Halda is a festival of lights celebrated in three valleys of Lahul on different dates at similar rituals and customs as fixed by the lamas according to their religious books. It is celebrated in magh poornima coincided with full moon. On this auspicious occasion, sticks made from Juniper tree are tied together into bundles and uses them as a torch. In the evening every household lit this torch and brings out in a common place of the village, and special ceremony is performed and offerings are paid to local deities and propitiated for prosperity and wellbeing of all the villagers. During the night four kinds of halda’s are brought out by villagers at particular places and on their return to houses they relish the traditional cuisines prepared and also sip the Arak and Chhang through out the night with dance and music.
Mohan Lal Relingpa
