Igas Bagwal 2026: Uttarakhand's 'Old Diwali' on Devutthana Ekadashi, Bhailo Torches and Diwali in Dehradun

Quick answer: Igas Bagwal 2026 falls on Friday 20 November, the Devutthana (Prabodhini) Ekadashi of Kartik Shukla paksha (Drik Panchang, India), about eleven days after the main Diwali on Sunday 8 November. In the villages of Garhwal and parts of Kumaon, it is celebrated as an 'old Diwali' with bhailo (flaming torches of resinous wood swung in circles), worship of cattle, festive food and folk dances. Regular Diwali is also celebrated across Uttarakhand; calculated Lakshmi Puja muhurat for Dehradun: 5:48 PM to 7:43 PM on 8 November.

Diwali and Igas 2026 dates in Uttarakhand

Source: Drik Panchang (India). Village almanacs and family custom may differ by a day; confirm locally. Some communities in the hills also observe further 'Bagwal' celebrations at other points in the season, and customs differ from valley to valley.

What Igas Bagwal is

Igas (sometimes written Egas) is generally explained as the Garhwali word for Ekadashi, and Bagwal as a hill name for Diwali, so the name roughly means 'the Ekadashi Diwali'. For many families in rural Garhwal, especially in the higher villages, Igas has traditionally been as important as, or more important than, the Diwali of the plains. In recent years it has also become a symbol of Pahari identity, celebrated by migrants in Dehradun, Delhi and beyond.

The day coincides with Devutthana Ekadashi, when Vishnu is traditionally said to awaken from his four-month sleep, ending Chaturmas. See Karthika Ekadashi 2026: Prabodhini, Vishnu wakes.

Why Igas comes after Diwali: the stories told

Several explanations are told in the hills, and they should be read as traditional accounts rather than settled history:

• The warriors' return: the most popular telling links Igas with a Garhwali army, often associated with the commander Madho Singh Bhandari, that was away on a campaign during Diwali and returned about eleven days later. The villages, it is said, celebrated their homecoming with a Diwali of their own.
• Late news of Rama's return: another telling says the news that Rama had returned to Ayodhya reached the remote hills only on Ekadashi, so the people lit lamps then.
• Devutthana Ekadashi: in religious terms, the day marks Vishnu's awakening, already a festival of lights and worship in many parts of India.

Bhailo: torches of fire

The heart of Igas night is the bhailo. Days earlier, people gather slivers of resin-rich pine (often called chheel) or other dry wood and tie them into bundles with a rope or a strong creeper. After dark, the bundle is lit and swung in wide circles around the body, creating whirling rings of fire. Young people and elders gather in the village courtyard or an open field, singing and dancing as the torches spin. In some villages, a burning bhailo is also carried around the village or to the edge of the fields.

• Swing bhailo only in open ground, away from dry grass, haystacks, roofs and forest edges.
• Keep children at a safe distance, and have water or sand ready.
• Respect forest-fire and fireworks rules issued by the district administration, which may change each year.

Cattle, food and dances

• Cattle worship: cows and oxen are bathed, their horns oiled or painted, and they are garlanded and fed special food, often with gratitude for the year's work in the fields.
• Festive food: families cook hill dishes and sweets, such as puris, pakoras of local lentils and jaggery-based sweets, and share them with neighbours. Recipes vary by village.
• Folk dances and songs: groups perform traditional dances and songs in the courtyard, accompanied by dhol and damau; in some places, the night is spent in song.
• Visits and blessings: families visit elders and relatives, and those living in towns often try to return to their native villages for the festival.

Regular Diwali in Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand also celebrates the main Diwali on Sunday 8 November with Lakshmi-Ganesh puja, diyas and sweets, much as in the rest of North India. In Kumaon, many households draw aipan, the region's folk art of red and white patterns, at the threshold and the puja space, including Lakshmi's footsteps leading into the home. Customs vary between Garhwal and Kumaon, and between towns and villages.

Calculated with the Drik method (Pradosh Kaal with a fixed Vrishabha lagna). Hill towns will differ by a few minutes because of longitude and local horizon; confirm with your purohit or on Drik Panchang. More cities: Lakshmi Puja muhurat 2026 India city-wise and Diwali 2026 date and Lakshmi Puja muhurat.

Kedarnath Dham traditionally closes for the winter around this season, with the deity moved to Ukhimath; the closing date is announced each year by the temple committee. See Kedarnath Temple and check the temple's official website for current dates.

For Uttarakhandis away from home

• Pahari associations in Delhi, Mumbai and abroad often hold Igas gatherings on or near the day; check their own announcements.
• Abroad, Devutthana Ekadashi is Friday 20 November in the USA, Canada and the UK, but Saturday 21 November in Australia, Singapore and New Zealand (Drik Panchang); follow your local date.
• If bhailo is not possible, many families light lamps, cook hill food and play Garhwali or Kumaoni songs at home.

Frequently asked questions

When is Igas Bagwal 2026?

Igas Bagwal is celebrated on Kartik Shukla Ekadashi, also called Devutthana or Prabodhini Ekadashi. Drik Panchang lists Devutthana Ekadashi on Friday 20 November 2026 in India, so Igas falls on that day. Village calendars can differ, so confirm with local elders or the state's announcements.

Why is Igas celebrated after Diwali?

The most popular explanation, as commonly told in Garhwal, is that a Garhwali army returned from a distant campaign about eleven days after Diwali, and the people celebrated its return with a second Diwali. Another telling says news of Rama's return reached the hills late. These are traditional explanations rather than documented history.

What is bhailo?

Bhailo is a torch made from bundles of resinous pine or other wood tied with a rope or creeper. On Igas night, it is lit and swung in circles around the body, creating rings of fire, often as part of group dances in the village square.

When is Diwali 2026 in Uttarakhand?

Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) is on Sunday 8 November 2026, per Drik Panchang. The calculated Lakshmi Puja muhurat for Dehradun is 5:48 PM to 7:43 PM.

Is Igas a holiday in Uttarakhand?

The Uttarakhand government has in some recent years declared a holiday for Igas, but this is decided year by year. Check the state's official holiday notification for 2026.

Editor's note (9 October 2026)

The Igas date follows Drik Panchang's Devutthana Ekadashi for India; local almanacs may differ. The stories behind Igas are presented as commonly told, not as documented history. The Dehradun muhurat is calculated with the HinduTone calculator (Drik method). Customs vary widely across Garhwal and Kumaon; we describe widely shared practices only and do not list event schedules.

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