Egaas - Diwali of Uttarakhand

Egaas (also written as Igas) is a unique Garhwali festival celebrated eleven days after Diwali. Legend says that news of Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya reached the remote mountain villages of Uttarakhand eleven days late, so the celebrations were delayed. On Egaas, people light bonfires called "Bhailya" in their fields and courtyards. Effigies made of straw and grass are burned. Traditional Garhwali folk songs and dances, especially the Chaufula and Thandya, are performed around the bonfire. Special dishes like baadi (lentil cakes) and singal (colocasia leaf rolls) are prepared. The festival is a beautiful expression of Garhwali culture and community bonding.