Festivals of British Garhwal

British Administration in Garhwal   -177

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History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -197

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            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -1029

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                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)

   

   Baishakhi, Rakshabandhan, Hariyala, Krishna Janmashtami, Vijayadashhara, Dipawali, Anant Chaturdashi, Ghee Sankranti, Vasant Panchami, Shivratri were major festivals. Daily, unmarried girls used to put flowers early morning on door step in Chait month.

    There used to be fair near or inside temples on festive day.

      People used to wait Kauthig, Khaul-Myala (Fair).  Traders used to bring various articles for sales and people used to buy them with eagerness. Fair was also the opportunity for meeting relatives from other places.  People used to fair with enthusiastic mood singing. Fair was memorable events for every event visitors for many days.

  There were fairs those had specific purpose. Baikunth Chaturdashi fair at Kamleshwar temple, Shrinagar was such fair. The pair desiring son used to put burning earthen lamp on their hands and used to stand before idol for whole night. This night is called Khadratri.

     There used to be Jati fair in Pandukeshwar in Magh month where Bhotiya people used to have rituals before Ghantakarn idol. The person who got deity soul into his body used to pick red hot metal rod and used to revolve around his head and then used to put at its place. Kuber ‘s pashwa used to jump into burning fire.

   Gend mela fair (as Rugby) in Katghar, Devikhet, Thalnadi, matiyali were very famous.

    People used to visit in fair at Ganga bank on festival days.

   There were fair in Salt Mahadev, Idiyakot; Shrinagar, Devprayag, Igasar , Vinsar, Paithani ( Kandarsyun ), Vyaschatti (Banelsyun), Danda Nagraja (Kandwalsyun), Mahadevchatti, Foolchatti, Kot Kandai (Dhaijyul), Vilkkedar, Jwalpa Devi temple, Bhairavgarhi, Sangra (Manyarsyun), nagnath, Rudraprayag, Gopeshwar, Joshimath, etc

 In many temples, people used to sacrifice animals as goat or buffalo. Opposite of Shrinagar at Ranihat, there used to be fair of prostitutes (Devdasi).

    There were regional fairs too   where a particular region people used to celebrate events.    

References  

1-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -7 Garhwal par British -Shasan, part -1, page- 343-456

2- Atkinson, Himalayan Districts Vol.3

 3- Asiatic Researches Vo.l 6

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Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India,bjkukreti@gmail.com 17/9/201710History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -1030

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*** History of British Rule/Administration over British Garhwal (Pauri, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli1815-1947) to be continued in next chapter

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

 History of British Garhwal, History of Devalgarh Garhwal; History of Badhan Garhwal; History of Barasyun Garhwal; History of Chandpur Garhwal; History of Chaundkot Garhwal; History of  Gangasalan Garhwal;  History of Mallasalan Garhwal;  History ofTallasaln Garhwal; History of Dashauli Garhwal; History of Nagpur Garhwal; Sociity  in British Garhwal.