Latu Devta Jagar: Ritual Folk Songs for Adopted Brother of Goddess Nanda Devi

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

                           Bhishma Kukreti

                         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.

लाटू देवता की गाथा 


(संकलन,  सन्दर्भ: चिट्ठी पत्री  2003 )
(इंटरनेट प्रस्तुती व व्याख्या - भीष्म कुकरेती )

बाणा बारा लौटू रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ भूमियाँ बण्यु रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ तादीना मंका रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ रिषी गी यादा रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ वे बूढ़ा रिषी रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ गंगू बौगीगा रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ कख गौया ह्वलारैद्यों कैद्यों -
 व ई रे लाटू रैद्यों कैद्यों -२
लाटू लागीगा रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ कै इ ध्यान मंगा रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ गंगा रे वारा रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ लाटू ऐ गौया रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ बाणा को बौसा रैद्यों कैद्यों
ल्वाजिंगा खाळा   रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ 
तखा गो बौसो   रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ 
देबाळू पौंछिगा रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ 
गंगा पौंछिगा रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ 
तखा बैटीगा  रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ 
मुठी बांदी कनै रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ 
द्यखणा बैठीगा  रैद्यों कैद्यों -२  
रिषी को ध्याना रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ 
वे माल़ा जम्पनू लाटू तु देबाळु  रे मंगा -२
कैली गंगा बैठ्युं ह्वला यो बाणै बारा लाटू -२
माळू झ्याला ऐगी रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ 
आपुणी धज्जा रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ 
बाणा ग लौटू रैरैद्यों कैद्यों -२ द्यों कैद्यों -२ 
रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ बगोळी बारा रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ 
धज्जा घट्येला  रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ 
धज्जा पकड़ी रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ 
आमै डाऴयो   रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ 
जुगुं स्ये गौया रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ 
बारामासा नींदरा रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ 
चौमास्या फून्कारा रैद्यों कैद्यों -२ 
xx            xxx
हाजौरी ह्वे जौनू द्यब्तों गो पुजारी -२
यको हाता ल्ह्यौला वे रैणा पीठाई -२
xx     xxx
हाजौरी वे रे ह्वे जौलो खैरगढै खौखरा हाजौरी  …
हाजौरी वे रे ह्वे जौलो म्यौरो छड़ी वौलौ हाजौरी 
  …   …
हाजौरी वे रे ह्वे जौलो वीरे हणमन्ता हाजौरी
  …   …

                   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…