Important festivals celebrated in Kumaon
- Uttrayani ( Makar sakranti)
- Lakshmi pooja
- Basant Panchmi
- Bhitauli
- Harela
- Janyunpunyu or Rakshabandhan
- Batsavitri
- Ganga Dusshera
- Dikar Puja
- Olgi or Ghee Sankarti
- Khatarua
- Ghuian Ekadashi
- Samvatsar padyaoo
- Govardhan
- Phooldei
- Uttrayani ( Makar sakranti)
Uttarāyaṇa (उत्तरायण),
or Uttarayana, is the six-month period between Winter
solstice (around December 22) andSummer solstice (around June 21), when
the sun apparently travels towards the north on the celestial
sphere. But it is common to erroneously refer it to as the period between
the Makar Sankranti (which currently occurs around January 14) and
Karka Sankranti (which currently occurs around July 18). The
name Uttarayana comes from joining two different Sanskrit words
"Uttara" (North) and "ayana" (movement towards). The period
from June 21 to December 22 is known is Dakshināyana (दक्षिणायण)
Phool Dei is celebrated on the first day of the month of
Chaitra in mid March. On this day, young girls conduct most of the ceremonies.
In some places this festival is celebrated throughout the month with the advent
of spring. During this festival young girls go to all the houses in the muhalla
or the village with plates full of rice, jaggery, coconut, green leaves and
flowers. They offer their good wishes for the prosperity of the household and
are given blessings and presents (sweets, gur, money etc) in return.
phool dei, chamma dei
deno dwar, bhur bhakar
yo dei sei namashkar, puje dwar
Olgia is celebrated on the first day of Bhado (middle of
August), when the harvest is lush and green, vegetables are in abundance and
the milch animals very productive. In ancient times sons-in-law and nephews
would give presents to fathers-in-law and maternal uncles, respectively, in
order to celebrate Olgia. Today agriculturists and artisans give presents to
the owners of their land and purchasers of their tools and receive gifts and
money in return. Binai (oral harp), datkhocha(metallic tooth
pick), metal calipers, axes, ghee, vegetables and firewood are some of the
presents exchanged on this day. People put ghee on their foreheads and eat ghee
and chapatis stuffed with 'urad' dal. It is believed that walnuts sweeten after
this festival. This festival, which is a celebration of the produce of the
land, is now seldom celebrated.
This festival is celebrated on the Krishna amavasya (last
day of the dark half of the month) of Jyestha and on the day married women
worship Savitri and the Bat or banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis) and pray for
the well being of their spouses. Women observe fast in honour of Savitri and
Satyavan and remember how Savitri through her intense devotion saved her
husband from the claws of death.
The festival of Basant Panchami celebrates the coming of the
spring season. This festival, which also signals the end of winter, is
generally celebrated during Magh (January - February). During this festival
people worship the Goddess Saraswati, use yellow handkerchiefs or even
yellow cloths and in a few places people put a yellow tilak on their foreheads.
This festival also marks the beginning of holi baithaks.
In Kumaon, the pooja of the goddess
of wealth is carried out in a strange and unique way with three sugarcane
sticks placed like in a large plate to form a sort-of tripod and a fruit like a
Malta or an orange placed right in the middle of it. The Malta (or orange) is
‘dressed’ in a red chunni with golden lining. Assuming this very fruit to be
Goddess Lakshmi, the fruit is worshipped along with silver coins. This
tradition is a true example of the Kumaoni’s faith in God almighty.
On the first of the navaratris (nine day fasting period) in the month of
Chaitra, women sow seven types of grains. The germination of these grains
symbolizes the future harvest. On the tenth day, the yellow leaves, called
Harela, are cut people put them on their heads and tuck them behind their ears.
During this very month of Chaitra (March-April) brothers send gifts for their
sisters. These presents are called ‘Bhitauli’, thus the name!
Celebrated in the month of Shravan (July- august), the month of festivals, to
commemorate the wedding of Lord Shiva and Parvati, the festival is also
associated with the arrival of the rainy season and the new harvest. On this
day people make clay statues (Dikaras) of Shiva, Parvati, Ganesh etc. and
worship them. The overworked bullocks find a rare a rest on the occasion of
Harela.
It is a very popular festival of the hills and is celebrated to commemorate the
arrival of the River Ganges on earth which, traditionally, is called Gangavataran.
It is held over the first 10 days of the month of Jyeshtha (in June). A dip in
the Ganga on this day, according to mythological and popular beliefs, cleanses
all the sins of the mortals. A mela is also held on the occasion at Purnagiri.
Khatarua signifies the arrival of the autumn season, a very important time of
the year for the pastoral - agricultural society and is celebrated on the first
day of the month of Ashwin in mid September. Bonfires, around which children dance, and offerings
of cucumber to the fire of Khatarua mark the celebrations. Cucumbers’
offerings, as is the popular belief, destroy all evil influences.
अल्मोड़ा। अल्मोड़ा वह नगरी है जिससे स्वामी विवेकानंद का गहरा नाता रहा है। स्वामी विवेकानंद यहां दो बार आए और कई दिनों तक रहकर साधना की। पहली बार 1890 की यात्रा के दौरान काकड़ीघाट में स्थित पीपल के पेड़ के नीचे उन्हें ज्ञान प्राप्त हुआ था। अल्मोड़ा में वह कई दिनों तक खजांची मोहल्ला में स्व.बद्री शाह के मेहमान बनकर भी रहे। करीब 115 साल पहले स्वामी विवेकानंद जब दूसरी बार अल्मोड़ा पहुंचे तो अल्मोड़ा में उनका भव्य स्वागत हुआ। पूरे नगर को सजाया गया था और लोधिया से एक सुसज्जित घोड़े में उन्हें नगर में लाया गया और 11 मई 1897 के दिन खजांची बाजार में उन्होंने जन समूह को संबोधित किया। इस स्थान पर तब पांच हजार लोग एकत्र हो गए थे। .jpg)
उन्होंने आगे कहा कि ‘इन पहाड़ों के साथ हमारी जाति की श्रेष्ठतम स्मृतियां जुड़ी हुई हैं। यदि धार्मिक भारत के इतिहास से हिमालय को निकाल दिया जाए तो उसका अत्यल्प ही बचा रहेगा। अतएव यहां एक केंद्र अवश्य चाहिए। यह केंद्र केवल कर्म प्रधान न होगा, बल्कि यहीं निस्तब्धता, ध्यान तथा शांति की प्रधानता होगी। मुझे आशा है कि एक न एक दिन मैं इसे स्थापित कर सकूंगा।’ उल्लेखनीय है कि 1916 में स्वामी विवेकानंद के शिष्यों स्वामी तुरियानंद और स्वामी शिवानंद ने अल्मोड़ा में ब्राइटएंड कार्नर पर एक केंद्र की स्थापना कराई। जो आज रामकृष्ण कुटीर नाम से जाना जाता है। 
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)