CUSCO PUNO BUS
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For 18 days, the high Andean city of Puno, located on the shores of Lake Titicaca at an altitude of 3,870 meters, becomes recognized as the Folkloric Capital of the Americas.
The Virgin of Candelaria is one of the largest festivals in southern Peru.
The Feast of Virgin of Candelaria gathers over 200 groups of musicians and dancers to honor Mamacha Candelaria. For the first nine days, the mayordomos, who are responsible for organizing the festivities, decorate the church and manage the financial aspects of the mass, banquets, and fireworks.
On February 2nd (main day of the celebration), the Virgin is carried through the city in a vibrant and colorful procession that includes priests, altars, faithful, Christians, tourists, and the entire population.
A large number of devotees in Puno are asking for forgiveness.
After the procession, the troupes of musicians and dancers will take center stage, performing and dancing throughout the city.
The festival is associated with pre-Hispanic agricultural cycles and regional mining activities. It reflects a blend of respectful Aymara joy and ancestral Quechua seriousness, as the city of Puno is home to descendants of both the Aymara culture and the Inca culture.
Over 200 vibrant dances, adorned with colorful costumes and lively music, echo throughout the city of Puno.
The Diablada, or dance of the demons, is the main dance of the festival. It was supposedly created by a group of miners trapped in a mine who, in their despair, lent their souls to the Virgin of Candelaria.
The dancers, playing their wind instruments known as Zampoñas and dressed in stunning costumes and elaborate masks, make offerings to the earth goddess Pachamama.
The most striking and colorful mask is that of the devil, which has a terrifying appearance and is adorned with long, twisted horns similar to those of mythical beings from the Andes, such as the Jacacho, an Andean bird regarded as the god of minerals.
The Diablada is a highly popular dance, known for its authentic and extravagant costumes and masks.
During the farewell of Cacharpari, the dancers fill the streets and eventually head to the cemetery to pay homage to the deceased.
The festival of the Virgin of Candelaria is the most significant celebration in the Puno region. Every year, the Peruvian highlands come alive with devotion, joy, and excitement. This is a festival that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime.
