Kandali Festival

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Kandali Festival is a festival held by the Bhotiya tribe of the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand state in India. This festival coincides with the blooming of the Kandali plant, which flowers once every twelve years. It is held in the Chaudas Valley between August and October. It celebrates the defeat of Zorawar Singh's army, which attacked this area from Ladakh in 1841. The women go out in procession in their traditional attire to destroy the Kandali plants, where the soldiers were hidden. The demoralised army returned along the Kali River, looting the villages on the way. The women resisted them and this is re-enacted to this day. The festival includes dancing, feasting and partaking in the local brew 'Chakti'. Kandali last bloomed in 1999 and next festival will be held in 2011.