Latu Devta: Adopted Brother of Goddess Nanda Devi

Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Kumaon-Garhwal, Uttarkahnd-1

                           Bhishma Kukreti

[Notes on Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Kumaon-Garhwal, Uttarakhand;  Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon, Uttarakhand;  Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Nainital Kumaon, Uttarakhand; Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Almora Kumaon, Uttarakhand;  Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Bageshwar Kumaon, Uttarakhand;  Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Champavat Kumaon, Uttarakhand;  Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Pithauragarh Kumaon-Garhwal, Uttarakhand;  Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Garhwal, Uttarakhand; Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Haridwar/Hardwar Garhwal, Uttarakhand; Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Dehradun Garhwal, Uttarakhand; Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Uttarkashi Garhwal, Uttarakhand; Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Tihri Garhwal, Uttarakhand; Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Chamoli Garhwal, Uttarakhand; Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Rudraprayag Garhwal, Uttarakhand; Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand]

                         Latu deity is one of the important deities worshipped in northern Garhwal. Nanda Devi is one of the most worshipped goddesses in Kumaon and Garhwal.

               There is folk story about Latu deity.

                   Once, in Kailash, Bhagwati Nanda was feeling sadness. She was very unrest mentally and was sitting still for hours. Lord Shiva asked the reasons for her sadness. Goddess Nanda told that she does not have any brother to remind her seasonal changes. Goddess Nanda requested Shiva her to find a brother. Lord gave permission.

   Goddess Nanda reached to prime minister of Kannauj. The name of wife of prime minister was maina too as Nanda’s mother’s name was also Maina. Maina asked the reasons for Nanda’s coming to Kannauj. Nanda told that she does not have brother to provide her seasonal gifts. Maina had two brilliant sons Batu and Latu. Nanda requested Maina to give her Latu as Nanda’s adopted brother. After continuous persuasion from Nanda, Maina gave her son to Nanda.

   Nanda reached Ban village by passing Bans Bhabhar, Ringal Bhabhar, Anvala Bhabhar, Ver Bhabhar and Burans Bhabhar. Nanda went to KailNadi for bathing. Latu was sitting on the road. Latu felt thirsty and he asked water from village women of ban village. The women, instead of offering water to Latu, gave some jand-mand (addictive) juice to Latu. Latu became unconscious. Nanda came to know the realities through her potent spiritual knowledge and cured Latu. Nanda told to Latu that there would be his temple in Ban village. Nanda also promised Latu that Nautiyals of Nauti village would be priest for that Latu temple.  Nanda told to her brother Latu that when at every twelve years people would bring Nanda Jat procession, people will also worship Latu. She promised that none other than Nauitylas would be permitted to enter into Latu temple.

 From that day, people worship Latu along with Nanda deity. People also offer goat as sacrifice to deity.

 Nautiyals open the Latu temple of Ban village and they only shut the door of Latu temple.

Curtsey and references:

 Dr Trilochan Pandey, Kumaoni Bhasha aur Uska Sahity

Dr Siva Nand Nautiyal, Garhwal ke Lok Nrityageet  

Dr Govind Chatak, Garhwali Lokgathayen

Dr Urbi datt Upadhyaya, Kumaon ki Lokgathaon ka Sahityik Adhyan

Dr. Prayag Joshi, Kumaon Garhwal ki Lokgathaon ka Vivechnatmak Adhyayan

Dr Dinesh Chandra Baluni, Uttarakhand ki Lokgathayen

Dr Jagdish (Jaggu) Naudiyal, Uttarakhand ki Sanskritik Dharohar, (Ravain)  

Copyright (Interpretation) @ Bhishma Kukreti, 8/4/2013

Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Kumaun-Garhwal, Uttarakhand- to be continued…2

Notes on Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Kumaon-Garhwal, Uttarakhand;  Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon, Uttarakhand;  Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Nainital Kumaon, Uttarakhand; Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Almora Kumaon, Uttarakhand;  Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Bageshwar Kumaon, Uttarakhand;  Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Champavat Kumaon, Uttarakhand;  Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Pithauragarh Kumaon-Garhwal, Uttarakhand;  Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Garhwal, Uttarakhand; Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Haridwar/Hardwar Garhwal, Uttarakhand; Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Dehradun Garhwal, Uttarakhand; Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Uttarkashi Garhwal, Uttarakhand; Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Tihri Garhwal, Uttarakhand; Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Chamoli Garhwal, Uttarakhand; Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Rudraprayag Garhwal, Uttarakhand; Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand to be continued…