Celebrated in the Kumaon Region of Uttarakhand, Harela falls thrice in a year marking the commencement of a new season. This Kumaoni Hindu folk festival is celebrated during both the Navratris, Chaitra Navratri in the month of Chaitra (March/April), Sharad Navratri in the month of Ashwin (September/October), and in Shravan (late July). This festival is followed by Bhitauli which is the occasion of giving money to the young girls in the family. It is basically the agriculturally based communities in the region that pay a lot of reverence to this occasion. On the first day of this 9 days festival (the two Navratris), women sow 7 types of grains in the soil, which is symbolic to future harvest. The yellow leaves that are there in the plant during germination are called as Harela. These Harela are cut on the tenth day and people place them behind their ears or on their head.
Harela, which is celebrated in the Shravan month marks the advent of the rainy season and it also commemorates the wedding of Lord Shiva and Parvati. On this day, people make small Dikars (small idols of gods and goddess made of clay) of Gauri, Maheshwar, Ganesha, to worship them. The bullocks are also given rest on this day and the Harela is sent to friends and family. The festival is significant because it provides an opportunity to the cultivator to test the quality of seeds that he has in his stores.
Highlights:
- On the first day, women fill soil in the basket and sow 7 types of seeds in them.
- On this day during the Shravan Harela, clay statues are made of Gauri, Maheshwar, and Ganesha for worshipping.
- People put the blades of freshly cut Harela's on their heads and also send it to their friends and relatives.
- Young girls in the family are presented with money.
