Worshipping Duryodhan in Garhwal,

Worshipping Folk Song for Duryodhan in Garhwal, Uttarakhand

 (Notes on Duryodhan Temples in India, Notes on Duryodhan Temples in Himalayas, Notes on Duryodhan Temples in Uttarakhand, Duryodhan Temples in Garhwal, Duryodhan Temples in Uttarkashi, Duryodhan Temples in Rawain region)

(Notes on Garhwali Traditional Songs, Uttarakhandi Traditional Songs, Himalayan Traditional Songs, Indian Traditional Songs, Asian Traditional Songs)

                                    Bhishma Kukreti

                   Duryodhan or Suyodhan was eldest Kaurava. Bhima killed Duryodhan in Kurukshetra battle. In Mahbharata, barring his enmity against Pandavas , the narrator never criticized Duryodhan. When Duryodhan dies many representatives from his subject praised Duryodhan for his help to his subject.

                      Since, historian especially Mahabharata narrator made Duryodhan a villain there are rarely the worshippers of Kaurava or Duryodhan in India. However, there are areas where Duryodhan is worshipped and there are temples of Duryodhan in India.  

                   Duryodhan Worshipping and   Duryodhan Temple in Kerala, South India

     There is a temple dedicated to Duryodhan and Kauravas in Kollam district of Kerala called Malanada Temple. Duryodhan is worshipped in Malanada temple as ‘Malayappooppam’. T duryodhan is chief deity of this area. The ‘Kurava’ community of Kollam area worships Duryodhan as their chief deity.

                   There are small shrines and idols of Bhishm, Drona, Karna, and Dushla in the Malanada temple of Duryodhan.

   The rituals are as per Dravidian styles in Duryodhan temple. The worshipers offer deity Duryodhan and other deities local liquor (toddy), betel nuts, rooster, arrack and red clothes in Duryodhan temple- Malanada .

                 Kurava community the devotee of Duryodhan celebrates Malakuda festival in March at the Duryodhan temple. The procession ‘Kettukazhcha’ is organized for Malakuda festival in  Kollam district.

                             Worshipping Duryodhan in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand

                Twenty two villages of  Fateh mountain shrines,Panch gai Osla Netwad, and Harki Doon worship Kaurava or Duryodhan.  Saty Sarada Kandula, Dr. Jagdish Naudiyal state that there are temples of Duryodhan and Kauravas in every village of this area.

  The biggest temple of Duryodhan is in Netwad-jakhol-Osla. It is believed that Duryodhan protected the inhabitant of this area and when Duryodhan was killed the people of this region wept so vigorously that Tamas(tones) river emerged in the area.

   There are many festivals related to Kaurav-Duryodhan worshipping. The biggest festival is celeberated in Baishakh. People keep jagran in night and a man who is affected by the soul of lord Duryodhan goes meeting place of Rupan and Supan rivers to attend the conference of Bhoots chaired by Yamraj. He asks the questions to Bhoots and Yamraj and comes back at third period of night.

      People offer sheep to lord Duryodhan. It is believed that offering sheep to lord Duryodhan protects bad evils.  There is a folk story that a person did not offer sheep to lord Duryodhana and he died instantly.

     People sing the following folk song for worshipping lord Duryodhana and other Kauravas.            

          

दुर्योधन पूजा लोक गीत

(संकलन - डा-जगदीश नौडियाल )

तू लाइ सच्ची हामू, देव दुर्योधन

हामू देई ताई भेड़ी, देव दुर्योधन

चार सिंगा खाडू ,देव दुर्योधन

बात रीत लाणी , देव दुर्योधन

भेड़ी देऊ भौत ,देव दुर्योधन

सन्दर्भ: डा जगदीश नौडियाल , उत्तराखंड कि सांस्कृतिक धरोहर )

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti

Notes on Garhwali Traditional Songs, Uttarakhandi Traditional Songs, Himalayan Traditional Songs, Indian Traditional Songs, Asian Traditional Songs to be continued……

Notes on Duryodhan Temples in India, Notes on Duryodhan Temples in Himalayas, Notes on Duryodhan Temples in Uttarakhand, Duryodhan Temples in Garhwal, Duryodhan Temples in Uttarkashi,  Duryodhan Temples in Rawain region to be continued…..