Losar

Marking the beginning of a new year, Losar Festival is celebrated across all the monasteries in February. The people worship the Dalai Lama on this day and a big rally is taken out to honour him. A stylised chham dance is also performed, in which the participants sport ornate costumes and masks.

Losar

Dechhang

Dechhang is celebrated in the coldest of months – December and January. It is a community celebration where people get together and enjoy.

Dechhang

Gothsi (Gochi)

This festival is celebrated by families in which a son was born the previous year. The ceremony involves four men lifting a dough of sattu (roasted barley) from a big plate and placing it in front of the deity. A young girl, dressed her best, accompanies these men while carrying a pot full of chhang, a local drink. Two more men with sticks of pencil cedar and cedar leaves tied up in lambskin accompany her. The first woman to have given birth to a boy, decked up, also walks along. The village priest, called labdagpa, offers prayer with a bow and arrow. As the dough is broken up and thrown away to appease the gods, people beat drums and the lambskin is placed on a tree or bush and arrows are shot at it. The villagers then visit each house where a boy was born, and dancing and feasting continue late into the night. 

Gothsi (Gochi)

Fagli

Celebrated in the first or second week of February, the festival of Fagli sees decorated houses shining in the glow of oil lamps. A 2-foot-tall bamboo stick is mounted on the floor with a white sheet draped across it to make the 'baraza', representing an angel dressed in white adorned with marigold jewellery. Various delicacies are placed in front of this guardian angel, who is supposed to bring prosperity. Early in the morning, the head of the family and his wife cook totu (dough made with roasted barley and buttermilk) and kwari. While  totu is taken to the roof and offered to the gods, kwari is fed to hungry crows. The couple also pays respect to sheep and cows as a mark of gratitude. Then, they honour the village elders and visit each house with marchu, a local puri (deep-fried flatbread). While the festival is also known as kuns or kus, each of its days has its own name. Bullocks, yoke and plough are symbolised with green willow sticks and moved around the room in front of the baraza. There is much feasting and festivity and gifts and marigold flowers are exchanged with loved ones. 

Fagli

Festival of Light

Khogla festival celebrated in Pattan Valley is called the festival of light. The date of the festival, which usually coincides with Magh Purnima (full moon), is decided by a lama from Pattan Valley. Haldas, made of cedar branches, are cut into strips and tied together to form a bunch. They are then lit in every house in the village and brought to one central place in the evening. This ritual is repeated around five times, in order to honour different deities.  

Festival of Light

Tsheshu Fairs

These fairs are celebrated in Shashur, Gemur, Kyi, Kardang Tabo and Mane monasteries in June. A highlight is the devil dance by lamas wearing colourful costumes and bird or animal masks.

Tsheshu Fairs

Tribal Fair Keylong

Between August 14 and 16, the inhabitants of the valley as well as tourists gather for this special fair. It sees participation by artistes and cultural troupes from Chandigarh, Dharamsala, Leh, Chamba, Kullu and Spiti as well as local artistes. 

Tribal Fair Keylong

Pauri Fair

Devotees flock here in the third week of August to be a part of this religious and festive fair. They start by paying obeisance to the Triloknath (Shiva, the lord of the three worlds) or Avilokiteshvara, as he is regarded by the Buddhists. This is followed by parikrama of the temple – circumambulations in the gallery three or seven times while murmuring the mantra “om mani padme hum” and rotating the prayer wheels.

This is done every morning and evening. Ghee and mustard oil lamps, which have a capacity of up to 16 kg, are lit continuously. Devotees donate money or ghee/oil to keep these lamps alight. After all these rituals, starts the fair that has stalls and tea shops. There is dancing to folk melodies in a huge circle. On the second morning is the procession headed by the Thakur of Triloknath, who rides on a decorated horse. It goes up to the place where, according to ancient tales, the seven gods had appeared from the seven springs eons ago. Once the procession returns, the devotees either head home or stay on for the third day of the fair.

Pauri Fair

Ladarcha Fair

Goods are bartered and sold at this traditional trade fair held in July/ August every year in Kaza. Traders and visitors from Kullu, Kinnaur and Lahaul come together and one can see a vibrant mix of cultures. Earlier, the fair used to be held in Kibber maidan in Spiti Valley. Traders from Ladakh, Rampur, Busher and Spiti would come here with their wares.

Ladarcha Fair