CM Dhami joins Gorkha Dashain-Diwali festival in Uttarakhand
Synopsis
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami attended the Gorkha Dashain-Diwali Mahotsav and state fair in Uttarakhand on 2 November 2026, signalling official recognition of the state's Gorkha community during their most significant festival season.
Key Takeaways
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the Gorkha Dashain-Diwali Mahotsav evam Rajkiya Mela on 2 November 2026 .
The event is designated a Rajkiya Mela (state fair), giving the Gorkha festival official government recognition in Uttarakhand.
The Gorkha community has a significant presence in Uttarakhand districts including Dehradun and Nainital .
Dashain is the most important festival in the Gorkha calendar, coinciding this year with Diwali .
CM Dhami has led Uttarakhand since March 2021 under the BJP .
At the crossroads of two calendars and two cultures, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stepped into the Gorkha Dashain-Diwali festival on Monday, 2 November 2026 — marking the state's formal recognition of one of Uttarakhand's most vibrant ethnic communities during their most sacred season.
The Chief Minister's Office of Uttarakhand confirmed via an official post on X that CM Dhami participated in the Gorkha Dashain-Deepawali Mahotsav evam Rajkiya Mela — the Gorkha Dashain-Diwali Festival and State Fair. The event brings together the Gorkha community, an ethnic group of Nepali origin with a deep and historically rooted presence across Uttarakhand, especially in districts like Dehradun and Nainital.
Dashain in Uttarakhand: a festival as old as the hills
Dashain is the single most important festival in the Gorkha calendar — a fifteen-day celebration of the goddess Durga's victory over evil, marked by family gatherings, blessings from elders, and communal feasts. Coinciding this year with the broader Hindu festival of Diwali, the joint celebration carries an added resonance: two traditions, one public square. For the Gorkha community in Uttarakhand, state-level recognition of Dashain as a rajkiya mela — an official state fair — is not ceremonial window-dressing. It is a marker of belonging.
Why a CM's presence at a community fair matters
Indian chief ministers routinely attend minority and ethnic community events, but the optics carry weight in a state like Uttarakhand, where the Gorkha population has long been integral to the social and economic fabric — from the defence and agricultural sectors to trade and local governance. CM Dhami, who has led the state since March 2021 under the BJP, has consistently positioned his administration as one attentive to Uttarakhand's diverse cultural constituencies. His participation in the state fair underlines that posture in a tangible, visible way.
The Gorkha community's cultural organisations have periodically sought greater state support for welfare measures and cultural preservation. The Chief Minister's presence at the festival keeps that channel of engagement warm — even if no formal policy announcements have been confirmed from this event.
Two cultures, one stage, and a Chief Minister in the audience. For the Gorkha families of Uttarakhand, that image at the start of their holiest fortnight says more than any circular from Dehradun could.
Point of View
Making their public recognition politically sensitive and symbolically significant. For Dhami, who faces the ongoing challenge of managing a diverse hill state with distinct sub-regional identities, showing up matters. Whether the optics translate into durable welfare commitments for Gorkha cultural organisations is the real question to watch.
NationPress
2 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Gorkha Dashain-Diwali Mahotsav in Uttarakhand?
It is an official state fair and festival celebrating Dashain — the most important Gorkha community festival — alongside Diwali, with the event recognised by the Uttarakhand government as a Rajkiya Mela .
Why did CM Dhami attend the Gorkha festival?
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami participated to signal the state government's recognition of the Gorkha community's cultural heritage and to reinforce the administration's commitment to ethnic inclusivity in Uttarakhand.
Who are the Gorkha community in Uttarakhand?
The Gorkha community is an ethnic group of Nepali origin with a historically significant presence in Uttarakhand, particularly in districts such as Dehradun and Nainital , contributing to the state's social, economic, and defence sectors.
What is Dashain and when is it celebrated?
Dashain is a fifteen-day Hindu festival marking the goddess Durga's victory over evil — the most important celebration in the Gorkha calendar, typically falling in October or November alongside the broader Diwali season.
When did Pushkar Singh Dhami become Chief Minister of Uttarakhand?
Pushkar Singh Dhami became Chief Minister of Uttarakhand in March 2021 , representing the BJP .
