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Harela and the Harela Mela at Bhimtal
Pale shoots grown indoors for ten days, tucked behind the ears as a blessing
Harela, “the day of green”, is the festival with which Kumaon in Uttarakhand greets the monsoon and the start of sowing, on Karka Sankranti in mid-July, the first day of the month of Shravan. At home it is a quiet family rite with shoots grown for ten days; in public it is a day of tree planting and, at Bhimtal near Nainital, a fair of about a week: 16–22 July 2027 (expected).
The Uttarakhand government lists Harela as a holiday on the day of the sankranti; the Nainital district administration and the organisers in Bhimtal announce the fair in early July.
The legend
Harela means the day of green: on the first day of Shravan, Kumaon greets the monsoon and the start of sowing with prayers for a good harvest.
The Bhimtal fair is over a hundred years old: it grew out of a market where traders from the plains brought grain and goods up into the hills.
Today Harela is also a day for nature: schools and families across Uttarakhand plant trees on it.
Customs
Ten days of sprouts
Ten days ahead the head of the family sows five or seven kinds of seed in a basket; on the day elders touch the shoots to the young ones' heads with a blessing.
Bhimtal fair
From 16 July Bhimtal holds a fair of several days on the Ramlila ground.
What people eat
Urad pakoras
Fritters of urad dal, a must at any festival in the hills.
What happens on Harela
About ten days before the festival the head of the household sows five or seven kinds of seed in a basket or pot and waters it. By the day the shoots are pale and tall. They are cut, some are offered to the family deity and the village temple, some are placed on the roof, and elders touch the shoots to the heads of the younger family members with a blessing. People visit relatives, and urad dal pakoras, fritters that no hill festival goes without, are fried at home.
The festival has a second, newer side. Schools, families and the state plant saplings across Uttarakhand on Harela, and the day is closely tied to the idea of saving the environment. The Uttarakhand government lists Harela as a public holiday on the day of the sankranti, which is why it falls on the 16th or the 17th of July depending on the year.
The household rite is private. For a visitor the public face of Harela is the tree planting and the fair at Bhimtal.
The Harela Mela at Bhimtal
Bhimtal holds its Harela fair on the Ramlila ground for about a week from 16 July, the traditional opening day. The fair is over a hundred years old: it grew out of a market where traders from plains towns such as Bareilly and Rampur brought grain and goods up into the hills, and it moved to the Ramlila ground from the town centre for lack of space. Today it is run by the town’s municipal body, with stalls and a programme over several days, and it has opened in the afternoon of the first day.
There is no single peak: the fair runs steadily through the week, and the Harela day itself matters most to families. A visit fits easily into a stay around Nainital. Bhimtal is a lake town of its own, at about 1,370 m, with a lake larger than Nainital’s and the 17th-century Bhimeshwar temple by the dam.
Getting to Bhimtal
Distances from the Nainital district administration.
- By train
Kathgodam railway station, the end of the line from the plains, is 22 km away.
- By air
Pantnagar airport is 58 km away.
- By road
Bhimtal is 22 km from Nainital, 11 km from Bhowali and 28 km from Haldwani; the bus and taxi stands are by the temple complex at the dam.
FAQ
What is the meaning of Harela?
Harela means “the day of green”. It marks the first day of Shravan, the onset of the monsoon and the start of sowing in Kumaon.
When is Harela?
On Karka Sankranti, the day the Sun enters Cancer, in mid-July; the Uttarakhand holiday list fixes the day. The Bhimtal Harela Mela: 16–22 July 2027 (expected).
What to do in Harela festival?
Families sow seeds ten days ahead and bless the young with the shoots on the day; across Uttarakhand people plant trees. Visitors can join a planting or spend a day at the Bhimtal fair.
Is Harela a harvest festival?
It is a seasonal farming festival, but of sowing rather than harvest: it greets the monsoon and the new growing season, with prayers for a good crop.
Where else is Harela celebrated?
Across Kumaon, including Almora, Nainital and Pithoragarh, and in parts of Garhwal and Himachal Pradesh, where it is known as Hariyali or Rihyali.
Sources (5)
Facts checked: 21 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.