Bagwaal: Garhwali Diwali

livinhimalayas · Oct 24th, 2009, 19:19

A month after rest of India celebrates Diwali - the festival of lights, Garhwal celebrates its own special Diwali. Legend goes that there were two legendary warriors who after winning a war and chasing away the enemy wanted to return back home to Garhwal for Diwali, but couldn't do so in time, so the King decided to honour their valour by announcing that the day they step within the boundaries of Garhwal, will be the day when entire Garhwal will celebrate Diwali. They stepped within the boundaries of Garhwal, a month after Diwali and that was the day that Garhwal celebrated the return of its warriors by celebrating Bagwaal.
During bagwaal celebrations, a large bonfire is lit up in the village square. People gather around carrying 'Bhelu' - which are small bundles of wood tied at the end of a long rope. The Bhelu are lit from the fire of the Bonfire and then people dance around to the beats of drums and pipes, swinging the burning bhelu around them. The singing dancing and bhelu dance goes on till late in the night.
This year Bagwaal is being celebrated on 16 or 17th of November. In uttarkashi, we generally have a large celebration in the Ramlila ground where everyone joins in for the bhelu dance.
Normally we also have a Garhwal food festival around that time too where one can get a taste of Garhwali Cuisine.
If anyone is interested in joining in the celebrations, you can come to Uttarkashi and celebrate with us.

tilak2909 · Oct 24th, 2009, 19:34

thanks livin for this wonderful piece of info

bks · Oct 24th, 2009, 20:06

thanks for the info
i am planning to visit uttarkashi and will try to be there on 16th

cityMONK · Oct 24th, 2009, 23:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by livinhimalayas

A month after rest of India celebrates Diwali - the festival of lights, Garhwal celebrates its own special Diwali. Legend goes that there were two legendary warriors who after winning a war and chasing away the enemy wanted to return back home to Garhwal for Diwali, but couldn't do so in time, so the King decided to honour their valour by announcing that the day they step within the boundaries of Garhwal, will be the day when entire Garhwal will celebrate Diwali. They stepped within the boundaries of Garhwal, a month after Diwali and that was the day that Garhwal celebrated the return of its warriors by celebrating Bagwaal.
During bagwaal celebrations, a large bonfire is lit up in the village square. People gather around carrying 'Bhelu' - which are small bundles of wood tied at the end of a long rope. The Bhelu are lit from the fire of the Bonfire and then people dance around to the beats of drums and pipes, swinging the burning bhelu around them. The singing dancing and bhelu dance goes on till late in the night.
This year Bagwaal is being celebrated on 16 or 17th of November. In uttarkashi, we generally have a large celebration in the Ramlila ground where everyone joins in for the bhelu dance.
Normally we also have a Garhwal food festival around that time too where one can get a taste of Garhwali Cuisine.
If anyone is interested in joining in the celebrations, you can come to Uttarkashi and celebrate with us.

Let us see, sent some details regarding weather to be expected and any possiblity of landslides/blockeges on highway at this time of season.

Aupmanyav · Oct 24th, 2009, 23:32

I hope I would not get 'saag' (greeen leafy veg) with rice. I am a roti (wheat bread), alu (potato) person. If it has to be saag and rice, then let it be kashmiri cuisine, sachel, haak, muddi.

livinhimalayas · Oct 24th, 2009, 23:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by cityMONK

Let us see, sent some details regarding weather to be expected and any possiblity of landslides/blockeges on highway at this time of season.

No fear of landslides and blockages, the Uttarkashi - Rishi route rarily ever closes due to landslides even during monsoons, this time of the year the possibility is even less.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aupmanyav

I hope I would not get 'saag' (greeen leafy veg) with rice. I am a roti (wheat bread), alu (potato) person. If it has to be saag and rice, then let it be kashmiri cuisine, sachel, haak, muddi.

Though the Garhwalis like their Bhaat (rice), they eat rotis too so you can have both, not too sure whether Aloo will be there or not, but definitely other veggies will be there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bks

thanks for the info
i am planning to visit uttarkashi and will try to be there on 16th

Oh good it would be nice if you could join in.

jituyadav · Oct 24th, 2009, 23:50

CM You don’t need to quote the original post... and you are an enigma, it is confirmed. Why surprise as you were the one who gave this idea to LH in the first place and to whom did to ‘sent’ the details or you were asking LH to send the details? Why the worry about landslides/blockages when it is way past the rainy season which in any case should not be any issue?? Your favourite emoticon (

)is contagious so I will stick to just reading your posts..

LH, good information and would have loved to be there but as you know, am stuck with something imp. Damn!

livinhimalayas · Oct 24th, 2009, 23:54

Oh double damn then, I was hoping to entice you into a visit with the trump card but you seem to be one up on me Jitu Bhai

cityMONK · Oct 24th, 2009, 23:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aupmanyav

I hope I would not get 'saag' (greeen leafy veg) with rice. I am a roti (wheat bread), alu (potato) person. If it has to be saag and rice, then let it be kashmiri cuisine, sachel, haak, muddi.

Let us put together a food stall in carnival ground serving kashmiri and frontier's roasted and pukht delicacies.

LIHA can throw some light on this aspect, if there would be any takers for these.

jituyadav · Oct 25th, 2009, 00:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by livinhimalayas

Oh double damn then, I was hoping to entice you into a visit with the trump card but you seem to be one up on me Jitu Bhai

Believe me, my 'damn' has come from the heart and this opportunity will make me keep on trying for visit till the last moment.

Aupmanyav · Oct 25th, 2009, 00:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by cityMONK

Let us put together a food stall in carnival ground serving kashmiri and frontier's roasted and pukht delicacies.

My wife's dum aloos, khatte (tangi) brinjals, khatte yam (zaminkand), etc. are just heavenly. They could easily be a craze.

livinhimalayas · Oct 25th, 2009, 00:40

Guys Guys, before yo ubecome too enthusiastic about all this, remember this is garhwali food not Kashmiri food festival

. Actually the Bagwaal and the food festival will be held on different dates. I will let you know the final dates in a day or two when everything has been decided.

cityMONK · Oct 25th, 2009, 01:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aupmanyav

My wife's dum aloos, khatte (tangi) brinjals, khatte yam (zaminkand), etc. are just heavenly. They could easily be a craze.

Let limha inform food festival dates, i can contribute by Pahari Urad Dal cooked overnight on slow charcol fire and Simple White kabuli channa again cooked overnight on dying heat of tandoor.If non veg is allowed then Roganjosh (kashmiri),Roasted tender leg of Lamb, Mutton kalimirch and lemon chicken.Along with breads of your choice.

bks · Oct 25th, 2009, 13:28

many thanks livinhimalayas.
i will be rishikesh on 27th then visit badrinath then panch badri and will take it up from there

livinhimalayas · Oct 26th, 2009, 00:11

Oh great, would be nice to have some IMers here.

Oct 24th, 2009, 19:19	#1
livinhimalayas still learning Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: The Abode of Snow Posts: 3,342	Bagwaal: Garhwali Diwali A month after rest of India celebrates Diwali - the festival of lights, Garhwal celebrates its own special Diwali. Legend goes that there were two legendary warriors who after winning a war and chasing away the enemy wanted to return back home to Garhwal for Diwali, but couldn't do so in time, so the King decided to honour their valour by announcing that the day they step within the boundaries of Garhwal, will be the day when entire Garhwal will celebrate Diwali. They stepped within the boundaries of Garhwal, a month after Diwali and that was the day that Garhwal celebrated the return of its warriors by celebrating Bagwaal. During bagwaal celebrations, a large bonfire is lit up in the village square. People gather around carrying 'Bhelu' - which are small bundles of wood tied at the end of a long rope. The Bhelu are lit from the fire of the Bonfire and then people dance around to the beats of drums and pipes, swinging the burning bhelu around them. The singing dancing and bhelu dance goes on till late in the night. This year Bagwaal is being celebrated on 16 or 17th of November. In uttarkashi, we generally have a large celebration in the Ramlila ground where everyone joins in for the bhelu dance. Normally we also have a Garhwal food festival around that time too where one can get a taste of Garhwali Cuisine. If anyone is interested in joining in the celebrations, you can come to Uttarkashi and celebrate with us. __________________ He that would live in peace and at ease must not speak all he knows or all he sees. - Benjamin Franklin

Oct 24th, 2009, 19:34	#2
tilak2909 Where Eagles Dare Join Date: May 2009 Location: delhi Posts: 866	thanks livin for this wonderful piece of info __________________ _______________________ A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. lao tzu TRAVEL HARD OR STAY AT HOME ________________________ http://delhibullriders.co.in http://picasaweb.google.com/tilkusoni http://picasaweb.google.com/delhibul...s/LadakhPart2#

Oct 24th, 2009, 23:50	#7
jituyadav Humble servant of the self Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Delhi Posts: 613	CM You don’t need to quote the original post... and you are an enigma, it is confirmed. Why surprise as you were the one who gave this idea to LH in the first place and to whom did to ‘sent’ the details or you were asking LH to send the details? Why the worry about landslides/blockages when it is way past the rainy season which in any case should not be any issue?? Your favourite emoticon ( )is contagious so I will stick to just reading your posts.. LH, good information and would have loved to be there but as you know, am stuck with something imp. Damn! __________________ I started with nothing and I still have most of it!

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Oct 24th, 2009, 20:06	#3
bks Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: mumbai, india Posts: 30	thanks for the info i am planning to visit uttarkashi and will try to be there on 16th

Oct 24th, 2009, 23:32	#5
Aupmanyav Search, be your own guru Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 608	I hope I would not get 'saag' (greeen leafy veg) with rice. I am a roti (wheat bread), alu (potato) person. If it has to be saag and rice, then let it be kashmiri cuisine, sachel, haak, muddi.

Oct 24th, 2009, 23:54	#8
livinhimalayas still learning Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: The Abode of Snow Posts: 3,342	Oh double damn then, I was hoping to entice you into a visit with the trump card but you seem to be one up on me Jitu Bhai

Oct 25th, 2009, 00:40	#12
livinhimalayas still learning Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: The Abode of Snow Posts: 3,342	Guys Guys, before yo ubecome too enthusiastic about all this, remember this is garhwali food not Kashmiri food festival . Actually the Bagwaal and the food festival will be held on different dates. I will let you know the final dates in a day or two when everything has been decided.

Oct 25th, 2009, 13:28	#14
bks Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: mumbai, india Posts: 30	many thanks livinhimalayas. i will be rishikesh on 27th then visit badrinath then panch badri and will take it up from there

Oct 26th, 2009, 00:11	#15
livinhimalayas still learning Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: The Abode of Snow Posts: 3,342	Oh great, would be nice to have some IMers here.