Celebrated in
Lahaul and Spiti District, Khogal Festival falls on a full moon day in January.
At night, the complete area is decorated with clay lamps. All the men of the village gathers in one of the houses and get drunk on a local brew known as Chakti. These men go from one house to another drinking, and this goes on till midnight.
At midnight, the drummers sit on the rooftop of some house and play their drum and flutes. When the villagers hear this sound, they scream and run towards that house with lighted torches. It is done to chase away the evil spirit. Finally, all the torches are collected together, and the people dance around the bonfire. Back home, the villagers offer puja or prayer to their family deities and also to the local deity, Baraja.
