‘Buddhi Diwali’ ends with cultural night

Tribune News Service

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Mandi, November 28

The traditional “Buddhi Diwali” festival, which started on November 26, concluded today with cultural night at Nirmand village in Kullu.

Across India, Diwali was celebrated on October 27, while villagers of Nirmand celebrate the age-old tradition after one month of Diwali. The three-day festival began on November 26.

During the festival, people dance and sing folklore related to the epic Mahabharata through the night in front of bonfires. The celebrations begin on the first ‘amavasya’, or new moon of the lunar half after the regular Diwali every year.

Ramesh, a native of Nirmand village, said the festival was celebrated to commemorate the killings of demons Dano and Asur, who resided there in the form of snakes.

As per tradition, villagers took animals to a nearby temple where the sacrificial ceremony was performed on ‘amavasya’. The severed head was offered to the deities and the meat was taken home for cooking but after the directions of the High Court, villagers shunned the animal sacrifice and offered coconut to appease the deity.

Joginder Shukla, another resident, said, “According to the ritual, people dance during the daytime forming a long chain with a huge rope. Outsiders are not allowed to take part in the activity”. Villagers make pahadi cuisines along with mooda (mixture of wheat grains and bhang).

During the three-day event, cultural nights were organised to give chance to local singers to display their talent.

Buddhi Diwali is celebrated in Anni and Nirmand areas of Kullu, Shillai, Sangrah and Rajgarh of Sirmaur and Chopal of Shimla district.