By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 15 July: Minister Satpal Maharaj has wished all the people of the state on the folk festival ‘Harela‘.
Maharaj said that the folk festival ‘Harela‘ celebrated in Uttarakhand is a message of the arrival of Sawan. Behind this festival is the wish for flourishing crops, blessings of prosperity, blessings of the elders. He said that on Harela, the state government has decided to plant trees on a large scale across the state. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the tree plantation campaign to be held on Harela festival should be taken as a mass movement.
Culture Minister said Harela symbolizes the beginning of the crop season in the month of Chaitra. While in Shravan month it is celebrated as a symbol of greenery and prosperity and in Ashwin month it is celebrated as a symbol of the arrival of winter. On the day of Harela, people sow seeds of five to seven types of grains in a small pot or basket and worship them for nine days. On the tenth day, they harvest the sprouted grains and wear them as a symbol of good luck and prosperity.
People also worship Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati on this day, he said. It is considered an auspicious day for farmers, as it is the day when they start the sowing cycle in their fields.
