Subproject A4 - 2

Ritual performances in Uttarakhand

 

Recorded between 2002 and 2010, these rituals are a collection of ritual performances and ritual festivals in the districts Chamoli and Rudraprayag Uttarakhand, India. This region in the Himalaya is famous for the pilgrimage centers Badrinath (Vishnu), Kedarnath (Shiva) and Hemkund Sahib (a Sikh pilgrimage site). But while these pilgrimage centers attract many outsiders, the locals have their own way of worshipping their deities in what they understand to be the dev bhumi,  the land of the gods. Many local deities demand to be taken on regular pilgrimages (see the examples of Chandika and Jakh). During these pilgrimages the deities and the villagers are entertained by traditional ritual performances which tell the tales of ancient deities. Other gods' stories (such as Jitu Bagadwal and the Pandav Nritya) are reenacted every year in particular villages.

The collected data gives only a glimpse of the numerous ritual traditions of the region. More information can be found with Dr. D. R. Purohit, the founder and former director of the Centre for Folklore and Performance Studies at the H. N. B. Garhwal University, Srinagar Garhwal.

Some of the ritual performances have caught the attention of theater artists who have produced stage versions of the ritual performances, some of which are included in this collection.

Main page of the subproject >>>

Resource types:

Photos, videos, texts

 

Time period and location:

2008-2010, Uttarakhand, Himalayas, the districts Chamoli and Rudraprayag

Languages:

Hindi, Garhwali, English, German

Access:

HeidICON (worldwide)

 

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