Kandali Festival of the Rung Tribe: A Rare Cultural Celebration of Uttarakhand

Let us understand this festival in detail, its spiritual and cultural importance, and how it connects with the deep-rooted history of the Rung community.

🌿 What is the Kandali Festival?

Kandali Festival is a traditional ritual of the Rung (Shauka) community of Chaudans, Byans, and Darma valleys, which lies near the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Tibet border in eastern Kumaon. This festival is celebrated once every 12 years, based on the blooming cycle of the Kandali shrub (Strobilanthes wallichii), a plant that flowers only once in a twelve-year cycle.

The festival is a combination of folk rituals, ancestral worship, community celebration, and symbolic war dances, mostly led by the women of the community.

🌾 Where and When is it Celebrated?

In the region of Chaudans Valley, the festival was last celebrated in October 2023. Villages like Chandak, Sirkha, Rungling, Rungmo, and Duktu witnessed colourful processions, music, and traditional ceremonies.

This rare festival generally takes place in August to October, depending on the blooming of the Kandali shrub and community convenience.

🌿 The Kandali Plant: Sacred and Feared

The Kandali shrub is found in the high-altitude zones of Pithoragarh. It is a woody, thorny bush with purple-blue flowers that blooms once in twelve years. According to local belief, the plant is associated with bad luck and painful memories. It is uprooted and destroyed during the festival as a symbol of overcoming evil and hardship.

⛳️ Historical Legends Behind the Festival

The origin of the Kandali Festival is linked with ancient stories and tribal oral traditions. There are two major legends:

1. Tibetan Invasion Story

According to one story, invaders from Tibet once hid behind thick Kandali bushes to attack the Rung villages. The local women bravely took charge and, with sticks and farm tools, destroyed the bushes and drove the attackers away. The festival celebrates this victory of courage and unity.

2. Mother’s Curse

Another tale tells of a mother who lost her son after he ate the poisonous Kandali plant. In grief, she cursed the plant and vowed that it should be destroyed whenever it blooms.

Both stories highlight the emotional and historical depth of the festival.

🎉 How is the Kandali Festival Celebrated?

1. Community Procession

Men, women, and children gather in traditional Rung attire. A sacred procession begins from the temple of local deities. Women lead the way, holding wooden sticks, sickles, and iron rods. The mood is energetic, full of folk songs and chants.

2. Uprooting the Kandali Bush

When the group reaches the Kandali-growing areas, especially forest edges or river banks, the bush is hit, cut, and uprooted while the crowd chants warrior-like slogans.

3. Folk Dance and Song

After the ritual, everyone joins in traditional dance and music. A local song often sung during this time goes like this:

“Rangmo ki naari, dhol damau ke saath chali, Kandali ke jungle mein, vijay ki gatha boli.”

This means:

“The women of Rangmo, marched with drums and pride, In the forest of Kandali, they sang the story of victory.”

Instruments like dhol, damau, and hurka are played. Dancers form circles, and the celebration continues late into the night.

4. Traditional Feast

Delicious local dishes are prepared. Food made from mandua (finger millet), chilly chutney, and buckwheat rotis are common. It is also a time for families and relatives from different valleys to meet.

🕊️ Cultural and Spiritual Importance

This festival is not just about the plant or the legend. It reflects the power of women, tribal unity, defense of the homeland, and spiritual purification. The Kandali Festival brings the whole Rung society together, especially at a time when many tribal traditions are vanishing.

It also helps younger generations learn about their roots, oral history, and rituals. Elders share stories, songs, and prayers that are passed down from centuries.

🔹 My Earlier Article on Rung People

If you want to know more about the Rung tribe’s culture, food, and daily life, do read my previous detailed article: Rung People of Kumaon – Culture, Food & Traditions

In that article, I have shared many details about their unique way of life, including farming practices, trade with Tibet, traditional clothes, and local cuisines.

⛳️ Why Should You Experience It?

• It happens only once in 12 years

• You will see a true tribal celebration untouched by commercial tourism

• A chance to witness traditional songs, food, and dance of an ancient community

• Amazing opportunity for photography, cultural documentation, and storytelling

🌐 Final Thoughts

The Kandali Festival of the Rung tribe is more than a ritual; it is a living expression of Himalayan tribal identity. It is a story of bravery, remembrance, women empowerment, and unity with nature.

If you are a traveller, culture lover, or storyteller, this is one event you must witness in your lifetime. As we move ahead in modern times, such ancient traditions must be documented, celebrated, and preserved.

Let us celebrate not only the bloom of Kandali but also the spirit of the Rung community that continues to guard its roots in the high Himalayas.