Gochi festival commences in Lahaul and Spiti

In spite of extreme weather conditions, people here celebrate their festivals with full vigour and Lahaul-Spiti has a tradition of celebrating the Gochi festival in the Valley.

Kullu:Lahaul Spiti is the largest district of Himachal based on the area where the geographical conditions are very difficult. During the winters the place witnesses snowfall to an extent that it gets cut off from the country for months, also earning the name of snow desert.

Even among the snow-covered mountains, people here celebrate their festivals with full vigour and Lahaul-Spiti has a tradition of celebrating the Gochi festival in the Valley.

The people of the valley still celebrate this unique festival with full pride and enthusiasm. In this festival, each arrow of the bow decides how many sons will be born here in the future.

The families that want a son to be born in pray to their ancestral gods. People dress up in their traditional refineries and the priest helps in carrying out the pooja.

Following the pooja, games are played where people interact and celebrate with each other. Gochi festival is being celebrated from February 4 to February 8 in the village of Pukar and will be celebrated with pomp on February 15 and 16 in Keylong.

On this occasion, Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Rai said that the valley receives a lot of tourists who are excited about the festival. The local public too welcome them warmly.