“Mole ri molaiye keri molaye, hato gaunbe kotiyon debi durga mayi” many of you reading this have already danced to this super hit Himachali song that has been the soundtrack of many weddings or other celebrations that you have attended. Correct? For some who’re getting confused here- It is a folk song of Himachal ‘Harul 2020’. Do check it out on Youtube. We’re sure listening to it will subconsciously lift your hands up and will make you bust a groove. Why are we talking about this now? Because it’s one of those songs that is sung during Himachal’s Budhi Diwali.
Did you know we Himachalis celebrate two Diwali’s in a year? And the second Diwali is coming very soon. So get ready with your Nati attires for a traditional bash, #NotYourRegularDiwali.
The festival we’re talking about is Himachal’s “Budhi Diwali”. The villagers of Himachal are set to celebrate its age-old tradition after one month of widely celebrated Diwali. The celebration continues for 4-5 days.
Budhi Diwali is one of the uniqueness of Himachal Pradesh that we’re proud of. Long story short, yes it’s yet another reason for the villagers to unite and have a feast. And don’t get confused with the nomenclature, it has a direct correlation with mainstream Diwali apart from the fact it is celebrated exactly one month after. Also, Budhi Diwali isn’t a recent phenomenon, it has a deep cultural route.
So What’s the Historical Reference Budhi Diwali?
Now you might be wondering why Budhi Diwali is celebrated exactly one month after Diwali? The places in Himachal Pradesh where this festival is celebrated are remotely located even in today’s age. Some say back in the time of Ramrajya when Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya, the news took one month to arrive at these places of Himachal. While some say, people were glad to hear the news however their agricultural works stopped them to celebrate the news at that time. So, they decided to celebrate it right after one month when they were free of their groundwork. To celebrate the same they lit up torches of deodar and pine wood.
Hence, this one month delay of celebration of Diwali was sustained culturally with a distinct name.
Where is it Celebrated?
As you might have guessed, Buddhi Diwali is celebrated in distinct pockets of the state like in Chopal (Shimla), Anni and Nirmand (Kullu), Nagheta, Shillai, Sangrah and Rajgarh (Sirmaur). In the region of Sirmaur, the festival is called Manshaari, in the less moderate zones across the Giri (the biggest river in the district).
The story behind it in the Nirmand region of Kullu is that the locals remember and celebrate the death of Dano and Asur, also known as the Lord of Snakes. According to a belief, the very next day hardly any snakes can be seen the following day. At night in front of bonfires, people dance and sing folklore related to the epic Mahabharata. According to the practice, residents take animals to a nearby temple where the conciliatory function is performed on ‘Amavasya’. In order to appease the deities, the cut-off head is then presented to the divinities and the meat taken home to cook. However, later the residents shunned the animal penance and started offering coconuts instead. Individuals dance during the daytime framing a long chain with an enormous rope as a part of the traditional custom. Outsiders are not permitted to take part in the dance.
In Karsog of Mandi, cinder dancing is performed and temple priests perform the ceremonies of strolling over ashes to honour the local deity. Additionally, it is said that when the processions start, a person from the crowd will go unconscious and will not regain consciousness until the celebration has ended.
Nagheta, a small village in Sirmaur located 5-6 hours from the state capital ‘Shimla’, also celebrates Budhi Diwali. Individuals from different villages gather in the night to start the celebration with Dhol and Nagadas with incredible energy and dedication. After that, cultural events, folk dances, and a wide range of other activities are staged during the day. There is always a shortcut to the celebration, and dancing is one of them. In Himachal, no celebration would be complete without dancing to some traditional songs. Following that people here dance to Virah songs, Bhayuri, Rasa, Natis and Swang (folk dances). Men and women move in a circle, singing traditional songs, without stopping for quite a while. Fun and bliss are the only words to describe the vibe in the town. Some villages also have a tradition of dancing Badhechu at this festival. Budiat dances are also performed at midnight in many places. Dry dishes such as Mora, Chidwa, Shakuli, and Akhrot are distributed as a way of congratulating each other.
A Folklore From a Village in Shimla
It is only 50 kilometers from Shimla to the Village of Panjiyali in Khatnol Panchayat where Budhi Diwali is celebrated. The Bathelnu Devta (LOCAL DEITY) Temple is decorated on the day of the festival, and the celebration continues for several days around the shrine. This festival has been celebrated for 200 years.
Bathelnu arrived here some 200 years ago when he was resting with Kalu Naag at Pargana Chadhara in Jadon, near the realm of Dharampur. The people of Bhaji state used to visit the place to worship the Devta. After they had a fight with the people living nearby, they lifted the Devta from that particular place.
While they were bringing it they lost it close to Bandinaag. Their words of apprehension were then heard by the prince of Bhajji State. The Prince, who could be Balbhadra Chand or Prithvi Chand in 1740, then ordered the folks to find the Devta. On their expedition, they came across a cow milking a plant of Bathua (Chenopodium collection or goosefoot) every day. They shoved the spot and a round stone was found underneath. They got it to the current spot Panjiyali and began worshipping it. They named it Bathelnu as it was found under a Bathua plant.
From then Bathelnu is worshipped in Panjiyali as a form of Lord Shiva. People sing a short record of the Ramayana in the Pahari language. Thousands of Gaisar are thrown in the air as the afternoon turns to night. Gaisar are bits of Chil (Pine) tree that have been scorched and discarded.
What’s the evil side? Mostly in the Upper parts of Himachal a function or say a celebration is incomplete without sacrificing an animal (mostly goats) to the deity. The same used to happen here in the past but today the animal penance in Panjiyali is banned (since around 1993). The celebration additionally has a more splendid side; that day people clean their homes and buy goods worth their usage.
Emblematically, Budhi Diwali is a celebration of unity, of spending time with your family, and meeting with your precious ones. Every year individuals who are believers meet up and celebrate the festival with great enthusiasm. It’s so beautiful to see how people still believe in what their ancestors told them. Truly, copying our ancestors is one of the purest things we can do. This celebration is an instance of saving cultural heritage that has kept alive its particular essence and flavour since the times of yesteryear.
Light is, without a doubt, something that you cannot separate from the festival of Budhi Diwali. No matter where we come from, for us Diwali will always revolve around the magic of light and happiness.
Happy Budhi Diwali!