PHOOL DEI

• Phool Dei is Uttarakhand’s traditional

harvest festival, which is celebrated with
great enthusiasm across the state each
year.
• It is an auspicious folk festival which
welcomes the spring season in the
state.phool dei is all about flowers and
spring
• Phool dei is celebrated across both
kumaon and Garhwal region of the state.
• Young girls are the most enthusiastic
ones to participate on this day.Most of
the ceremonies and rituals are conducted
by young girls.
• In some places, the festival is
celebrated as carnival the celebration
goes on for a month.
• The term ‘Dei’ refers to a ceremonial
pudding which is the key food in this
festival that is made from jaggery. White
flour and curd are also offered to
everyone.
• It is the festival associated with
tradition and nature .
• It is also known as ‘Ghogha’, ‘Phool
Sankranti’, ‘Phoolari parv’ or ‘Phulyaar’
etc names.
 WHEN IT IS CELEBRATED
• Phooldei is celebrated on the first day of
the hindu month’Chaitra’,on the day of
Chaitra month Sankranti.Falls in Mid March.
• In some areas of Garhwal region phool dei
is a 8 day long festival whereas in some
places it is celebrated as a carnival and
celebration goes on for a month.
• In the month of Chaitra on the arrival of
spring across the hills
'Burans‘,’fyunli’,Kingad,Hissar,Lai,Basing
etc flower blossom.
• Thus phooldei is celebrated to express
happiness and joy on the arrival of spring in
the month of Chaitra across the
Uttarakhand.
 BELIEF

• There is a recognizance regarding this

regional festival that the daughter of
Himalaya Goddess Parvati worshipped lord
Shiva for twelve springs with different kind
of flowers to obtain him as her husband.
• It is believed that on this auspicious day of
Sankranti of Chaitra month Lord Shiva
accepted Goddess parvati as his wife.
• Hence the Sankranti of Chaitra month is
enthusiastically celebrated as phool
Sankranti or phool Dei.
• The new year of Indian culture also begins
on this day.
• In the Kailash of Shiva we find first
description of the worship and importance of
the flower during the Satyuga. It is
mentioned in the Puranas that Shiva was
absorbed in his penance in the cold period,
many seasons changed many years passed
but Shiva’s penance did not break.
• As many years passed in the world, Shiva's
sleep became unnatural.
• Not only Maa Parvati, but Nandi and other
Shiva Gana‘s also get worried.
• After all, Maa Parvati figured out the trick. In
Kailash, due to the flowering of yellow
flowers of Fyuonli for the first time, all the
Shiva ganas were dressed in Pitambari Jama
and goddess Parvati gave them the form of
innocent children. Then she asked everyone
to choose such flowers from the Devakyaris
whose fragrance could spread into the whole
Kailash. Everyone followed her instructions
and the flowers were first offered to the
Tandraline Mudra of Shiva which was called
Phuldei.
• Together, all of them started
apologizing to Adidev
Mahadev for interrupting his
austerities - Fuldei Kshama
Dei, bhar bhankaar , aaye
tere dwar Maharaj! Listening
to the children Shiva opened
his eyes , anger of Shiva
subsided and they too joined
in this festival. Since then,
Phuldei festival was
celebrated with great
enthusiasm in the hills.
 HOW IT IS CELEBRATED
• On the last days of Falgun month Ringal (bamboo
grow in hills) craftman went across the the villages
to sell hard woven 'Hathkandi/Phoolkandi’ and small
baskets.People buy these on this day.
• On the last day of falgun month, all the children and
young girls of the village go towards the forests and
from there collect different types of wild flowers like
Fiyonli, Burans, Bassing, Silphora, Kunj, Mustard,
Rose and Kachnar,Layyian,Payyain,semal as well as
peach, apricot and poolum flowers etc in the bamboo
flower basket During the festivity, the young girls
pluck the first flowers of the season. Then they
sprinkle water in them and keep them outside.
• On the first day of Chaitra month children wake up
early in the morning Children spread flowers on the
doorstep and inside the house Singing phooldei song
“Dal de,Chaul de,aaru ka phool,buranshka
phool”.Afterwards troupe of Children sit across
flowered doorstep in circle and sing in their regional
language
• “phool phool dei,badi badi pakwali
• Phool phool mai,Dal de Chaual de”
• children and women together ornate the lord
Ghogha Devta.Decorating fresh flowers, green
leaves, coconuts and rice brought from the
forest in a basket made of Ringal, worship the
Ghogha deity and the children singing the folk
songs of Phuldei, in turn, carrying the dhogha
deity's doli on their shoulders and dancing. Sing
the song:
• “Challa phoolari phoolon ko, sauda sauda phool
biraula bhauron ka jootha phool na todayaan,
mvaarayoon ka jootha phool na laayaan phul
phuladeee daal chaunl de, ghogha deva fyonla
phool, ghogha phuladeee kee dolee sajalee, gud
parsaad dai doodh bhatyool’’ .
• Singing the folk songs of Phuldei in one note,
these children create a happy atmosphere in
the whole village and the whole village wakes
up happily.
• To celebrate the Phool Dei Festival,
the children's troupe goes door-to-
door in the entire village with the doli
of the deity and the plate and flower
plate of the deity. Putting flowers,
rice and greenery at the door of every
house i.e. the main gate, all these
children offer their best wishes for
the happiness and prosperity of all
the houses.
• During this, another folk song is also
sung-
• Phuldei, Chamma dei Jatukai
dela ,utukai sahee dainee dvaar, bhar
bhakaar ye delee sa baarambaar
namaskaar, poojain dvaar
baarambaar, phoole dvaar….
These flowers put on Dehri are considered a
symbol of good fortune. The head of the
household and the women welcome the
children at home and bless them by offering
them rice, jaggery, cereal and some
money.These flowers put on Dehri are
considered a symbol of good fortune.
By listening their sweet song ladies bring
wheat, rice, kauni,jhangora etc cereals and
pour a handful of cereals into the basket of
children.
Number of baskets which are kept occurs
equal to the number of unmarried family
members.
Cow dung is applied on baskets and baskets
are decorated with white soil,pithai and
turmeric.
• In this way children went each and
every house in the village and
perform the ritual.Children receive
cereal which they grind .
• In this way the Phool Dei Festival
lasts for eight consecutive days. On
the eighth day, all the children gather
at one place and make pudding,
sweet rice, swale and other dishes
from rice, jaggery and lentils, etc.,
with the help of elders.
• This prasad is first offered to the
deity Ghogha and then distributed
among all the people. Along with the
children, the villagers also eat this
dish with great taste.
 SIGNIFICANCE OF PHOOL DEI
• Phooldei is a festival dedicated to nature.
• In these days of climate change and
global warming, such festivals connected
to the heart of nature have acquired new
significance and should be preserved and
cherished.
• The Phool Dei festival has a relation with
nature and people pray for rise in
agricultural output and general wellbeing
of their dear ones. “Badi’ community sings
songs for the well being of the families in
their villages. Married girls get gifts from
their parents. This tradition is known as
‘Bhitola’.