Kothi, on the outskirts, Reckong Peo in Kinnaur In Himachal Pradesh, is the centre of Sazo festival held annually between January and February. This is a farewell festival of Gods and Goddesses worshipped in the region. It is held to bid temporary goodbye to the gods who travel to Kinner Kailash.
How Is Sazo Festival Observed?
In the Sazo festival, the village deities, their ornaments, and mohras are carried to Kothi, to the tune of the Sazo geet, farewell song. Thereafter no music is played for the next week and complete silence prevails in the village, charging the atmosphere with a sense of gloom and poignancy. Only a ritual dance is performed in silence, within the temple compound.
Kothi, around 5 km from Reckong Peo, is famous for the Goddess Chandika Devi Temple.
So where are the Gods going during the period?
It is believed that the gods travel to Kinner Kailash, where they sit with Shiva and negotiate boons for their villages.