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Khogal
Khogal festival is celebrated in Lahaul in the month of January. The Khogal
night is lit up with clay lamps. Normally this festival falls on a full
moon day. All the male members of the village collect at someone's house
and get drunk on a local brew known as 'Chakti'. Then they visit house
after house, drinking all the while. This goes on till midnight. At midnight
the 'Chan' (the drummers) sit on someone's rooftop and begin to play their
drums and flutes. This is a signal to begin the Khogal celebrations. As
soon as the sound comes, people run with lighted torches towards their
houses with screams. It is believed that the noise chases the evil spirit
away. In the end all the torches are placed together and as the flames
leap up people dance around the bonfire. After they return home, the people
offer Puja to their family deities including the local deity Baraja.
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