Fascinating festivals to celebrate in Himachal

 

Situated in the heart of western Himalaya, Himachal Pradesh is known as ‘Dev Bhoomi’ because it is believed to be the adobe of Gods and goddesses. Every district and every town in Himachal Pradesh has its own temples that have a vibrant history and story behind it. Having rich cultural and religious heritage, there are many festivals of Himachal Pradesh, which make this place a bit more interesting, colorful and vibrant. This place is intensely adorned by lush green forest, enchanting lakes, many mysterious yet beautiful animals and perpetual layers of snows. Himachal Pradesh is a multi-religious, multicultural as well as a multilingual state to that extent that some of the festivals from the old golden era are celebrated even today in Himachal Pradesh. The festivals of Himachal Pradesh are of historical and cultural importance, and they play a vital role in the lives of the native people in the area. 

Let’s have a glimpse of the festivals of Himachal Pradesh, in few words, so that when you’ll visit this place you’ll be more than thrill to experience all this in reality and you’ll be able to be a part of it. The festivals celebrated in different town of Himachal Pradesh make it look happier and vibrant, hundreds and thousands of people participate in the celebration carrying their locals’ deities, dancing and enjoying at their fullest. No matter when you visit this beautiful place, if you are fortunate to ever attend any of the festival here, keep that in your head that such cultural occurrence bring along a sense of fulfillment. The state also has a pride of being the home to rishis like Vyas, Parashar, Vashist, Markandey and Lamas, etc. Every festival of Himachal Pradesh has a different excitement and zest in it, be it the Ice Skating Carnival or the summer festival, the locals celebrate every festival with a different enthusiasm and the happiness on their faces doubles the pleasure.

These are the enthralling Festivals of Himachal Pradesh

• Ice Skating Carnival, Shimla- When the first flakes of snow starts to falls and the flourishing greenery fades away under the thick crystal white sheet, the ice skating carnival begins and the city comes alive with the cheer and laugh of people. The Shimla ice rink is the only natural ice rink in Asia. The Ice skating club of Shimla organizes this Carnival for more than 60 years. The club also organizes fancy dress competition for the enjoyment of children. There are many other activities as ice hockey matches and colorful dance. The various colors against the white ambiance of the snow make Shimla look like a wonderland. The ice skating sessions commonly take place twice in a day, in the morning and evening. The sessions are generally fun and uninterrupted as the sky appears usually clean and the temperature is pretty intact to keep the ice stable. 

• Losar Festival, Lahaul- This carnival was first known as ‘Agrarian Festival’ when it was initiated in Tibet for the very first time, as this festivity was organized to celebrate the blossoming of Apricot trees. The celebration mainly held on the first 3 days but the lasts for 15 days. This fiesta also celebrates the agriculture wealth of the district. Locals here perform the ‘Chham Dance’, it’s a masked dance show connected with some sects of Tibetan Buddhism. This dance is the most incomparable and awe-striking aspect of the festivals. This festival also honors the district's agricultural wealth. The Losar festivals have a special place in the lives of the natives of Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul district. The first day of the festival is known as the 'Lama Losar' or 'Festival of the Guru.' Devotees worship the spiritual head of the Tibetan people, ‘Dalai Lama’ on this sacred day and take out the vital processions in his honor. People clean their houses to ward off the evil, just the way we do it on the occasion of Diwali. People cook a Tibetan cuisine, ‘Guthuk’ it’s a noodle soup, this dish is communal and eaten with immense joy. 

• Sazo Festival, Kinnaur- It’s the ancient festival of Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. The locals believe that during this festival the deities go to the heaven. This festival is meant to be very auspicious and people take a soul cleaning bath in the Satluj River. On this day, the whole district is engrossed in an extreme religious joy and the spiritual vibe leads in the atmosphere. The temple and house of the region are properly cleaned; because of this believe that this will be the resting place for all the deities for this day. The doors of the temple remained closed and the priests go door to door to offer their blessings. People worship gods and goddess at their houses, three times in a day. In the afternoon, people worship deities again and take their gods and goddess outside their homes and urge for their blessings. ‘Wine’ and ‘Halwa’ are devotional offering were giving to Gods and goddesses during this holy ritual, later which is followed by a dynamic celebrations with dance and music.

• Halda, Lahaul- The most striking and energized festival of Lahaul, The natives of Lahaul eagerly waits for this pageant to arrive. The beautiful dance performance, cocktails, own circle of relatives gathering and wealthy cultural celebrations make this fest a loved experience. The fundamental enchantment of this pageant is the wonderful bonfire that is held at a gap selected through the Lamas. This Celebration last for two days, this fairs undergo a resemblance to our festival of lighting i.e. Diwali, and is widely known at the auspicious event of Magha Purnima. This festival is essentially an exhibition of the wealthy cultural amalgamation in the Himalayan locals of Keylong, Lahaul and the Chandra and Bhaga River Valleys. It is an occasion of joy and happiness, where people come together from different parts of the state to celebrate the New Year and wish for their prosperity.

• Music Festival, Kasol- Kasol is a small town situated near the Parvary Valley in the Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh, which is a perfect place to set your mood right for the night celebration. This place held a pop culture event to welcome the New Year every year. The concept of this fest will give you the Zest of Himalayan vibes, as we gather all the species of cosmic universe for the love of music, art and nature. Make your soul dance in the tune of the music played in the concert. This music festival is 6 years old festival of the Kasol valley. The aim of this music concert is to celebrate your freedom and individuality through a blend of music, dance and art. This festival brings together different people from different part of the world for an exciting music exhibition of different spaces and cultures at this one spot to make you feel on one of a kind and give you a happy start of the year. There are many cities, which organize the music festival but Kasol always makes it unique, distinctive and different from other. Lock Your Trip offers so many packages in reasonable prices.