Harela is a major cultural and agricultural festival in Uttarakhand, considered a symbol of the arrival of monsoon and greenery. This festival is primarily celebrated on Karka Sankranti, the beginning of the Shravan month (Sawan) in July. People plant trees to protect the environment. The word Harela means “arrival of greenery,” which symbolizes the beginning of the sowing cycle and prosperity in agricultural regions. Nine days before this festival, five to seven types of grains, including barley, wheat, and maize, are sown in bowls or other utensils in homes. On the tenth day, the greenery is harvested and offered to the gods and goddesses. Elders place the greenery on the heads or ears of family members, blessing them with happiness, good health, and long life. According to traditional beliefs, this festival began with the marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. While Harela, celebrated in the month of Sawan, is also considered a symbol of the marriage of Shiva and Parvati, in many places, idols of Shiva, Parvati, and Kartikeya are made from clay and worshipped. In 2016, the Uttarakhand government and the Forest Department began celebrating this festival as Tree Planting Day across the state with public participation. On this day, shade-bearing and fruit-bearing trees are planted extensively in every school, college, government office, and village across the state. The Uttarakhand government has also declared this day a public holiday, and a message of environmental protection is also spread through large-scale tree planting throughout the state. Recently, a record was set for the festival, with over 800,000 trees planted in a single day. Additionally, the 2026 environmental campaign will be based on two main central and state-level concepts. The celebrations are being combined with major environmental conservation campaigns, such as the Prime Minister’s nationwide campaign “Ek Ped Maa Naam” and the Chief Minister’s “Celebrate Harela Festival, Repay the Debt to Mother Earth.” On July 16th, the Uttarakhand government is preparing to set a new record by planting over 500,000 trees in a single day across the state, announcing the planting of approximately 300,000 trees in the Garhwal region and 200,000 trees in the Kumaon region. Reports are also emerging that Uttarakhand communities living abroad will also celebrate this festival on a large scale in 2026. For example, the “Uttarakhand Organisation of New Zealand” is organizing a grand Harela Utsav 2026 in Auckland on July 18th, 2026, featuring performances of traditional Jhora and Chhapeli folk dances.
