Children migrate to cities for education, the festival of Dehli Pujan continued till the rituals were performed
Naini, Chaurgakha (Almora). Phooldei festival is celebrated in the mountainous region of Uttarakhand on the first day of Chaitra i.e. one August to welcome the spring season and the Hindu New Year. By the way, there are different legends in the mountain behind celebrating this festival. The festival will be celebrated on Wednesday. But there is no enthusiasm about the festival in the villages. There are no children in the villages. Most of the children have migrated to cities for studies.
Phooldei festival has special recognition in Uttarakhand. According to the Hindu calendar, Chaitra month is the first month of the Hindu New Year. This festival is especially celebrated by children. Along with singing folk songs, they go from house to house and shower flowers. On the day of Phooldei, small children choose flowers and offer them on the threshold of every house in the village. Special importance has been given to the flower of Pyoldi (Pyoli) on Phooldei. This flower is offered on this day. This flower is completed at this time. But nowadays all types of flowers are being plucked and offered on Phooldei.
After offering flowers, the children are given jaggery, rice or coins by that house. On the day of Phuldei, kheer is grinded in the morning and in the evening these chickpeas are made and distributed among the people.
Kishani Devi, 60, from Nailpad village, says, “In our time, children used to collect flowers three days in advance. We used to go far and wide from the village to fetch flowers. There were 20-25 children in the village. There was great joy together. Today, there are only a few children in Nailpad village. They all left the village and went to the city. How to celebrate festivals in the village. Who celebrates? I’ve heard everything.
