Religious Faiths in Garhwal in Pal /Shah Period

Administration, Social and Cultural Characteristics History of Garhwal in Shah Dynasty -75 

   History of Garhwal including Haridwar (1223- 1804 AD) –part -265     

   History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -512

                        By: Bhishma Kukreti (A History Research Student)

             The religious faiths of Garhwalis were mainly due to geographical situations. Each steep and high hill was called ‘Kailash’. People used to bow as soon as they saw snow bound hill. People used to tie colored cloth on tree branch as sign of deity or goddess.

           In North Garhwal adjusting Tibet, Kuber was great deity and Ghantakarn was his minister. People used to worship both the deities. Bhotiyas used to catch hot (through keeping on burning coal or wood) iron Janti to worship deities in Janti festival of Pandukeshwar.

                Nanda the National Goddess of Uttarakhand

  Goddess Nanda Devi is worshipped in both the regions of Uttarakhand (Kumaon and Garhwal). Nanda is called wife of Lord Mahadev. There are many temples of Nanda Devi on hills those are facing the Nanda Mountain.

The Nanda Jat Yatra is performed every after twelve year and is the longest deity worshiping Tour in the world.  An animal sacrifice was common in worshiping Nanda Devi.

                           Ganga Ji

 Ganga was a or is a reverend river of Garhwal and India. People used to come to conferences of Ganga for bathing on auspicious days as Baishakhi, Makraini etc.People used to vouch Ganga Ji or used to take Ganga Ki Saugandh.

                  River source means Dham

 There were worshiping places or Dham at the source of reverend rivers. There are five Main such Dham-

Gangotri (Ganga Source)

Yamunotri (Yamuna Source)

Kedarnath (near Mandakini Source)

Badrinath (near Alaknanda Source)

Nanda Devi

There were Panch Kedar (Five Kedar) and Panch Badri (Five Badrinath )

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com15/12/2014

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -513

(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)

History of Garhwal from 1223-1804 to be continued in next chapter ….

History of Characteristics of Garhwal Kings Shah dynasty, to be continued

XX                     

Notes on Garhwal ka Itihas, Garhwal ka Madhy Yugin Itihas , South Asian Modern Period  History of Garhwal;  South Asian Modern Period   History of Pauri Garhwal; South Asian  Modern Period   History of Chamoli Garhwal;  South Asian Modern Period   History of Rudraprayag Garhwal; South Asian Modern  History of Tehri Garhwal;  South Asian Modern History of Uttarkashi Garhwal;  South Asian Modern Period   History of Dehradun, Garhwal;  Modern  History of Haridwar ;  South Asian Modern Period   History of Manglaur, Haridwar;  South Asian Modern Period  History of Rurkee Haridwar ;  South Asian Modern Period   History of Bahadarpur Haridwar ; South Asian Modern Period  History of Haridwar district, South Asian History of Bijnor old Garhwal