Nanda Devi Raj Jat

Nanda Devi Raj Jat (lit: Nanda Devi Royal Pilgrimage, hindi: नंदा देवी राज जात), is a three-week-long hindu festival and Kurur in nandanagar tehsil in chamoli to Homkund yatra (pilgrimage) organised once every 12 years in Chamoli District of Garhwal region of Uttarakhand state in India, involving a challenging trek covering around 280–290 km, with daily halts at various villages and high-altitude sites, culminating in religious ceremonies at Homkund. It begins at the Nanda Devi Siddhpith temple at Kurur village near Nandprayag, procceds via two way.There are two devoties of nanda devi. First devoties called kurur'Nanda (dasauli'Nanda) and second Bandhan'Nanda. First way is from kurur to kumjug , luntara, latukhal, kandai dasoli, bairashkund, matai, pahana, leani ramani, Aala, Kamol, Wan, Bedni Bugyal, Pathar Nachauni, Bhagwabasa,Trishuli, Roopkund, Shila Samudra, to Homkund with a four horned sheep (called Chausingya-Meda in Garhwali dialect) which is sat free at the end with adornments, food and clothing, and other offerings. Second way is from kurur to ustoli, bhenti, bangali, dungari, tharali , nandkesari etc. two way of rajjat meet in center Wan village.of Future Nanda Devi Raj Jat pilgrimages are scheduled in 2026, 2038, 2050, 2062, etc.^[1] .

In uttarakhand nanda devi rajjat

Nanda Devi Raj Jaat
After the havan – yagna is over, the sheep is freed with decorated ornaments, food and clothing's, and the other offerings are discarded
Observed by	Hindus
Type	Cultural, Seasonal, Religious
Celebrations	In Chamoli, Nanda Devi Raj Jaat is organized once in 12 years.
Date	Varies per Hindu Lunisolar calendar
Related to	Devi Parvati

In Garhwal region, Nanda Devi Lok Jaat called chhoti jaat is celebrate every year with shorter route, which also begins at the Devi Siddhpith temple at Kurur, focusing on recognised Nanda Devi temples in the local areas in Dasholi and Badhan pargana ending at Bedini Bugyal or Balpata Bugyal and does not reach high-altitude destinations like Roopkund or Homkund.^[2][3]

Nanda Devi is a manifestation of goddess Parvati, consort of Lord Shiva, she is also referred to as Gori Devi, Gora, Gauri, etc very commonly and interchangeably. The Yatra signifies the journey of the newly wed Nanda Devi from her maternal home in Garhwal to go to scared Mount Kailash, which is the abode of her consort Lord Shiva, from which she returns to her maternal home in Garhwal every year as annual journey in August September month, and then after 3 weeks of celebrations she goes back to Kailash. According to the local Garhwali tradition, Goddess Nanda is presented with lots of gifts by the people of her maternal Garhwali region before she returns to Mount Kailash. During her visit to Garhwal of deities from neighbouring areas, including from Garhwal, pay her a visit, and she her visits a number of temples too. On the Nanda Devi Raj Jat, the Goddess Nanda Devi visits the temple dedicated to her Dharam-Bhai (godbrother by the virtue of duty), called Laatu Devta, which is the situated in latukhaal temple in nandanagar and also last temple in the last village van of the yatra. The whole area which is covered during the yatra is divided in two parts, the initial one being the Mait (homecoming of Goddess Nanda Devi from Mount Kailash to the maternal home in Garhwal) and the later half being Sauraas (her return to in-laws or husband's abode at Mount Kailash). The people of the Mait region tend to get very emotional during this Yatra, as if sending off their own daughter to her Sauraas.

Mt. Nanda Devi, associated with the Goddess Nanda, is a notified national park.

Etymology

The jat or jaat (not to be confused with jats)) means yatra or pilgrimage. Raj means royal and the raj jat means the royal pilgrimage which is held every 12 years. Lok means local or folk, and lok jaat denotes localised annual pilgrimage. Nanda Devi is a popular deity revered by Hindus of Uttrakhand.

History

Origin of pilgrimage in Garhwal

Initially when the Nanda Devi Raj Jat started in a small Hamlet of Kurur, it was a much smaller affair compared to the scale of today's events. Its center is in Kurud, Nandanagar. Previously, it originated in Kurud village. The king, then, encouraged it and decided to undertake this pilgrimage every 12 years. Therefore, descendants of the royal family continue this pilgrimage every 12 years.

Nanda Devi and Sunanda Devi worship in Kumaun

In Kumaun, Nanda Devi and Sunanda Devi are worshipped together as twin goddesses. The twin peaks of the Nanda Devi and Sunanda Devi Mountain, visible from most of the Kumaon Division, are considered the sacred abode of the two goddesses.^[2] During the period of Chand dynasty in Kumaun region, Nanda Devi worship took the shape of a fair which started in Kumaon region during the reign of the King Kalyan Chand III (1542–51 CE) in the 16th century. The custom of worshipping twin-Goddesses Nanda-Sunanda started from the period of Baz Bahadur Chand (1598-1680 CE) of Chand dynasty of Kumaon region, prior to that, only Nanda Devi alone was worshipped in the form of a single idol of Nanda Devi, and Baz Bahadur Chand introduced the worship of two Goddesses in the form of two idols together. Even today, only one idol is prepared in the remote villages. The reason for this addition appears to be because the goddesses Nanda and Sunanda together took birth as princesses in the royal family and to mark this new reincarnation, the practice of celebrating a festival for both sisters together was introduced in which a story from their life is enacted.^[2]

2002 onwards: joint Garhwal-Kumaun Nanda Devi Raj Jat

Earlier there were separate fairs for Nanda Devi in the Garhwal and Kumaun kingdoms and the Goddess "Nanda of Almora" from Kumaun region was invited and took part in the Raj-Jat of Grahwal region. However, the fairs and celebrations for the worship of Nanda-Sunanda sister deities Kumaun region were celebrated separatly from the Kumaun region. After the formation of Uttarakhand, the state Government has brought the people from Garhwal and Kumaun regions together for the joint yatra, celebrations and fairs. Thereafter, in every Nanda Devi Raj Jat held by Garhwal region, the goddess "Almora ki Nanda" is also invited which started to take part since year 2002 after a gap of 90 years gap, and a number of other deities from Kumaun region also accompanied her. To facilitate this change, the traditional route of the Yatra has been tweaked and an additional stop with a detour have been added, such as via Nanadakesri where deities and devotees from Kumaon region assimilate with the main Nanda Devi Raj Jat of Garhwal region. Now people from both Garhwal and Kumaon regions, as well as other parts of India and the world participate in Nanda Devi Raj Jat yatra.^[3]

Kurur Nanda Devi Raj Jat

This Raj jat yatra originates from Kurur, a village 25 kilometres from Nandprayag, and yatra proceeds towards Kurur village 25 km from nandprayag. The locals and thokdar Of Dasoli pargana and gaur priests of village Kurur welcome the goddess, however the main priest of Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra remains the Gaur Brahmin from Kurur village.

According to the local legend, Nanda Devi, who is consort of Lord Shiva, left her village and went to the Nanda Devi mountain. Therefore, when the yatra starts, heavy rain occurs as if the devi is crying. This yatra covers many villages and in the way, the Devi meets her Brother laatu in lamsoda laatukhal village. This route through difficult terrain passes by Roopkund lake surrounded by hundreds of ancient skeletons. According to the local legend, once a king took some dancers to this sacred spot. Due to heavy snowfall, the people were trapped and the dancers were transformed into skeletons and stones that can be seen in Patarnachonia.

Transportation

Chamoli is the nearest big city, closest airport is Jolly Grant Airport 221 kilometers away, nearest railway is Rishikesh railway station. Chamoli is connected with Haridwar, Dehradun, Nainital, Rishikesh, and Almora by road and bus. Haridwar to karnprayag, Nandprayag , nandanagar and Kurur nanda devi temple.

In popular culture

• Books
  • Aitken, Bill. (reprinted 1994). The Nanda Devi Affair, Penguin Books India. ISBN 0-14-024045-4
  • Alter, Stephen – Becoming A Mountain. ISBN 978-93-86021-56-4

See also

• Geography of Uttarakhand
• Tourism in Uttarakhand
• List of unsolved deaths

• Yatra, pilgrimages in the nearby area
  • Char Dham
  • Roopkund