OUr Senior member Sh D N Badola Ji has provided this information on Phool Deyee.
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WRITTEN BY MR D N BADOLA JI
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Phooldei – Phooldei Chhamma chheiPhool Dei is celebrated on the first day of the month of Chaitra in the month of March. On this day, young girls and children conduct most of the ceremonies. Young girls and children go to all the houses in the Mohalla or the Village with plates full of rice, jaggery, coconut, green leaves and flowers. In the olden times rice, jaggery etc. used to be brought in the baskets of ringal. But now with the changing times, children bring these things in the plates or thalis or plastic bags. They offer their good wishes for the prosperity of the household and are given blessings and presents (sweets, gur, money etc) in return. They sprinkle first flowers of the season and rice on the doorsteps of the neighbours and sing.
Phool dei, chhamma dei.
Deno dwar, bhar bhakar,
Ye dei sei namashkar, puje dwar.
फूल देइ छम्मा छेई,
देनो द्वार भर भकार,
ये देइ से नमस्कार,
पूजे द्वार
This is a big example of how communities in Kumaon are closely bonded and linked with each other, as no one puts these flowers in front of their own houses alone. In some places the festival is celebrated throughout the month.
As per tradition, normally, rice so collected is used to prepare delicious rice pudding called Sei (a pudding made with rice floor, curd and jaggery). Folk singers sing the Riturain, Chaiti and other songs welcoming spring and are given presents, money and food grains.
Phooldei is an important festival as from this date religious ceremonies like Sacred Thread Ceremony (Yagyo Paweet Sanskar) starts. Brothers offer Bhitauli or Ala (presents) to their married sisters. Rhododendron also blooms in this month, though for the past several years rhododendron has started blooming early due to global warming.(D.N.Barola)
