Manali: Much awaited Fagli festival of Lahaul & Spiti was celebrated with traditional fervour in the Manali and tribal district today . The festival will continue onwards for the next few days in Pattan valley of the Lahaul district.
This is a New Year festival preceding the beginning of Tibetan or Chinese calendar and is celebrated to mark the end of winter or the beginning of spring. It is celebrated in February in the entire valley on the moonless night or Amavasya.
This festival is locally known as Kus or Kuns and is the most important festival in Pattan valley. The people celebrate it with traditional fervor every year.
Dr Aman Larje, a resident of Tandi village of Pattan valley, told The Hill Post, “To mark the festivity about two feet bamboo stick is fixed on the floor and a white bed sheet is draped around it to signify an angel dressed in white. The figure called Baraza is embellished with jewellery and marigold flowers. The delicacies are placed before it, the incense is burnt, oil lamps are lit and the house is fully decorated.”
“As per ritual, the family heads get up early in the morning and prepare totu or dough of roasted barley flour and buttermilk. Totu is offered to the deities on the rooftop and then it is distributed among the family members as god’s offerings. There after the family heads feed cows. They pay their respects to the cow and sheep to acknowledge their dependence on animals expressing gratitude”, Dr Aman revealed.
“Despite modernity people of Lahaul are connected with their traditions and customs, whether they are living inside or outside the district”, he added.
Sanjay Dutta, an engineer by qualification but is a journalist by choice.
He has worked for the premier new agency Press Trust of India and leading English daily Indian Express.
With more than a decade of experience, he has been highlighting issues related to environment, tourism and other aspects affecting mountain ecology.
Sanjay Dutta lives in a village close to Manali in Kullu valley of Himachal.
