The Kāphal Festival 2026, presented by the Himalayan Folk Festival, is a landmark eco-cultural gathering rooted in the sacred Himalayan landscape of Sari Village and Deoriatal Lake in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand. This three-day celebration brings together artists, environmentalists, athletes, villagers, and travelers in a shared effort to celebrate and protect the Himalayan way of life. The festival is designed as a direct response to the ecological and cultural challenges facing the region, including forest fires, waste tourism, and the gradual dilution of indigenous traditions. Through music, sports, creative workshops, and community participation, the festival creates a vibrant platform where conservation meets culture. Celebrated in the sacred month of Chaitra, when the forests come alive with blooming Burā̃ś, Phyõlī, Sākini, and Paiyā̃, the festival also marks the seasonal arrival of Kāphal, the beloved wild Himalayan berry that symbolizes the coming of spring in the mountains. Surrounded by oak and rhododendron forests with the majestic Chaukhamba peaks in the backdrop, the festival offers visitors an immersive experience of Himalayan culture and nature. The three-day event attracts visitors from across India, just like last year. It directly supports local homestays and village resorts, promoting sustainable eco-tourism and strengthening the rural economy. With a strong focus on youth sports, women empowerment, local food traditions, and indigenous crops, the festival weaves together conservation, culture, and community—honoring the true spirit of the Himalayas. Participants can engage in a wide range of activities including art and craft workshops, eco-printing workshops, tug of war competitions, an MTB challenge, and the Kāphal Half Marathon, encouraging both creativity and adventure in the mountains. Evenings come alive with music and performances by celebrated regional artists including Pandavaas, Sankalp Khetwal, Pahadi Boiz, Kartikey Uniyal, Rameshwari Devi Bhatt, and Dhari Devi Band.
How to Reach Sari Village
1. By Air:
The nearest airport to Sari Village is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, which is about 210 kilometers away. From the airport, you can hire a taxi or take a bus to reach Sari Village. The drive takes approximately 7-8 hours, passing through scenic routes and towns such as Rishikesh, Devprayag, Srinagar, and Rudraprayag.
2. By Rail:
The closest railway station to Sari Village is Haridwar Junction, approximately 190 kilometers away. Haridwar is well-connected to major cities across India. From Haridwar, you can hire a taxi or take a bus to Sari Village. The journey by road from Haridwar to Sari takes around 7-8 hours.
3. By Road:
Sari Village is well-connected by road to major towns and cities in Uttarakhand. Once you reach towns like Rishikesh, Haridwar, or Rudraprayag, you can find local buses and shared taxis heading towards Ukhimath. From Ukhimath, Sari Village is about 12 kilometers away, and you can easily hire a taxi or a local vehicle to cover this distance.
Source: eUttaranchal
1. Warm layers such as sweaters, fleece jackets, or thermals. March marks the transition to spring, but mornings and evenings in the hills can still be quite chilly.
2. Comfortable trekking shoes with good grip, especially if you plan to hike to Deoria Tal or explore nearby trails.
3. A sturdy water bottle, particularly useful if you’ll be spending time outdoors or trekking in the surrounding forests.
4. Medicines. Hill travel and trekking can be tiring, so it’s useful to carry basic medicines, pain relief, and any personal prescriptions.
5. Cash and cards. Smaller villages may have limited ATMs and patchy digital connectivity, so carrying sufficient cash is recommended.
- Festivals From India is not associated with ticketing, merchandising and refund matters of any Festival organised by Festival Organisers. Festivals From India shall not be responsible for any conflict between a User and Festival Organiser in matters related to ticketing, merchandising and refund matters of any Festival.
- The date / timings / artist line-up of any Festival may change as per the Festival Organiser’s discretion and Festivals From India has no control over such changes.
- For the registration of a Festival, the Users will be redirected to the website of such Festival or to any third party website under the discretion / arrangement of Festival Organisers. Once a User has completed their registration for a Festival, they will receive their registration confirmation by email from the Festival Organisers or the third party websites where the event registration is hosted. Users are advised to enter their valid email correctly on the registration form. Users may also check their junk / spam email box in case any of their Festival email(s) are caught by spam filters.
- Events are marked COVID safe based on self-declarations made by the festival organiser regarding compliance with government/local authority COVID-19 protocols. Festivals From India shall have no liability as to the actual compliance with COVID-19 protocols.
- Users may face interruptions during the course of the live stream due to internet connectivity issues. Neither Festivals From India nor the Festival Organiser is responsible for such interruptions.
- The Digital Festival / Event may have interactive elements and will involve participation from the Users.
newsletter!
||||
Get in touch on hello@festivalsfromindia.com