Aug. 29, Chokhya festival is celebrated only in two villages of Humla. It is considered to be a festival to remove the evil eye.
Kamal Buda, ward chairman of Syanda village, said that after the birth of the first son in the family, the Chokhya festival is celebrated. The people of the Byasi caste, who came from the Darchula district eight hundred years ago and settled in the Syanda and Pals villages of Humla, started celebrating this festival from that time. This festival falls in the Nepali months of Bhadau and Ashoj.
According to ward chair Buda, the festival is celebrated with a belief that the eldest son born in a house will not get sick and have long life. The relatives give gifts of clothes, gold and silver jewelry. A single-family spends as much as Rs. 200,000 to observe this festival.
Similarly, a big fair is also held on Chokhe ground where locals perform various dances. People from distant villages come to watch the festival. During the daytime, traditional culture is shown and, at night, Deuda is sung.
