How Kinnaur celebrates Holi differently from the rest of the country?

Holi is a festival of colours, joy, and laughter. Kinnauris, during this time, believe in celebrating the festival of colours with great enthusiasm and like pros. Kinnaur’s Sangla Valley is the gateway to Spiti Valley and is dotted with majestic mountains, lush green valleys, and night skies that are insanely beautiful. This is a place where Hinduism and Buddhism both thrive beautifully, and the blend is a sight to behold, especially if you visit this region during Holi.

So, if you want to be a part of Kinnaur Holi celebration, you will need to reach the exact location, i.e., the Sangla Valley. Situated on the bank of River Baspa, it is surrounded by majestic Himalayas, and is famed for monuments and temples. During this festival of colours, the entire valley is lit with colours, and celebrates it as a part of Faguli festival, which is celebrated for four days. The festival of colours is celebrated on the third day of the festival.
The community gathers a night before Holi to perform rituals around a bonfire. Then, they distribute their special alcohol, called Phasur (local wine).

The festival commences at the temple where locals gather to offer prayers, chant, and sing folk songs. Here, people celebrate Holi only with dry colours.
Afterwards, men are selected to dress up as Ramayana characters, while some even go ahead to cross dress. They wear make-up, wigs, and colourful dresses to take part in the parade.

Meanwhile, women perform local dances in a circle. The energy here remains high during this time, and is the best time to be in this place.