Know about Nanda Raj Yatra
Nanda Raj Yatra takes place every 12 years. The continuity of this tradition for five thousand years speaks of the tremendous faith that is widespread among the people of Kumaun and Garhwal
The Nanda Raj Jat Yatra is organized under the patronage of the descendants of the king of Garhwal. On the auspicious day of Basant Panchami a male descendant of the royal dynasty of Garhwal and resident of Chand Garhi visits Nauti village and worships the famous "Sri Yantra". It is widely believed that Sri Yantra is the breath of Divinity and the world is evolved from this breath. The worship is done with all the Tantric rites and rituals for emission of vital energy and invocation of the spirit of the Goddess Nanda to the gold idol. At this invocation ceremony Goddess Nanda is invited from her husband's Himalayan abode, Nanda Devi mountain, to visit her parental home at Nauti village. Meantime news is conveyed to the prince that a mysterious four horned ram is already born heralding the advent of Goddess Nanda in the village. The ram is brought to the prince's custody. He undertakes full responsibility for its upkeep. The animal is reared and fed with rich fodder for a period of six months when it grows up. Seventeen days before Bhadra Ashtami day in the month of August the adult ram is taken back to Nauti village once again along with a silver palanquin. Preparations are made for undergoing a 22 day long journey. Ornaments are prepared for adorning the ram and precooked food items for the journey.
After staying for six months at her parental home now comes the time for her return journey to her husband's place deep in the Himalayas. On the eve of her departure a huge gathering of pilgrims congregate at Nauti and many devotees participate in a dance called `Nanda Jat Jagar'. The village folk, mostly ladies attired in their traditional dress, and surrounded by a multitude of pilgrims converge in a circle around a fire. Suddenly, like a necromancer the jagaria (singer) slowly and with measured drum beats starts to invoke the spirit of Goddess Nanda. His singing is punctuated by drum beats and the shrill sound of thali. The crescendo builds up and drives the listeners into a trance. Abruptly, the spirit of the Goddess enters one of the ladies amongst the crowd and she breaks into an invocational song in the form of hymns of praise of the illustrious Goddess. In a fit of ecstasy she starts leaping, jumping and dancing and is completely transformed. The Goddess cannot stand the pangs of separation. With tears trickling down her cheeks she laments how poorer she will feel without her friends and relatives who had become part of her life. She will be missing their "sweet radiant faces, bright and glittering eyes and lively humour and sober nature" which used to give her strength to go through the ordeals of life. Not a moment will pass henceforth without their cherished memories. Broken hearted, her passionate expression of grief brings tears to the eyes of the assembled ladies who in their turn also start crying and their incessant sobbing remains unabated and they all feel that the cruel hand of Destiny is mercilessly snatching her away from them leaving them all.
The next day on ashtami (eighth day) the golden idol of the goddess Nanda sitting majestically on a throne is carried by the pilgrims in a silver palanquin. They are led by the mysterious four horned ram. The ram is worshipped as a symbol of the Goddess and is finely dressed and decorated with colorful bangles, ribbons, velvet saddle, jewellery and chunaris (scarves). A procession of men women and children in colorful costumes and glittering silver ornaments accompany the ram carrying huge red flags. They sing devotional songs and dance to the accompaniment of typical uttarakhandi instruments. This rare spectacle of pomp, pageantry and gaiety continues for 22 days traversing through a breathtaking panorama of misty mountainscapes, deep gorges, alpine meadows and dense forests and culminating at Hem Kund lake, at a height of 13200 feet .
There are 18 night halts for this yatra. At every village on the way a local fair is organized which reflects the cultural heritage and traditions of the local people. The local devatas (deities) sitting in cane palanquins are also carried to greet the principal deity, Goddess Nanda, covered under multicoloured umbrellas. At the final point of Hem Kund lake the devotees purify themselves by taking a holy dip in the ice cold water of the lake. A fire is lit in the hearth (Hawan Kund) popularly known as Dhuni. Hawan samagree ( ) consisting of dry fruits, sesame and barley seeds mixed with clarified butter is offered to the Goddess Nanda through the fire God. The deity is worshipped ceremoniously and her blessings are sought by smearing one's forehead with ash from the Dhuni. After paying obeisance to the goddess the four horned ram is worshipped and is asked to bid farewell to all and it walks away alone to the mystical vale -- to the abode of the Goddess and disappears.
The challenge of the elements and the spirit of adventure has attracted a large number of foreign tourists to accompany this yatra. They visit Nauti Village and mingle with the local people while participating in the festival. It is an awe inspiring and overwhelming moment to walk around the age old legendary Himalayan trek that has so much of traditional religious significance. The beauty of the trek is a picture perfect fusion of high mountain valleys, lakes, streams, glaciers and luminous dense green forests and it is a veritable paradise for trekkers. There is plenty to interest botanists and bird watchers and also anthropologists. And the above is merely an eye opener... The the Nand Raj Jat Yatra is a spectacular festival. The reality surpasses the written word. Plan your holiday for an unforgettable experience of a lifetime.
In the vast amphitheatre of the Indian Himalayas Nanda Devi mountain occupies the central place in the alluring arena of the Garhwal and Kumaun region which has a 70 mile barrier ring on which stand twelve measured silvery peaks over 21000 feet high and which has no depression lower than 17000 feet. Its perpetually snow clad camel humped white summit is the most important peak that soars upto 25,660 feet. This gorgeous silvery top resplendent with the lustre of spiritual aura is highly revered in Hindu scriptures as the abode of Shiva's consort, Parvati. The name Nanda in Sanskrit means "bliss giving goddess" and is worshipped as the supreme deity all over Kumaun in Garhwal region.
Nanda Raj Yatra takes place every 12 years. The continuity of this tradition for five thousand years speaks of the tremendous faith that is widespread among the people of Kumaun and Garhwal
The Nanda Raj Jat Yatra is organized under the patronage of the descendants of the king of Garhwal. On the auspicious day of Basant Panchami a male descendant of the royal dynasty of Garhwal and resident of Chand Garhi visits Nauti village and worships the famous "Sri Yantra". It is widely believed that Sri Yantra is the breath of Divinity and the world is evolved from this breath. The worship is done with all the Tantric rites and rituals for emission of vital energy and invocation of the spirit of the Goddess Nanda to the gold idol. At this invocation ceremony Goddess Nanda is invited from her husband's Himalayan abode, Nanda Devi mountain, to visit her parental home at Nauti village. Meantime news is conveyed to the prince that a mysterious four horned ram is already born heralding the advent of Goddess Nanda in the village. The ram is brought to the prince's custody. He undertakes full responsibility for its upkeep. The animal is reared and fed with rich fodder for a period of six months when it grows up. Seventeen days before Bhadra Ashtami day in the month of August the adult ram is taken back to Nauti village once again along with a silver palanquin. Preparations are made for undergoing a 22 day long journey. Ornaments are prepared for adorning the ram and precooked food items for the journey.
After staying for six months at her parental home now comes the time for her return journey to her husband's place deep in the Himalayas. On the eve of her departure a huge gathering of pilgrims congregate at Nauti and many devotees participate in a dance called `Nanda Jat Jagar'. The village folk, mostly ladies attired in their traditional dress, and surrounded by a multitude of pilgrims converge in a circle around a fire. Suddenly, like a necromancer the jagaria (singer) slowly and with measured drum beats starts to invoke the spirit of Goddess Nanda. His singing is punctuated by drum beats and the shrill sound of thali. The crescendo builds up and drives the listeners into a trance. Abruptly, the spirit of the Goddess enters one of the ladies amongst the crowd and she breaks into an invocational song in the form of hymns of praise of the illustrious Goddess. In a fit of ecstasy she starts leaping, jumping and dancing and is completely transformed. The Goddess cannot stand the pangs of separation. With tears trickling down her cheeks she laments how poorer she will feel without her friends and relatives who had become part of her life. She will be missing their "sweet radiant faces, bright and glittering eyes and lively humour and sober nature" which used to give her strength to go through the ordeals of life. Not a moment will pass henceforth without their cherished memories. Broken hearted, her passionate expression of grief brings tears to the eyes of the assembled ladies who in their turn also start crying and their incessant sobbing remains unabated and they all feel that the cruel hand of Destiny is mercilessly snatching her away from them leaving them all.
The next day on ashtami (eighth day) the golden idol of the goddess Nanda sitting majestically on a throne is carried by the pilgrims in a silver palanquin. They are led by the mysterious four horned ram. The ram is worshipped as a symbol of the Goddess and is finely dressed and decorated with colorful bangles, ribbons, velvet saddle, jewellery and chunaris (scarves). A procession of men women and children in colorful costumes and glittering silver ornaments accompany the ram carrying huge red flags. They sing devotional songs and dance to the accompaniment of typical uttarakhandi instruments. This rare spectacle of pomp, pageantry and gaiety continues for 22 days traversing through a breathtaking panorama of misty mountainscapes, deep gorges, alpine meadows and dense forests and culminating at Hem Kund lake, at a height of 13200 feet .
There are 18 night halts for this yatra. At every village on the way a local fair is organized which reflects the cultural heritage and traditions of the local people. The local devatas (deities) sitting in cane palanquins are also carried to greet the principal deity, Goddess Nanda, covered under multicoloured umbrellas. At the final point of Hem Kund lake the devotees purify themselves by taking a holy dip in the ice cold water of the lake. A fire is lit in the hearth (Hawan Kund) popularly known as Dhuni. Hawan samagree ( ) consisting of dry fruits, sesame and barley seeds mixed with clarified butter is offered to the Goddess Nanda through the fire God. The deity is worshipped ceremoniously and her blessings are sought by smearing one's forehead with ash from the Dhuni. After paying obeisance to the goddess the four horned ram is worshipped and is asked to bid farewell to all and it walks away alone to the mystical vale -- to the abode of the Goddess and disappears.
The challenge of the elements and the spirit of adventure has attracted a large number of foreign tourists to accompany this yatra. They visit Nauti Village and mingle with the local people while participating in the festival. It is an awe inspiring and overwhelming moment to walk around the age old legendary Himalayan trek that has so much of traditional religious significance. The beauty of the trek is a picture perfect fusion of high mountain valleys, lakes, streams, glaciers and luminous dense green forests and it is a veritable paradise for trekkers. There is plenty to interest botanists and bird watchers and also anthropologists. And the above is merely an eye opener... The the Nand Raj Jat Yatra is a spectacular festival. The reality surpasses the written word. Plan your holiday for an unforgettable experience of a lifetime.
In the vast amphitheatre of the Indian Himalayas Nanda Devi mountain occupies the central place in the alluring arena of the Garhwal and Kumaun region which has a 70 mile barrier ring on which stand twelve measured silvery peaks over 21000 feet high and which has no depression lower than 17000 feet. Its perpetually snow clad camel humped white summit is the most important peak that soars upto 25,660 feet. This gorgeous silvery top resplendent with the lustre of spiritual aura is highly revered in Hindu scriptures as the abode of Shiva's consort, Parvati. The name Nanda in Sanskrit means "bliss giving goddess" and is worshipped as the supreme deity all over Kumaun in Garhwal region.
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