The state of Uttarakhand is not only popular with tourists for its scenic landscapes and natural beauty. It's also visited by travellers because of its cultural richness. During your visit to Uttarakhand, you'll find it truly enriching exploring the different cultural shades. Whether you talk about the state's fairs and festivals, music, dance forms, cuisine or the lifestyle of people, the richness of cultural will catch your eye almost immediately. Experiencing the cultural traditions of a place is the biggest joy for travellers.

Though the majority of people in the state belong to Hinduism, the state is home to several ethnic groups. Each of these groups have some unique to offer the traveler in terms of customs and traditions.

Music & Dance Forms
Music and dances are an integral part of Uttarakhand's culture. One of the biggest attractions for tourists is the folk music that you can listen to during religious and regional festivals. Whether it's the Kumaon region or the Garhwal region (Garhwali Dance), you can have a great time taking joy from some of the most wonderful musical tunes and lyrics.

Popular folk songs in the state include Mandals, Panwaras, Thadya and Jhoda among others. The bygone years have given rise to multiple noted musicians as well. Over the years, the various musical forms have also undergone changes.

Like folk songs, folk dance is also a major crowd puller in the state. During the festive season, you can visit different cities and towns of the state to enjoy seeing different types of folk dance forms. Langvir Nritya and Brada Nati are very popular traditional dance forms.

Fairs & Festivals
The people of the state celebrate an array of religious, national and regional festivals. By participating at these fairs and festivals, you'll be able to gain a keen insight into the age-old customs and traditions. Even the tiny mountain villages of the state offer something unique in terms of cultural and traditional richness. During your tour to Uttarakhand, you can take part in some of the most popular festivals including Holi, Diwali, Basant Panchmi, Navratri, Durgotsav and Makar Sankranti among others.

Cuisine
The state of Uttarakhand is also known worldwide for its richness of delicacies of a wide variety. When it comes to cusinines, which forms an important part of any culture, Uttarakhand offers a wide range of vegetarian dishes that you can relish during your tour to the state. Some of the tastiest dishes in the state include Singal, Malpua, Kaapa, Palak Tinri, Aam ka Fajitha, Khire Ka Raita and Besan Bhadela are very popular with visitors.

The people of Uttarakhand are, no doubt, welcome every visitor with utter warmth and joy. You'll definitely enjoy meeting with and talking to the people of cities and towns in the state. However, you're requested to pay respect to everything that's a part of the state's cultural traditions.