Mountains are Calling - Part8
Mountains are Calling - Part8
It had been more than 2 years since we had gone on a trip to the mountains. Hence we planned this trip to the mountains. Read about how we planned the Trip here.
Reaching Noida, from where we had to start our journey to the hills, became an ordeal in. itself. Later on 30th October we started our journey and reached Haldwani. We enjoyed our journey to Haldwani. Enjoying the way and various stoppages in between was really fun. Read here.
On 31st we started our journey to Pithoragarh, it being my maiden driving experience in the hills we travelled via Hills and Valleys and enjoyed every bit of it. We travelled via Bhimtal, Padampuri, Paharpani, Saharphatak, Lamgara (Read here), Suakhan, Danya, Panar Bridge, Ghat, Gurna Mata Temple, Igyar Devi, Pithoragarh to finally reach Wadda (Read here). As we reached Wadda saw Ramayan being enacted even after Dussehra, read more about this tradition and more about people in the hills here. As we started living the Mountain Village Life at Wadda, we started living the ways the locals lived, hence started going on Morning Walks. During our Morning Walks we explored Hudkana. We also explored Bhavani Dhana during one of our evening hikes, Read here. During our stay we started to know about the local traditions and religious beliefs. We were apprised that there is a village Deity, family or clan Deity, Deity worshipped in a region and Deities worshipped by everyone beyond boundaries. We explored Chaumu Devta Temple and Kailash Ashram which respectively affirmed the concept of village/family Deity and general Temple complexes, Read here.
Wadda - Living the Mountain Village Life Contd...:
During our stay at Wadda, we got a chance to see how people celebrate festivals in small settlements like Wadda. We were at Wadda during the time of Diwali.
Diwali at Wadda:
Festivals are celebrated with lot of energy, happiness and enthusiasm. Contrary to what happens these days in Urban Cities, festivals are still celebrated as a community affair. People meet and greet on various festivals. On Diwali, the festivities started from Dhanteras. On this day people buy utensils, gold & silver ornaments etc. Our relatives were Goldsmiths hence they had a good sale of ornaments on this day. The next day was Choti Diwali. This was the day when the house and the shop of our relatives were decorated with vivid colored light bulbs. These are long sequences of light bulbs tied one after the other; they are locally called as bulbs ki ladi (meaning sequence of bulbs). We also helped in decorating the shop with such ladis. The next day was Diwali. The complete house was illuminated with bulbs and earthen Diyas (a small oil lamp made of clay). In accordance with the Tithi (calendar and time) Lakshmi Pujan (worshipping of Goddess Lakshmi) was performed. All the family members came together to worship Goddess Lakshmi. Lakshmi Pujan was followed by a session of bursting fire crackers. During Diwali, people visit each other's home to seek blessing from the elders. Friends visit each other's houses to collectively enjoy bursting of crackers. The day after Diwali is celebrate as Goverdhan Puja or Annakut. Bhiaya Dooj or Dooj is celebrated after Goverdhan Puja. During the festive days I saw people visiting each others home and celebrating the festivals together. This strengthens the bond between people and they live and flourish as community.
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| Diwali at Wadda |
Kuladevata/ Kuladevi Temple:
Kuladevata or Kuladevi (Clan Deity) are deities worshipped by a Clan or family. They are ancestral tutelary deities. They are said to be protector of the family or clan (Kula). They protect the family and children from any misfortune. We visited the Kuladevata/Kuladevi Temple of our relatives Clan. We sought the blessings of the Deity. This was a temple on the way to our relative's ancestral village, just on the corner of the hilly road. This was a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Shakti. The temple had a calm atmosphere. Just at some distance from the Temple was a space where there was a small brook flowing. Locals told us that at this place villagers used to come for performing the last rights of their loved ones.
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| Kuladevata/Kuladevi Temple |
Gramadevata/ Gramadevi Temple:
Gramadevata or Gramadevi (Village Deity) are deities worshipped by a village. They are revered as the guardians of the village. We visited our relative's ancestral village and hence also visited their
Gramadevata / Gramadevi Temple. It was just at the start of the village.
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| Gramadevata Temple |
Chandika Temple:
Chandika Temple was just some distance away from our relative's ancestral village. This is a temple which has a lot of following among the villages around the Temple. Devotees flock to this Temple in large numbers. In olden days people used to trek from villages to the Temple. These days there is a motor-able road that takes one till close proximity of the Temple. The atmosphere in and around the Temple is very serene. Locals told us that in olden days there was a tradition of animal sacrifice that was followed in the Temple which has now been abolished. Locals also told us that people come here and make wishes and hence they tie a Chunni (a long scarf) for their wish to be fulfilled.
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| Chandika Temple |
Cooking Food Over Fire:
Other than visiting various places in an around Wadda, we also experienced the fun in cooking food over fire. This was a fun activity where we learned how to ignite small wood pieces and cook food over it. I learned the skill of igniting wood with minimal number of match sticks. A big iron karai (a bowl shaped frying pan with two handled to lift the pan) was placed over the fire and then food was cooked over it. I also learned the skill of controlling the flame of the fire for shallow and deep frying. It was really fun to cook food over fire in the open. Although it was very chilly in the open but we really liked the experience. Need-less to say that the food was finger licking good.
Continue Reading : Mountains are Calling - Part9...
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| Cooking Food Over Fire |
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