Saturday, December 14, 2024
Himachal Pradesh

Fairs and Festivals


Festivals

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.