Mangsir Bagwal

• 24 Nov 2025

Why in News?

Hilly villages in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand are celebrating Mangsir Bagwal, a post-Diwali folk festival rooted in agrarian rhythm and local history.

Key Points

• The festival of Mangsir Bawal is held in the lunar month of Mangsir (Margashirsha), about one month after Kartik Diwali, marking a delayed celebration of light in the hills.
• It honours the legendary return of Garhwali commander Madho Singh Bhandari, who arrived home victorious from battle against Tibetan forces after Diwali, prompting the community to light lamps and rejoice a month later.
• The timing coincides with end of the winter-harvest season in the hills, when farm work eases and villagers come together for communal feasting, music, and dance.
• Rituals include folk dances like Raso and Tandi, performances to traditional drums (dhol-damaun), and a unique rope ritual on the festival’s fourth day (‘Bhaand’) where local grass is woven into thick rope and coiled in the village square.
• The festival highlights agrarian-pastoral livelihoods of the Garhwal hills: the post-harvest lull gives space for social celebration, ritual purification, and preparation for the harsh winter months.
• It helps preserve folk arts, local dialects, field-rites, and intangible heritage  important in tribal and hill contexts facing urban migration and cultural erosion.

Madho Singh Bhandari

• Madho Singh Bhandari (17th century) was a famed Garhwali commander under the Kingdom of Garhwal, celebrated for his bravery and strategic skill.
• He is most widely remembered for constructing the historic Bhandari Khal Canal, an engineering feat in the mountainous terrain that supported irrigation and village agriculture.
• Folklore credits him with defending Garhwal’s borders against invading forces, making him a symbol of courage, sacrifice, and military prowess in Uttarakhand.