Phool dei festival of Uttarakhand.

Why in news?

• The festival of Phool Dei is celebrated in the Garhwal and Kumaon regions of Uttarakhand every year in the flowering season (March-April) to mark the onset of spring.
• It takes place on the first day of the Chaitra season as per the Hindu calendar.
• Children, particularly young girls, go into farms, forests and gardens to collect fresh flowers to offer to the local deities.
• The celebration is indirectly rooted in a sense of affection and protection towards nature, especially local flowers and trees.