Uttarakhand Mahakauthing festival: Noida stadium echoes with Pahadi tunes

On Christmas eve, the Noida sector 21 stadium reverberated with Pahadi music as the 13^th Uttarakhand Mahakauthing festival got its audience grooving.

The five-day festival, which culminated on Monday, included folk artists, singers and dance groups performing on the Pahadi songs. Women and children were seen dancing in circles to the folk music.

The food stalls at the festival drew a heavy footfall as they included Pahari delicacies like kandali ka saag, jhangora kheer and bhatwani among others.

An array of local products from Uttarakhand, such as pulses, grains, hill sweets and clothes, were also on display at the stalls for visitors to pick from.

The festival also had a lot to offer for those looking for organic products like honey, dry fruits, pickles and spices. Shamta and Sahayata Group was one such stall selling organic products at the festival.

“We are a women-led initiative. This is the biggest festival in Delhi-NCR. We have come here for the first time, but the response is good. People are interested in our products,” said Aditi Rao, one of the sellers at the stall.

The festival also witnessed non-pahadi crowds from Delhi-NCR who came to enjoy pahadi delicacies.

“I have come from Delhi with my friends to enjoy the pahadi food here. It is rare to find such authentic food in the city,” said Sanjay Sikhwal, an attendee at the festival.