Phulaich Festival in Himachal Pradesh

This famous festival is celebrated in the month of September in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. It is also known as Ookayang Festival. which means flower festival. That's why Phulaich is called a 'festival of flowers'. On 16th day of the Hindu month, the flowering season held. Ten Rajputs of the village go to the high hills to pick up some of the choicest flowers. They spend all day as well as the next day on the hills only.

After two days, they return on the 18th day, with their collection of flowers. It is said that some of these flowers are so fragrant that some of the people who are participating the event for the first time feel giddy with their strong scent. The fragrance is so high that when the persons who visit the forests to bring these flowers, even they start feeling giddy. On the 18th day all night spent in singing and dancing under the deodar trees. Phulaich Festival of Himachal Pradesh lasts for a week.

The variety, fragrance and beauty of the wild flowers is the main highlight of the festival. On the 20th day of the month, a procession of the local deity, decorate with fine clothes and surrounded by gold and silver idols. This day villagers, wear their best clothes, dance under the deodar trees on all the days of the festival. On 23rd day of the Bhadrapada, all the other deities are brought back to their original temple with a sacrifice of a goat and a lamb is made. With all this, the festival comes to an end.