Nahan (HP), Jan 10 (PTI) Boda Tyohar, the biggest annual festival of about three lakh Hatti tribes of the Trans-Giri region of Sirmaur district in Himachal Pradesh, began on Friday with traditional fervour.

The month-long festival, also called 'Magho ko Tyohar', has unique features and is divided into three mini-festivals.

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On the eve of ‘Posh Dwadashi' -- which fell on Friday this year -- "Bodhto" is celebrated and dishes like Pude, Bedoli, Patanday, Dhroti and Gudoli are cooked and offered to the deities.

On the next day, the festivity takes off in the ‘Sanjha Angan' -- a common courtyard owned by the ‘Siyana' or the head of the village.

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In many villages, the festival starts from the temple of ‘Kul Devtas' like Shirgul Maharaj, Bijat Maharaj, Mahasu Maharaj and Thari Devi as per centuries-old tradition.

This day is called "Bhatioj", said Neetu Chauhan, a researcher on Hattis' customs. On the day of Bhatioj, in the evening, after having dinner, all the villagers assemble in the courtyard with traditional musical instruments and then there is singing and dancing till the next morning.

Throughout the month, singing and dancing are held at every household and it goes on till the end of ‘Magha' month. This tradition symbolises the importance of women in Hatti culture, Chauhan said.

The next morning of "Bhatioj", all men rush to the places of their married sisters with 'Saje ka Duna' -- a gift of meat, gur and wheat flour. The sisters also visit their parental family as their share of meat is kept safe till they arrive as guests.

Married sisters also attend the singing and dancing in the village called 'Geet'. Many Hatti composers compose new songs to present in "Geet" functions.

On the eighth day, 'Khoda' festival is celebrated with great fanfare. Friends and relatives are invited as guests on the occasion.

After 'Khoda' ends, 'Boidoot' begins and continues till the end of Magha month. As per 'Boidoot' tradition every household invites a member of every family of the village and close relatives to have a dinner at their residence, at least once in a month, said Ram Rattan Tomar, a cultural activist of Aanj Bhoj area.

The Government of India, accepting a 56-year-old demand of the Hatti community, had declared them as a Scheduled Tribe on August 4, 2023.

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