Kandali Festival

The Kandali Festival (Kandali Uttsav) is a unique celebration of Pithoragarh district linked to the blooming of the Kandali plant (Strobilanthes), which flowers once every 12 years. When the Kandali blooms in the high-altitude meadows around Pithoragarh and Munsiyari, it is considered an auspicious event. The festival features grand processions, traditional Kumaoni music and dance, Chholiya dance performances, mock sword fights, and community feasting. Local deities are carried in palanquins through the streets. The festival also highlights traditional crafts, weaving, and local cuisine of the border communities. It is a celebration of the unique biodiversity of the Kumaon Himalayas.