Events

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 great night of Lord Shiva. Devotees throng Jageshwar Dham, Baijnath and Shiva temples across Kumaon for all-night worship.

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

Chaitra Shukla Pratipada begins the Hindu New Year, Vikram Samvat 2084, and nine days of worship of the Goddess ending

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

The birth of Lord Rama on Chaitra Shukla Navami, ending Chaitra Navratri.

The birth of Lord Hanuman on Chaitra Purnima. Special worship at Hanuman Dham, Ramnagar and Hanuman temples across the region.

The annual foundation-day celebration at Neem Karoli Baba's Kainchi Dham ashram on the Bhowali–Almora road, drawing lakhs of devotees. Expect