Seraj Valley, Cultural tours & Expeditions
Fagli
Fagli is celebrated with great joy in the Seraj and Banjar valley and we as locals boast about this rich culture and traditions of ours. Paldi fagli of Banjar valley is the first in the series of this festival and it is celebrated on 14 and 15 January every year.
Since the festival is celebrated from the time immortal no, one knows the actual reason behind the celebrations but we came across the few villagers who told us the stories and history behind the festival which they have learnt from their ancestors. In context of Parkhol fagli it is generally believed that people of the village were afraid of the evil spirits roaming in and around the village and to get rid of these evil spirits people requested Lord Laxmi Narayana (avatar of Lord Vishnu) who is also the village deity to help them.The deity then aksed them to go to the jungle and make masks made of the trees of rhododendron. After that the deity told them to go around the village shamelessly by wearing those masks in strange attires and to shout cuss words to the evil spirits so that they can run away by watching them and shouting those words. This procession around the village is led by the bajantris and the villagers dance on their baja (drumming) and in the end it is the deity himself who goes around the village along with the procession.
Apart from that there is an old temple dedicated to Anant Balunag ji (the local deity of Chetthar valley) whom it is believed that he went from there to Balo which is the holy place of devta ji. There is also a vish ki bai ( a poison well) under a thali ( a place where devta ji seats ) in the vicinity of the village where people used to know whether someone is telling truth or not.
Picnic Spots in Seraj, Near Jibhi Specially For Off – Roaders
Seraj valley offers a whole host of religious places like Ropa pundrik rishi, Hadimba temple, Chunjwala top , Shatadhar, Shikari temple , Kamrunag, Bagsiad, and Janjehli where tourists can enjoy their getaway along with their family with pristine view of snow laden mountains. There are certain unseen places in Seraj valley that will certainly take your breath away with its spellbinding pristine beauty.
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Those who are fond of off-roading driving in particular. Needless to say, their driving experience would work like a charm. Roads of seraj are rather adventurous with full of surprises at every turn. Trekking in particular in Thachi valley could float your boat. So, make the most of the opportunity. This place would be nothing short of a paradise for homophile. It is safe to say that Seraj valley is a place for all seasons and all reasons.
Pahadi Food & Cuisine’s
Siddu, It is just a kind of bread made from what flour. To make siddu, you need to make a mixture of wheat, yeast, walnut or sesame. After kneaded wheat with yeast, allow the dough to rise at least for 4 to 5 hours or wait until it rises well, then steam. This looks like “Ghujia”, but far away in taste (sinceit’s salty) with each other. Normally, it is eaten with Desi Ghee and green chutney.
Dhaam, a local term for lunch/traditional feast prepared in Himachali style and served during ceremonies, provides an opportunity to be familiarized with the delicacies of the state.
It is a popular traditional feast prepared during marriages, local festivals and special occasions of Himachal. The ethnic food includes Rajmah madra, kadi, khatta, sepu badi, and so forth exhibiting a treasure of food heritage. The cuisine is developed keeping in mind the geographical and climatic conditions of the state along with the traditional methods under natural conditions mostly from the staple ingredients.
Gucchi, In Himachal Pradesh, guchhis are grown in dense deodar forests mainly in interiors of Shimla, Chamba, Kullu and Mandi districts. Since its trade is not regulated by the government, there is no estimation about its overall production.
Kafal, For the rest of India, summer might be mango season, but for the pahadis, summer means kafals. When the small berries are ready, they turn a dark red colour and taste sweet, tangy, and juicy. The climate in the hilly areas, especially in Nainital, Almora, and Ranikhet, is just right for Kafal to grow. Mangoes can’t grow in temperatures that are too low, and kafals can’t live in temperatures that are too high. This makes it hard to find both fruits in the same place at the same time. So, Kafal is the best fruit for pahadis to eat in the summer.
Walnut (Juglans sp.), This is the most important temperate nut fruit in the country. Walnuts in India are found in different size and shapes. The Indian walnuts are categorized into 4 categories viz., paper-shelled, thin-shelled, medium-shelled and hard-shelled. Walnuts flourishes at altitudes of 900 to 3000.
Walnut can be eaten as snacks or you can just chop them to use as sprinklers in salads, vegetable dishes, desserts, ice-cream, etc.
These walnuts are high in protein, fats, fibre, vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fats and contain higher amounts of antioxidants. Walnuts help to fight oxidative damage in the body, including damage due to “bad” LDL cholesterol.
“Ghee”, A type of clarified butter, originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is commonly used for cooking, as a traditional medicine, and for religious rituals. People in Himachal can’t serve any meal without ghee.
Healthy, crunchy snack of Himachali’s is patrodu. Green big leaves are used to make this dish mostly during the rainy season people enjoy their tea with this snack.
“Childe” Nutritious, 2 minute breakfast cuisine of himachal. One can make them salty or sweet, you need to take wheat flour or rice flour add some water to make a very thin flowy paste (add either sugar or salt as per taste )and pour this directly on to your pans. Enjoy this himachli recipe.
Art and Agriculture
Kullu Shawl is the type of shawl made in Kullu, India, featuring various geometrical patterns and bright colors. Originally, indigenous Kulivi people would weave plain shawls, but following the arrival of craftspeople from Bushahr in the early 1940s, the trend of more patterned shawls came to rise.[1]
Typical Kullu shawls have geometrical designs on both ends. The shawls may also have floral designs, which may run all over. Each design may have up to eight colours.
“Pule “- basically a pair of loafers made from hemp. It is 100% biodegradable and generally bright colors are used to make patterns over them. In himachal you can easily notice these shoes in households.
It is a handicraft most popular in upper reaches of Inner and Outer-Seraj in the Jalori and Bashleo pass regions. Pullans are grass shoes which are used as footwear. This footwear is made out of fibers procured from the bark of a wild bush, Bhang (Cannabis sativa Linn.). The upper portion of pullan is made of goat hair and is decorated with colourful designs using threads while the bottom of footwear is made of Bang fiber. These are available in different sizes and local people consider them as warm footwear.
Himachali topi : The glorious crown of Himachal Pradesh are now a recognized fashion logo in every hue. Colourful caps fascinate everyone at first instance.
The traditional yet stylish headgear has derived its name from the place of its origin. Locally, it is called as Kullu topi, Malana Topi, Kinnauri Topi, Bushehri Topi and is an important part of a local man’s attire/apparel/garments. Alike Kullu district, in some of the other districts also, cap is an important part of male’s and Female’s attire.
Wooden Craft: Himachal is the one of those areas in India where wood has played a significant role as a structural material. Pine, Cedrus deodara, walnut, horse chestnut and wild black mulberry are found in abundance in Himachal Pradesh. Places famous for woodcraft are Chamba, Tisza, Kalpa, Kinnaur district and Kullu. Village homes are constructed with carvings on doors, windows, balcony panels etc.
Himachal Metal Crafts: The metal craft of Himachal Pradesh stands exemplary as the antique metal statuettes are one of the most significant aspects in many temples of Himachal Pradesh. The statues of gods and goddesses also appear as ‘mohras’ or in metal plaques.
The metal crafts of Himachal Pradesh not only serve the religious purpose but they serve as utilitarian items also. As per the history, the metal craft in Himachal Pradesh grew because the courts of the Himachal kings had the craftsmen who were specialised in metal ware in the 600 AD.
Kath Kuni: The name Kath Kuni is derived from the Sanskrit words “Kashth” or “Kath” for wood and “Kona” for a corner. It is flexible with dry masonry. The alternate layers of wood beams are without any cementing material. So it gives the Kath Kuni structures their resilience.
This is demonstrated by the fact that many typical ancient forms have survived tectonic tremors. The stone plinth strengthens the superstructure. Which stands above the ground and shields it from snow and groundwater?
