Uttarkashi celebrates Selku festival to bid farewell to flowers before they wither away

The Selku festival is held before the onset of winter to bid farewell to the greenery before it withers away. Villagers pluck flowers throughout the night and offer those to the deity the next morning. Selku means 'who will sleep'.

Dehradun (Uttarakhand):People of Uttarakhand, the Himalayan state rich in natural heritage, worship nature like their gods and goddesses. One such festival to worship the nature is 'Selku' that is celebrated in Dayara Bugyal area during this time of the year.

Selku or the festival of bidding farewell to flowers is observed when winter is about to knock the state. In the next 10-15 days, all flowers will start withering away. In Taknaur and Nald-Kathur of Uttarkashi district, the occasion is celebrated in a unique manner to welcome the withering of greenery and beautiful flowers.

On Selku festival, flowers that are picked overnight are spread on a large puja cloth. In the morning, all the villagers greet nature by performing traditional folk dance around this sheet. The celebration of Selku festival marks the onset of winter.

This unique festival is celebrated in more than a dozen villages of Taknaur and Nald-Kathur of Uttarkashi. It is like welcoming the winter and saying goodbye to greenery. Gangotri MLA Suresh Chauhan was also present at the festival.

During the summers, flowers of various species start blooming in the valley and when monsoon arrives the entire area is wrapped up by beautiful gardens. But, after a month and a half, the flowers start drying up since its time for winter. The period in which the blooming valley turns flowerless is so fast that it appears as God's miracle.

Expressing their love and respect towards the nature, the people stay awake the whole night plucking flowers before they dry. Then, these flowers are offered to the deity of the village. 'Selku' means 'who will sleep'.

The festival begins from the night and continues till the next day. Along with the villagers, their married daughters from other villages also reach their parents' homes on this occasion. While offering the flowers to the deity, villagers tell Gods about their problems.