Harela

Harela is an important agricultural festival of Uttarakhand celebrated three times a year - in Chaitra, Shravan, and Ashwin. The Shravan Harela (July) is the most significant, coinciding with the onset of the monsoon. Nine days before the festival, seeds of seven grains (sapta-dhanya) are sown in leaf plates or small containers. On Harela day, the grown saplings are placed on the heads of family members as a blessing. The festival promotes environmental awareness and tree plantation. Government and community organizations organize large-scale tree plantation drives across the state. Harela was declared the state festival of Uttarakhand and is a public holiday.