The Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra originates from Nauti village, about  25 km  from  Karnprayag  in  Uttarakhand. The  Kunwar of Kansua  village  inaugurates  the  ceremony. The legend has it that Nanda Devi, the consort of Lord Shiva left her village and went to the Nanda Devi mount. Therefore when the yatra starts, heavy rain occurs as  if the Devi is  crying. This yatra covers many villages en route  and  the  Devi  meets  her  sister  in  Bhagwati  village.  The festivities  come  to a standstill, when  time  comes for the Devi to leave  for  her  husband’s  home. Special  prayers  and  rituals are performed and the offerings are loaded on  the  four- horned Ram. The deity is decorated like a bride, ready to leave for her husband's home. The scene  becomes  emotional  when  devotees  bid tearful farewell to the Devi, as they bid farewell to their own daughter.

      The four horned ram proceeds towards Trishuli peak, the abode of Lord Shiva. The women folk believe that the mist around the Nanda Kot peak is the smoke coming out of the kitchen of Goddess Nanda. They sing songs in praise of their Goddess, whom they consider as their pampered daughter.

         This journey is extremely tough as it passes through difficult terrain. During the yatra, devotees pass by Lake Roopkund, surrounded by hundreds of skeletons. According to the mythology, once a King took some dancers to this sacred spot. Due to heavy snowfall, the people got trapped and the dancers were transformed into skeletons and stones. Another myth is that King Yasodhwal's pregnant wife's placenta, during child birth, flowed down to Roopkund and this in turn caused the death of the people present there. Nandakini, one of the five main tributaries of the Ganges, originating from the Nanda Ghunti in the Nanda Devi Sanctuary, and joining the Alaknanda river at Nandprayag, lost her significance.

         During the period of Chand kings, Nanda Devi worship took the shape of a fair. Prior to that, Nanda Devi was being worshiped, but at  that  time  only an idol of Nanda Devi used to be worshiped. The  custom  to make  two  idols  started  from  the  period  of Baj Bahadur  Chand. The twin  peaks of the Nanda Devi and Sunanda Devi are said to be the abode of two goddesses. 

          The  Nanda  Devi Raj  Jat Yatra covers approx 290 Kms. The 230 Kms distance is covered on foot by trekking and 60 Kms by the transport. It takes three week to cover the whole yatra. People from Uttarakhand  and  other  parts  of India  participate  in  this  Yatra. The route traverse through high peaks and beautiful meadows.

          The goddess Nanda Devi is worshiped at dozens of places in both the Kumaon and Garhwal regions, but the region around Mt. Nanda Devi and its sanctuary, is the prime area related to the Yatra, organized once in 12 years. The Jaat (meaning Yatra or pilgrimage) starts from Nauti village near Karnprayag and goes up to the heights of Roopkund and Homekund with a four horned sheep. After the havan - yagna is over, the sheep is freed with decorated ornaments, food and clothings, and the other offerings are discarded.

     Raj Jaat procession goes through villages, where there is a recognized Nanda Devi temple. At Koti, a night halt of the participants takes place where a night-long worship and celebrations take place. Thousands participate in the procession carrying the dola of Nanda Devi. It is said that the Nanda Devi fairs started in Kumaon during the reign of the King Kalyan Chand in the 16th century. A three-day fair is held at Kot Ki Mai or Kot Bhramari Devi. The fair at Saneti comes every second year.

 
     Nanda Devi Raj Jat is the most wonderful pilgrimage in the High Himalayas, combining faith, mystery and myth. Like the Khumbh it is organized every 12 years. 280 km pilgrimage by foot begins at the village Nauti, in Chamoli district and has 19 resting places. The yatra reflects the traditions of the society that has deep faith in Nanda Devi. People of all castes, religions and creeds joyfully join this journey, which embraces pastoral hospitably and govt apathy with equal ease, as it traverses through the heavenly environs of the Bedini Bugyal.

White Elephants !!

*    In poor country like India where thousands go hungry 

      and  millions  manage  just  one  meal  a day  for their

      families,  spending  crores  of  rupees  each  year  on 

      maintaining the  institution of  the  governor is hardly 

      any act of wisdom. The huge  amount of money spent

      on their pay, perks and maintaining Raj Bhavans does

      not justify the the work discharged from this high 

      office.

*    The Governors perform only one constitutional duty, 

      i.e., inviting the  leader of the  largest political party, 

      or the group to form the govt. It's one duty  that can  

      be better formed by the Chief Justice of the State.

*    Most governors often meddle into state politics and

      make life difficult for the state govt at the behest of

      the centre. Money  saved by  dismantling this office 

      can be spent on health and education of impoverished

      people. 

Roopmati -- Baz Bahadur ...... A forgotten love tale.

 *     Baz Bahadur, a music lover, was the last independent ruler of Mandu. Once out on hunting, he met Roopmati, a shepherdess frolicking and singing with her friends. Smitten by her enchanting beauty and melodious voice, he begged her to accompany him to Mandu. Roopmati agreed to accompany him on one condition that she would live in a palace from where she could see River Narmada, which she loved so much.  

 *     Baz Bahadur built Roopmati's palace to which water was supplied from the Rewa Kund, equipped with an aqueduct. Queen Roopmati's Pavilion was built as an army observation post. It served a more romantic purpose as Roopmati's retreat. From this picturesque pavilion perched on a hilltop, the queen could gaze at her paramour's palace, and also at the Narmada flowing by.  

*      Roopmati and Baz Bahadur fell in love with each other and got married according to Muslim and Hindu traditions. The Mughal emperor Akbar sent Adam Khan decided to invade Mandu. Baz Bahadur with his small army went to challenge him but was defeated. Roopmati poisoned herself to avoid capture. Thus ended, the magical love story steeped in music, poetry, romance, war and death.

*   Tale of Roopmati and Baz Bahadur has been immortalized by Ahmad-ul-Umri Turkoman, who wrote 26 poems in Persian. This manuscript later got translated into English by L.M. Crump under the title, The Lady of the Lotus: Rupmati, Queen of Mandu: A Strange Tale of Faithfulness in 1926.

*     It's one love tale that has remained forgotten in the land of its origin. It's surprising and sad that no Bollywood filmmaker never thought of telling this wonderful story on celluloid. Hopefully somebody someday does it. 

Scotland Vote for Independence !!!

   

*    So,  finally pragmatism has won in Scotland. British PM must be a relieved man, today. My heart goes out to independence seekers in Scotland. Many minority ethnic groups the world over are seeking independence because their aspirations are being met within the existing framework. It's the responsibility of the rulers in those countries to ensure that people of minority ethnic groups are not discriminated against.  Iraq is the case in point. 

*    Russians living in Ukraine and Ukrainians leaders  need to take a lesson from it. 

*     United we stand divided we fall.  

Life's greatest lessons (2).............A Storyteller.

*  We often come across people in our lives who, though, uneducated are excellent storytellers and people who are well read but terrible at telling stories. 

*   About a decade and half ago I too met with a soldier, Tek Bahadur, during  my three year stint with an Indian Para Military Force. On a week long patrolling assignment in the jungles of Mizoram in the northeastern India, we one day passed by a lake, picture of whose lonesome beauty got etched in my heart forever.  

*    On inquiry why there was no human settlement near the lake, the man during the night in the next village narrated me the folktale (read story of 'Palak Dil' in my earlier post) of that lake.  His style of narration was so fascinating, so captivating that I was inspired to take up writing. Until then I hadn't written prose of any worth. 

*     That night fifteen years ago changed my life. He inspired me to write. Today I have written about five dozen short stories and four fiction novels. And for this newfound inspiration, I owe it to him. And I know there would be hundreds like me who have been inspired by people from humble educational backgrounds. 

*      Thank you, Tek Bahadur.