Festivals of Uttarakhand

Festivals of Uttarakhand
Festivals of India
Himalayan Festivals
Festival of Garhwal
Memoir of Bikhot (Baisakhi) an Important festival of Uttarakhand
(Bikhot, Baisakhi, Baisakhi as Jwalamukhi, Baisakhi as Sury Pooja, Rangoli Bihu, Naba Barsha,Puthandu, Vishu, Pana Sankranti, Maha Bishuba Sankranti,)
Bhishma Kukreti
As in Indian people, Uttarakhandis celebrate festivals with same zeal and same joy. There are festivals, which are celebrated as other Indians do as Deepavali, Rakhsabandhan,Dashhera,Holi.There are some festivals, which are localized as makar Sankranti, Gudi padiva, and Baisakhi.
Bikhot or commonly called Baisakhi come on first day of Baisakh month. Baisakhi or Bikhot is the Solar New Year (Surya Sambatsar ka Pratham Divas) .of Hindus. Every community celeberate Bikhot with different name. Sikhs, Punjabi, North Indians call Bikhot as Baisakhi. Himachali celebrate Bikhot or Baisakhi by worshipping Jwalamukhi goddess , which is the symbol of Fire or heat. In Bihar, the people honour Sury Devta (Sun God) Asamese caal to Bikhot (Biasakhi) as Rangoli Bihu, Bengali call Bikhot as Naba Barsh or Pahela Boishakh and Tamilian call Bikhot as Puthandu (Tamil New Year),. The Oriya people call Bikhot (Biasakhi) as Maha Bisuba Samkranti or Pana Amkranti , while, Keralites call Bikhot (Baisakhi) as Vishu. Sinhali of Shri Lankka celebrate the Bikhot (Baisakhi) as New Year.
Uttarakhandis celebrate Bikhot ( Baisakhi) as the sign of beginning of summer . Bikhot is the last day of putting flowers by unmarried girls on both the outside corners of the doors of house in Uttarakhand, which used to start from first day of Chita month . This day is also the end of Geeton ka Mahina or month of song (Chita, when in night, the villagers sing and dance ) .
People prepare many types of Pakwan and distribute on this auspicious day as they prepare in Deepavali or Makar sonorant.
People take auspicious dip in Ganges, Bhagirathi or Alaknanda on Bikhot .In Gangasalan, people visit the auspicious places at the bank of Ganges as Vyaschatti, Mahadve Chatti, Bandarbhel, Phool Chatti, Rishikesh, Haridwar or visit to Dev Prayag on this very auspicious day .
When I was thirteen years old (1965 Ad) , I visited Vaschatti -the meeting place of Nayar (very valuable river of Pauri Garhwal) with reverend river Ganges. It is also said that sage Vyas did Tapasya here and did meet the God her near bank of Ganges. Vyaschatti lies in Banelsyun and we may say that this place is connecting place for the people of Banelsyun, Dhangu, Maniyarsyun, Langur Pattis of Gangasalan .
My village Jaspur (Malla Dhangu ) is eight or nine miles away from Vyaschatti and while going from village we have to go down and while coming from Vyaschatti we have to walk on ascent.
If Jaspur fellows have to go Vyaschatti for the fair of Bikhot, they have to go on Sekh ( end of Chit month) . I remember along with ten or twelve children of my age we were around thirty forty people of Jaspur who were visiting Vyaschatti on that day. My tuji gave me ten rupees and he also gave thirty rupees to my younger sister who was supposed to take care purchases. (On that time forty rupees were big amount) . All villagers were having Puri, Pakodi tied in cloth bag and this food was for the night and next day too. The villagers started journey around two O clock. Watches were not common on that time. Hence, the shadow of sun on some specific places, villages or place of sun was the only source of knowing the time.
On the way to Vyaschatti , we were meeting people from other villages and Pattis as Dabralsyun Langur etc. We also met many of relatives of other villages on the way and this meeting relatives or family friends was making the day very special. Whenevr, a married daughter of our village met she used to weep ( I think it was a custom ) . We also met our school friends who were also going Vyaschatti fair.
Each villagers were with their Das (drum players) and das were playing the drum (Dhol and Damau). Many Jagris were also visiting Vyaschatti with their Damru and Thali . Whoever, there was plan places the Das used to play the tone of Pandon and people used to dance on the tune of Pandaun. Every where, there was joy, happiness, enthusiasm in the atmosphere.
Joyfully, we reached to Vyaschatti just before the sun set. Since, there was no electricity there, it was mandatory that we take dip of last day of Chait (Sekh ko Nayan) in the Ganges . Ver fast and carefully, we took dip in the Ganges .The Patromax lanterns were only source of light. Most of villagers of a village brought Patromax lantern with them and there was light everywhere. The shopkeepers were with Gas (Patromax lamp) on the street. As on now, I just remember, “ Joy, dance, singing of that night of Vyaschatti. :.
After taking dip in the Ganges, we paid visit to a temple and also worshipped before the smal statue of sage Vyas .
There was no hotel in Vyaschatti at that time and thousands of people used to take shelter in side the ‘Baba kamli wale ki Dharm Shala’. We all children were roaming around the three streets of Vyaschatti. There were many activities whole night in Vyaschatti. Some were dancing Pandon, Some were busy meeting their relatives, many young people were also busy in teasing women and there were incidents of beating the teasers. There were Baki who were telling the Bak (telling future). The Jagris were busy in Ghadelas . Many pundits were busy in worshiping ‘Chhaya’ on some women . Badi Badans of each areas were also there. People were enjoying the dance and singing of Badi Badans 9a dancing and singing community) too . The Badi -Badan were getting rewards from the piligrims according to their calibers of sing and dancing.. Many were busy in purchasing whatever they like. It was also best place to meet relatives and people were meeting the relatives of other villagers came to fair. There was talk of eligible bachelors among elders too.
We saw pilgrims from Maharashtra, Tamilnadu and Bengal or from many places from India
late night, we came to Dharmshala and slept on the bare floor . The Dharm shala was jam packed.
Early morning, our elders took us to take dip into Ganges. We took the dip came to the place where Silsu Devta ki Palki had come from Danda ka dev sStahl Banelsyun.we worshipped Silsu Devta
After taking breakfast (which we brought with us from our house) we roamed in the Bazar full of people only. We once again went two three times to take dips in the ganges. We children were also afraid of sound of Ganges and the meeting place of Nayar river with Ganges. In each children teams, the elders were their to take care that children don’t go far from bank of ganges.
From sun rising the dancing teams of nearby villages started to come to vyaschatti. They were with their das and were dancing Pandon while walking. I remember to cont around twenty teams reached to Vyaschatti from nearby villages of Banelsyun, Maniyarsyun and Talla Dhangu.
In between, people were busy purchasing the items of their choice and eating Jalebi etc.
Many of us stayed back there or went to Silsu village and they were supposed to go and worship Danda ka Nagraja another day.

We started our journey back around three and we reached our village in the early night .
I shall always remember this fair for my whole life which tells me what is joy, what is happiness, what is society, what is togetherness, what is belief on god/goddess, what is mythology and what is collective joy.

Copyright @ Bhishma Kukreti, Mumbai, India, 2010