumaon.
Phool Dei is celebrated on the first day of Chaitra or in mid March (according to Gregorian calendar). On this day young girls carry out most of the rituals and they are the most eager participants. In some places though, this festival is like a carnival and the celebrations goes on throughout the month. This festival shows the advent of spring. Dei, a special ceremonial pudding made of Jaggery, white flour and curd is offered to the visitors. On Phool Dei young girls go to every house in their villages with plates full of rice, jaggery, coconut, green leaves and flowers.
They put forward their good wishes for the prosperity of the household and are given blessings and presents like sweets, fresh jaggery and money in return. In a few places even today they sprinkle auspicious flowers and rice on the doorsteps and sing:
Phool Dei, Chamma Dei,
jatu dela utu sai.
It is celebrated in the months of March/April. On the occasion of Phooldei, young girls put the first flowers of the season on the entrance or threshold of every house in the village, for good luck throughout the year. This is a big example of how communities are closely bonded and linked in the hills of Kumaon as no one puts these flowers in front of their own houses alone.
Other prominent festivals that are part of the festival calendar of Kumaon are Samvatsar padyaoo, Govardhan, Dikar Puja and Ghuian Ekadashi among others. These festivals have been a source of inspiration and flag-bearers of brotherhood in the hills of Kumaon.
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