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| PHULAICH |
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| Celebrated In
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Kinnaur District, Himachal Pradesh |
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| In the month
of :
September |
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| Phaulaich is locally called "Ookayand" of
'Ukyam", a combination of two words 'Oo' and 'Kayang'. 'U'-stands for flowers
and 'Kayang' for festival - festival of flowers - to see flowers. This festival
is celebrated throughout Kinnaur district. |
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A Festival of Flowers :
On 16th Bhadra (September) about 10 Rajputs of the village go to the high hills
to pluck flowers and stay there till 17th of Bhadra. On 18th, they return to
the village and spend the night in singing and dancing under the deodar trees. |
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Some of the flowers are so scented that the
outsiders sometimes feel giddiness with its fragrance. Perhaps upper reach of
Kinnaur Region is rich in wild flowers and September month is the best month
for flowering.
Fragrance of some of the flowers are intoxicated and local people are used to
it and under the influence of giddiness they stay 2 nights in the upper reaches
and collect different variety of flowers and on returning the third day to the
village - the occasion is celebrated as Phulaich.
On 20th morning, the 'Deota' - "Narayan" (Local God) is bedecked with images
and fine cloths. The images of other 'Deotas' (Local Gods) - made of Gold and
silver are mounted on all sides of the frame. All people - men, women and
children dressed in their gayest, dance in the open, under deodar trees with
abandon and ease, unknown to the busy world of today.
On 23rd Bhadra - the last day of the festival, the village God is brought back
to the temple at the original place and a goat and lamb is sacrificed. |
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