Uttarayani Kauthig 2021: Uttarakhand's folk dances on the Gomti bank in Lucknow
Every January, a slice of the Uttarakhand hills arrives on the banks of the Gomti in Lucknow. The Uttarayani Kauthig, a fair of music, dance, crafts and food from Kumaon and Garhwal, is held at the Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant Parvatiya Sanskritik Upvan. VoxyTalksy visited the 2021 edition.
What the video shows
The video was uploaded on January 19, 2021. According to its description, the fair was organised by the Parvatiya Mahaparishad, Lucknow. The reporter speaks to two dance groups of women preparing for their stage performances. Members of one group explain that they perform a Kumaoni group dance associated with weddings and other auspicious occasions, and that the costumes and traditional jewellery they wear come from the Almora and Ranikhet region. They say they had waited a long time for the event, since the pandemic had made it uncertain that year. The reporter also asks how Kumaoni and Garhwali dress and customs differ, while elderly visitors and young women alike enjoy the festive atmosphere.
What Uttarayani is
Uttarayani is Uttarakhand's name for Makar Sankranti, the day in mid-January when the sun begins its northward journey (uttarayan). In the hills it is marked with holy dips, fairs and, in Kumaon, the Ghughutiya custom, in which sweet fried dough shapes are made and children call out to crows to offer them. The best-known Uttarayani fair is held at Bageshwar, at the confluence of the Saryu and Gomti rivers. "Kauthig" means a fair in Kumaoni and Garhwali.
The Lucknow fair
Lucknow has a large community with roots in Uttarakhand, and the Kauthig has become one of the city's biggest regional fairs. Stalls sell woollens, Himalayan pulses such as gahat and bhatt, mandua (finger millet) products, honey, spices and handicrafts, while evenings feature folk singers and dance troupes. The 2026 edition, for example, ran for 15 days from January 14 to January 28, 2026.
Folk dances to look out for
- Jhora: a Kumaoni group dance in which dancers link arms and move in a circle.
- Chhapeli: a Kumaoni dance often performed by couples, with mirrors and handkerchiefs.
- Choliya: a sword dance performed with wedding processions.
- Langvir Nritya and Thadya: dances from Garhwal.
Visiting tips
- Check the dates announced each January, since the fair usually opens around Makar Sankranti.
- Evenings are the best time for cultural programmes; carry warm clothes for the riverside chill.
- Try local food such as bhatt ki churkani, aloo ke gutke and singori.
The 2021 video offers a short, cheerful window into how Uttarakhand's culture stays alive far from the hills.
