The tourists got a unique chance to witness a festival like La Tomatina, at a high altitude pasture in the Indian Himalayas on Thursday. No tomatoes like the Spanish festival, the Raithal villagers in Uttarkashi use milk products to play a unique Holi at an altitude of 3,048 meters. It is a once in a lifetime experience for the tourists to play Holi with butter, milk and Chacch (buttermilk) in a picture postcard like lush green setting.

The visitors woke up in the morning, with a cool breeze flowing and the sound of the traditional drums echoing in the valley. As the day progressed local people and tourists gathered at a point in the meadow where a Dahi Handi was placed on a pole. After breaking the clay pot filled with curd and butter, a new game started in the meadow with the people smearing butter on each other and splashing butter milk with Pichkari (water gun). The butter smeared faces of villagers/ tourists and hill women presenting a group dance (Raso) made the event unforgettable.

Manoj Rana, president of the Dayara Paryatan Utsav Samiti, said, “It is our traditional festival and we are happy that the Butter Festival is now reorganised worldwide for its uniqueness.”

To reach Dayara Bugyal one has to trek 7 kms from base village Raithal. People with normal fitness cover the distance in about three hours. The visitors get an opportunity to see the Channis (temporary huts or dwelling place) of the villagers at Dayara. The guests learned about the village economy linked with animal husbandry.

The festival is associated with the practice of villagers moving to higher altitudes during summer. For four long months they stay away from their villages and dwell in pastures with their domestic animals. As winter approaches, it is time for the locals to bid adieu and return with their livestock to their native village Raithal. To celebrate the occasion the villagers play Holy with milk products. This time over one hundred tourists and a large number of local people participated in the Butter Festival. The Uttarakhand High Court had issued strict guidelines to keep the tourist number limited. The use to load speakers was barred and entry of only two hundred tourists was permitted.

Local resident Pankaj Kushwaha said, “Many times heavy rainfall plays spoilsport in the Butter Festival celebration, this time a clear weather prevailed and we had a memorable time at Dayara Bugyal.” Many claim that Anduri Utsav is celebrated to thank Lord Krishna for protecting the cattle from the evil forces while they were grazing in the open meadows. It is also celebrated to mark the occasion of Lord Krishna’s lifting the Govardhan Pravat to crush the ego of Indra (the rain God).

The Butter Festival has put the spotlight on remote village Raithal in district Uttarkashi. In the past Raithal village was a vital stopover for excursion teams and pilgrims heading for Gangotri and Gaumukh. The pilgrims and explorers used to move on foot from Mussoorie and Raithal was used as a major logistic centre- for supply of essential items and collies. After the development of a motorable road to Gangotri, the alignment has changed and now the national highway is passing 10 kilometers below Raithal (at Bhatwari).

For adventure and nature lovers, Raithal is a familiar destination. Due to growing tourism activities, a large number of home stay facilities have started operation in the village.

The village boasts of a good record of hospitality. British soldier and author Thomas Skinner was stunned with the love of the Raithal village people during his expedition to Gangotri in 1832. He termed Raithal as the best village he had seen in the mountains, Skinner enjoyed the attention he got from the villagers.

Writing about the experience in his 1832 published book, Excursions in India, the British officer says, “We encamped close to the porch of the temple, where most of the natives have assembled to gaze upon us. The women, too, have ventured to gratify their curiosity more than they have elsewhere done: and, making their hospitality an excuse have brought milk and fruit to us; and, having presented it, sit down in groups about us, with silent wonder, observing all our motions.”

A traditional festival from Raithal has now become a major tourist attraction. The beauty of the Dayara Bugyal and fervour of the Butter Festival makes it a special event. Providing lifelong cherishing memories to the visitors!

Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.

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