Uttarakhand’s folk festival Igas was celebrated with great pomp in a traditional manner at the residence of BJP MP and party’s national media chief Anil Baluni in New Delhi on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami along with many eminent personalities attended this folk festival. Anil Baluni, who is currently representing the Garhwal parliamentary seat of Uttarakhand, has been celebrating this folk festival with enthusiasm every year. This year a traditional program was organized on Igas festival at Baluni’s residence in New Delhi.
Many leaders including PM were present in the program
Apart from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP National President JP Nadda, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union Minister Anupriya Patel, Swami Avdheshanand, Baba Ramdev, Baba Bageshwar Dham, Swami Chidanand Muni Maharaj, Prasoon Joshi, senior officers posted in the Government of India of Uttarakhand origin and military officers of Uttarakhand origin were present in the program. In Uttarakhand, Diwali is celebrated as Bagwal. Whereas in Kumaon, Diwali is celebrated 11 days after that as Igas, i.e., old Diwali. On this day, sweet dishes are prepared in the morning. After worshipping the local deities at night, Bhaila, a kind of torch, is lit and rotated and folk dance is performed around the fire with drums.
This is the tradition
Igas is a folk festival of Uttarakhand. It is believed that after conquering Lanka, the news of Lord Rama returning to Ayodhya reached this mountainous region 11 days later, so this day is celebrated as Igas festival. On this occasion, along with preparing many dishes, there is a tradition of playing Bhailo in the evening.
This is also a belief
According to another belief, the brave Bhad Madho Singh Bhandari of Garhwal was the commander of the army of King Mahipati Shah of Tehri. About 400 years ago, the king sent Madho Singh with the army to fight with Tibet.
Meanwhile, there was the festival of Bagwal (Diwali), but no soldier could return till this festival. Everyone thought that Madho Singh and his soldiers were martyred in the war, so no one celebrated Diwali (Bagwal). But exactly on the 11th day of Diwali, Madho Singh Bhandari returned from Tibet with his soldiers after winning the Dawapaghat war. Diwali was celebrated in this joy.
