Phool Walon ki Sair, also known as the Floral Festival, is one of the most important festivals of Delhi. It is the Festival of Florists. Although celebrated across Delhi, it is majorly followed in the Mehrauli area of Delhi. The festival involves huge processions mainly sprinkling flowers at the temple of Jog Maya and the tomb of Saint Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki.
The Festival of Phoolwalon ki Sair is generally celebrated in the month of September and October. The Festivities mainly involve a procession that starts from the Jog Maya Temple. Traditional music played on Shehnai starts the procession. Starting from the Jog Maya temple, traveling across Mehrauli Bazaar, the procession finally ends at the tomb of Saint Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki.
Throughout the procession there is realm of Dance and Music that thoroughly accompanies. Kathak Dances, qawwalis, a blaze of lights, huge pankhas (fans) made of palm leaves decorated with tinsel and flowers, and acrobats delight a vast audience. A huge procession, led by fire dancers, takes the flower pankhas through the streets of Mehrauli.
All these cultural programs are organized at the “Jahaz Mahal” , which truly comes alive with the Dance and Music during this Festival.
The legends regarding this festival says that Akbar Shah-II s queen had vowed to offer a Chadar and flower Pankha at the Dargah of Hazrat Qutubuddin Bakhtiar Kaki and at theYogmaya Mandir for safe return of her son Mirza Jehangir, who was exiled to Allahabad by the British residents. Not only did the wish come true, but the incident initiated this unique festival of floral offerings at the Dargah and the temple every year.
The Festival over the years has gained great popularity. Earlier the Festival was largely celebrated by Hindus, which eventually has been warmly followed by Muslims as well. The annual event celebrates the rich cultural mosaic that binds together in an intricate pattern, Hindus and Muslims in India.
The festival truly attracts a great number of tourists from far and wide.
The Festival of Phoolwalon ki Sair is generally celebrated in the month of September and October. The Festivities mainly involve a procession that starts from the Jog Maya Temple. Traditional music played on Shehnai starts the procession. Starting from the Jog Maya temple, traveling across Mehrauli Bazaar, the procession finally ends at the tomb of Saint Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki.
Throughout the procession there is realm of Dance and Music that thoroughly accompanies. Kathak Dances, qawwalis, a blaze of lights, huge pankhas (fans) made of palm leaves decorated with tinsel and flowers, and acrobats delight a vast audience. A huge procession, led by fire dancers, takes the flower pankhas through the streets of Mehrauli.
All these cultural programs are organized at the “Jahaz Mahal” , which truly comes alive with the Dance and Music during this Festival.
The legends regarding this festival says that Akbar Shah-II s queen had vowed to offer a Chadar and flower Pankha at the Dargah of Hazrat Qutubuddin Bakhtiar Kaki and at theYogmaya Mandir for safe return of her son Mirza Jehangir, who was exiled to Allahabad by the British residents. Not only did the wish come true, but the incident initiated this unique festival of floral offerings at the Dargah and the temple every year.
The Festival over the years has gained great popularity. Earlier the Festival was largely celebrated by Hindus, which eventually has been warmly followed by Muslims as well. The annual event celebrates the rich cultural mosaic that binds together in an intricate pattern, Hindus and Muslims in India.
The festival truly attracts a great number of tourists from far and wide.
| In 2023, Phool Walon ki Sair will be celebrated in September / October |