Ghughutiya Festival: Know All About This Traditional Celebration Of Makar Sankranti From Uttarakhand

The auspicious day of Makar Sankranti is filled with prosperity, growth, and change. This is the time when we say goodbye to the cold winter months and welcome the new season with warm open arms. Makar Sankranti is mostly celebrated in the northern region of India whereas the other regions celebrate this time as Pongal, Bihu, and Lohri. One such festival is the Ghughutiya festival which is the traditional celebration of Makar Sankranti mainly done in Uttarakhand. Read on to learn all about the Ghughutiya festival and how it is celebrated. 

What Is The Ghughutiya Festival? 

Ghughutiya is the traditional celebration of the harvest festival, Makar Sankranti. This festival is mainly celebrated in Uttarakhand and the festivities revolve around the different types of snacks made from the harvest. To celebrate Ghughutiya, the people of Uttarakhand celebrate by making Khichadi which is a simple Indian dish made with rice and pulses. Locals who head to the Uttarayani fairs are mostly involved in celebrating the festival of Ghughutiya which is also known as Kale Kauva which is a Hindi word meaning ‘black crow’.

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One of the most common ways in which people celebrate this festival is by making sweet treats out of jaggery, wheat and ghee. These sweets are shaped like knives and resemble a braided garland with an orange centre. Making these snacks is the main way to celebrate this festival and locals lay these sweet treats on the terrace and balconies for the crows to feed on.

How Is The Ghughutiya Festival Celebrated?

The Ghughutiya festival is celebrated in several different ways in multiple regions of Uttarakhand. Here is how the festival is celebrated in the different regions:

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• In the Johar region of Uttarakhand, Ghughutiya is celebrated on the eve of Makar Sankranti. It is celebrated by offering ancestors, ‘Jaang’ which is a type of alcohol.
• In the Dharchula region, the festival is celebrated by using wheatgrass coated with cow dung. Delicious dishes such as dat bhaat and puri are also prepared.
• During the Ghugutia celebration in Garhwal, people prepare a special food called Gholdiya, shaped like a deer. They also make a dish called Chunya with various grains, and it's known as Khichdi Tyar because Urad khichdi is offered to Brahmins. 
• In Kumaon, a special snack called Ghughut is made from flour and jaggery, which is deep-fried. Families hang these edible garlands to feed birds and celebrate the return of migratory birds.
• It is always beautiful to explore the diverse cultures all around this country. The Ghughutiya festival is also such a celebration that reminds us of the diversity in India. 

Image Credits: Freepik

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