Makar Sankranti with a difference

In the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, Makara Sankranti is celebrated with great gusto. According to the Hindu religious texts, on the day of Uttarayani also called Ghughuti (घुघुति) in Kumaon, the sun enters the Zodiacal sign of 'Makara' (Capricon), i.e. from this day onwards the sun becomes 'Uttarayan' or it starts moving to the north. It is said that from this day, which signals a change of season, the migratory birds start returning to the hills. On Makara Sankranti people give Khichadi (a mixture of pulses and rice) in charity, take ceremonial dips in holy rivers, participate in the Uttarayani fairs and celebrate the festival of Ghughutia or Kale Kauva. During the festival of Kale Kauva (literal translation 'black crow') people make sweetmeats out of sweetened flour (flour and gur) deep fried in ghee, shape them in shapes such as drums, pomegranates, knives, and swords. They are strung together and worn as necklace, in the middle of which an orange is fixed. Early in the morning children wear these necklaces and sing "Kale Kauva" to attract crows and other birds and offer them portions of these necklaces, as a token of welcome for all the migratory birds, who are now coming back after their winter sojourn in the plains. Wearing garlands of the above eatables the children come out calling the crows with following song on their lips:

    Kale Kale,
    bhol bate aile bor puwa,
    Khale Ie Kauva bara,
    mai ke de sunu gharo,
    Ie Kauva dhal,
    mai ke de sunu thai.

    काले कौवा काले घुघुति माला खाले
    ले कौवा बड़ा मकें दे सुणो घड़ा
    ले कौवा ढाल मकें दे सुणो थाल

(Come dear crow, come daily you will enjoy eating bara and puwa. Take the bara and give me a pitcher full of gold. Take the shield and give me a golden plate.)

Wishing you all Happy Makar Sankranti! 

PS: This article is a forward. It is not written by me or my father. It is my tribute to someone's in-depth research and knowledge-sharing spirit. 

Springing with Joy

This is how we welcome the Spring Season in Kumaon

14 March 2013 was Phool Dei festival in Kumaoun, celebrated on the first day of Chaitra month of the Hindu Calendar and falls around mid-March. It's a joyous celebration of the onset of spring, when vibrant red Rhododendrons flower in abundance up in the hills. 

On this day, young girls visit houses carrying plates a having rice grains, jaggery and flowers. They conduct puja of the house entrance (the dehlee or dahleez) and sprinkle rice grains and flowers / flower petals, singing: Phool Dei, Chhamma Dei, Dwino Dwaar, Bhor Bhakaar, Yo Dei Sei Namaskar, Pujo Dei . This symbolises an offering of good wishes for the prosperity of the family and the household. The seniors of the household in turn, bless the girls and offer them sweets & money. Happiness!

KAALE KAUWA FESTIVAL OF KUMAON

I fondly remember the Kaale Kauwa festival on Makar Sankranti from my childhood. Here's the sweet story. Kaale Kauwa / Ghughutia is celebrated on the day of Uttarayani, when sun enters into the Zodiacal sign of Capricon (Makar) from that of Cancer (Kark) i.e. from this day sun starts moving towards north. This day also signals a change in season, as the migratory birds start returning to hills.

Ghughuta are made out of sweetened flour  (kneaded with 'Gud'). These are then formed into  Ghughuta which are shaped like drums, swords, knives, pomegranates etc. and deep fried. Ghughuta are then strung into a necklace ( maala) with an Orange strung in the middle.Dry fruits are also used for stringing into the garland.

Children get up early in the morning  and these are then put round their necks. Wearing garlands of the above eatables, children come out calling the crows saying:

Kaale Kauwa Kaale, Ghughuti Maala Khaale,

Le Kauwa Dhaal, Miki de Suno Thaal,

Le Kauwa Baraa, Miki de Suno Gharaa.....

Children take off some Ghughuta from the necklace (Ghughuti malaa) and give it to crows & other birds to eat as a token of welcome for all migratory birds, who are returning from their winter sojourn in the plains.

Jai bolo Nanda Devi ki

 Nanda Devi Mela is being celebrated in Nainital these days

Nanda Devi is the presiding deity of Kumaoun. It is said that Devi Parvati in her part reincarnation was born in the family of Kumaoun King. Sunanda was her sister. The Nanda Devi Mela is the most important festival of Kumaoun and is held in honour of Goddesses Nanda  and Sunanda Devi.

The story goes that Nanda and Sunanda once went in to a forest and a bull buffalo chased them. They tried to hide under different type of vegetations but finally got refuge in a banana tree forest. A goat came there and ate away the banana leaves with the result that Nanda and Sunanda were visible to the bull buffalo, which killed both  sisters. This is said to be the reason that goat and bull buffalo are sacrificed during the Nanda celebrations.

The Nanda Devi fair commences from Bhadrapad Shukla Panchami in September. On the Panchami day the devotees go to invite Banana trees for the celebrations. Amidst chanting of Ved Mantras, four Banana Trees are selected by the devotees. The tree, which shivers first, is selected to prepare the Nanda Devi idols. The second tree is used to prepare the idol of Sunanda. The third and the fourth Banana trees are kept as stand by, so that in case the first or the second tree is damaged/disfigured, the third or the fourth is used as substitute. On the seventh day, the four trees are cut and amidst great fanfare are brought to the place in temple where Nanda & Sunanda idols are to be prepared. The idols are prepared out of trunks of the banana tree. The support structure of faces of  Nanda and Sunanda is made out of cane wood and banana trunk pieces becomes the base, over which is draped yellow cloth to give it the shape of a face. The faces of Nanda and Sunanda are then drawn. Earlier the eyes were made from liquid rice ( called biswar). Now the eyes are mostly prepared from silver. The idols are decorated with the traditional attirvami ( the nath  of a Kumaoni bride)

The main celebrations  are held on Astami. On nineth day (Navami), bull buffalo & goats were slaughtered as sacrificial offering to Devi Nanda and the meat distributed as Prasad. Now this sacrificial practice has been stopped.

Tthe Nanda Devi & Sunanda Devi idols are taken round the town with great fanfare. The idols are finally  immersed in the lake or river. During the fair, people dance in groups and sing Jhore, Chanchari, Bhagnaul Bair etc. The dance is accompanied by Hurka, a traditional Kumaoni small drum. Folk dancers come in large numbers and dance in groups to the tune of songs, bagpipes and Hurka. 

For more details and lovely pictures, please visit http://www.nainitaltourism.com/Nanda_Devi_Mela.html. 

CUCUMBERS IN THE FIRE: Yesterday Ganesh Chaturthi was also Khatarua, a unique rural festival in our Kumaon 

“Khatarua” is celeberated in September (first day of Hindu month of Ashwin). Initially, celebrated to display supremacy of one dynasty over the other, the festival was greatly toned down as a gesture and effort to foster greater kinship between people of Uttarakhand. 

In a larger context, the festival also marks the start of autumn. Bonfires are lit in the evening, children dance around it and cucumbers are offered to the fire - signifying destruction of all evil influence. It is also said that due to paucity of food in the war-torn region, the victorious Kumaouni soldiers celebrated by sharing cucumbers. Children while dancing around the bonfire chant “ Chal Khatarua dhaare dhaar; Gau ki jeet khataruey kee haar”

Khatarua means: animal disease - ref: http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/dehradun/5884-unique-rural-festival-khatarua-to-be-celebrated-today.html

Incredible Bharat Guest Entry: Amazing Adinath of the Jains

Madhuban is a town in Jharkhand state at the base of Shikharjee Hill/Parasnath - one of most revered hills for Jains, where 22 Jain Teerthankaras got "Moksha". Madhuban is also the place where "Gunayatan", a unique Jain Temple is under construction.

In the temporary Prayer Hall is a Pratima, actually discovered in a field in a village in Jharkhand. The villagers started worshiping it and it is said that all their wishes were granted when prayed for. The Pratima is unique in many senses. It is almost fully intact and very beautifully carved. It resembles the work of sculptors of Jain Teerthankaras and Jains wanted to take it. The villagers were not ready to part with it but after visit of Jains with respectful credentials, the villagers agreed to handover the Idol. The Idols of Teerthankaras are identified by their special symbols (Chinhas). This Idol here doesn't have any clear such symbol on it. The Jain Muni associated with Gunayatan identified the Idol as that of Adinath... The First Teerthankara.

Our country & places are full of such wonderful stories/legends. Our Incredible Bharat.

Say hello to the Sah Community of Kumaon :)

When I searched for Sah (my paternal surname) on the Internet, I was disappointed to find nothing valuable on the origins of our tiny community. I asked my father to pen down a few details about the stories and tales about the exclusive surname. Here is what he remembers from the narrations of his grand father, father Shri Kishori Lal Sah & uncle Sri Chandra Lal Sah Thulgharia. Enjoy this little read.

"Sah/Shah are a small community of Kumaon. There are many "Sections" of Sah / Shah community and has many myths to it origin. Sah/Shah are an urban community, those living in cities / towns are primarily engaged in trade and others who live in semi-urban or rural places are in agriculture and animal husbandry. The clans of Sah/Shah community are many such as Kumaoiya, Thulgharias, Gangolas, Jagati, Tamkia, Chaudhary, Chukurait, Jakhwal, Kholibhiteria, Salimgarhia. These are derived from either the names of ancestral villages, title received and even the main trade(s) they were involved. 

Interestingly our ancestors claimed to be Kshtriyas and some say or claim to be Vaishya. There are even incidences of Sah/Shah families marrying into rajput families and even Royalty of Nepal. The community per se is not originally  from lands of Kumaon but migrated mainly from UP, HP almost 500 or more years back and got assimilated in the main steam of Kumaon."