Uttarakhand Festival

Uttarakhand's own Diwali, celebrated on Kartik Shukla Ekadashi, eleven days after the main Diwali. Villagers swing flaming bhailo torches, honour

Kumaon's Makar Sankranti festival. Sweet dough birds (ghughute) are fried and strung into necklaces, and children call the crows at

Worship of Goddess Saraswati on Magha Shukla Panchami. In Kumaon, this is when Baithki Holi (classical Holi singing) is in

The flower festival of Uttarakhand on Chaitra Sankranti, the first day of Chaitra. Young girls go door to door at

Holika Dahan on 21 March and the colour day on 22 March. Kumaoni Holi is unique: months of Baithki Holi

Vishuvat Sankranti, the Kumaoni solar new year and the first day of Baisakh. People take holy dips at river confluences,

The festival of greenery on Karka Sankranti, the first day of Shravan. Grains sown ten days earlier are cut and

Simha Sankranti, the first day of Bhado. Every family eats ghee with bedu roti and the first arbi (taro) leaves