Halda festival celebrated amid heavy snowfall in Ranglo Valley
Jagran correspondent, Keylong. New Year's Halda festival was celebrated with great pomp in Ranglo Valley of Lahaul-Spiti amid heavy snowfall. Villagers in traditional attire invoked the deities and offered the figure of a sheep made of butter to King Ghepan.
During this time, four types of Halda were taken out and Ghumati festival was also celebrated, in which special food was served to King Jidag and Balraja.
According to the information, Halda festival was celebrated with great pomp in Jungling, Ropsang, Gompathang, Shashin, Sissu, Yangling, Jagdang Nursery, Kewak, Shurtang, Chhokar, Chilthang and Teling villages of Ranglo Valley. All the villagers invoked the gods who had gone to the heavenly realms to inaugurate the festival. In this ritual, one man from each house, dressed in traditional attire, brought butter with him and collectively gave that butter in the shape of a sheep and offered it to King Ghepan.
It is called Markayumaz or Mardanza in the local language. All the men wore white turban and chadar and worshiped the favorite deities. At fixed time in the night, four types of Halda, Sad Halda, Jidag Halda, Mi Halda and Ramo Halda were taken out. After throwing the Halda, traditional delicious food was served in the tandoor to King Jidag first and then to Balraja in a bronze plate. After this, all the members of the house took food one by one.
The Ghumati festival celebrated on the eve of Halda in Sissu was celebrated at Yangling and Jagdang, the residence of Ghepan king. Earlier, Halda Utsav was celebrated at different places in Lahaul-Spiti. Recently, the holy festival was celebrated with great pomp in Gahar and Tinan valley also.
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