This festival takes place in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. Garhwal is an exceptionally popular tourist destination courtesy its spellbinding beauty. In fact, this is also the reason why it is very popular among foreign travellers as well.
Apart from its natural beauty, Uttarakhand is also known for its cultural exquisiteness. What adds to this exquisiteness is the local food, destinations worth exploring, along with a variety of events and festivals.
Talking about the festivals of Uttarakhand, one fine example worth sharing and talking about would be the Ramman festival of Uttarakhand which is basically a Hindu festival of the Saloor Dungra village, located in the Painkhanda Valley of the Chamoli district. The festival is quite popular in the area and is celebrated with great pomp and show.
This festival commemorates the local tutelary God, Bhumiya Devta. It has been seen that during the festivities and celebrations of any kind in the region, the locals mostly flock to this deity’s temple.
This festival cum ritual also celebrates the recitation of the epic Ramayana along with many other legends. Apart from these legends, many songs and masked dances are also performed during this event in Garhwal.
What is interesting to know is that during this religious festival of Uttarakhand, people belonging to different castes perform a distinct role. For instance, the youth along with the people ranging up to 40 years in age generally participate in folk performances.
The Brahmins are responsible for leading the prayers, chantings and rituals. The kshatriyas, on the other hand, are the only ones who get to wear the sacred masks which are of half-man and half-lion.
Major Attractions of Ramman Festival
1. Theatre. Ramman is an interesting mix of various activities like theatre, fun, and music. Overall, it is all about tales to tell and memories to share. This festival sees multiple performances like skits and acts which are based on our historical epics. A great number of people gather here to witness these skillful performances and relish in the taste of our Indian culture. The plays are participated by 18 people who play a total number of 18 characters while wearing 18 masks honouring the 18 Puranas.
2. Cheerful Procession. During this festival, a procession is carried out from the temple of Bhumiya Devta to the temple located in the centre of the village. During the procession, the devotees beat drums and masked dances are also performed by the villagers. As the processions come to an end, the Bhumiya Devta is made to stay at the house of one of the villagers until the next Baisakhi festival. In which house, the deity would stay is decided by the Panchayat of the village.
How to Reach
Ramman is celebrated in Garhwal region of the state of Uttarkhand. Garwhal is situated at an approximate distance of 315, 2,169, 1,422, and 1,518 km from Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Kolkata respectively. Here is how you can travel to Garhwal Uttarakhand by the following means of transportation.
By Air. Jolly Grant Airport of Dehradun is located at an approximate distance of 133 km from Garwhal. It is advised to take connecting flights from Delhi or Chandigarh to this place. Once you deboard at the aerodrome, you will either have to get a cab or some other means of transportation to reach your respective destination.
By Train. Kotdwara is the nearest railway station to Garwhal situated at an approximate distance of 80-100 km. After you deboard the train, you can either get a cab or some other means of transportation to reach your destination.
By Road. Garwhal is quite well connected via national highways and motorable road networks. So, if you are planning to visit Garwhal via road then, you can consider booking interstate or private buses, or take a cab, if residing in a nearby location or if you prefer to travel at your own pace, then you can also take your own car or two-wheeler.
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