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About Ghee Sankranti

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About Ghee Sankranti

Ghee Sankranti, called Ghee Tyar or Olgia in Kumaon and Ghee Sangrand in Garhwal, is the harvest festival of Uttarakhand. It falls on the first day of the month of Bhado, in mid August, when the fields are green with the new crops of the monsoon.

On this day every family eats ghee. An old saying in the hills goes that anyone who skips ghee on Ghee Sankranti will be born as a snail, so even small children get a spoon of it. Elders also touch a little ghee on the heads of children and wish them a long, strong life.

The kitchen makes bedu roti stuffed with ground urad dal, eaten hot with ghee, along with pinalu leaf gaabe, fresh cucumber, maize, curd and kheer. The first fruits and vegetables of the season are offered to the family gods.

Olgia means gift. In old times farmers and craftsmen brought fresh produce, ghee and tools to the elders of the village, and married daughters received gifts from home. Today families still share ghee, curd and the first crops with neighbours and relatives.

How people celebrate Ghee Sankranti

  • Eating ghee with every meal
  • Ghee touched on children's heads
  • Bedu roti stuffed with urad dal
  • Pinalu leaf gaabe and kheer
  • First crops offered to the family gods
  • Olgia gifts of ghee, curd and fresh produce

How to wish well

  • A wish about fresh ghee, green fields and good health suits Ghee Sankranti.
  • The snail saying is a fun line for friends and family from the hills.
  • Pahadi friends living away from home will love a wish that brings back the taste of bedu roti.
  • For colleagues and customers, a simple wish for a rich harvest and good health works well.

Questions about Ghee Sankranti

When is Ghee Sankranti?

On the first day of the solar month of Bhado, when the Sun enters Simha (Leo), on 16 or 17 August. The date for each year is shown on this page.

Why is ghee eaten on Ghee Sankranti?

Ghee stands for health and plenty. The day thanks nature for the new crops, and eating ghee is believed to give strength for the year.

What is the snail saying of Ghee Sankranti?

An old saying in the hills goes that anyone who does not eat ghee on this day will be born as a snail. It is said with a smile, so everyone eats a little.

What is Olgia?

Olgia means gift. Farmers and craftsmen once gave fresh produce and tools to the village elders, and families still share ghee, curd and new crops on this day.

What food is made on Ghee Sankranti?

Bedu roti stuffed with urad dal, pinalu leaf gaabe, kheer, fresh cucumber and maize, all with plenty of ghee.

Where is Ghee Sankranti celebrated?

Across Uttarakhand, in both Kumaon and Garhwal, and by Pahadi families in other parts of India.

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