‘Hill Jatra’, the festival of masks to be celebrated as a state festival: CM Dhami

‘Hill Jatra’, the festival of masks to be celebrated as a state festival: CM Dhami
B.D.Kasniyal
Pithoragarh, Sept 4
‘Hill Jatra’, the ancient festival of masks, a representative of ancient agrarian traditions of Soor valley of Pithoragarh district along with ‘Kol’ traditions prevalent before that in the region, was solemnised in Kumaur village of Soor valley, here today.
The ‘Hill Jatra’ this year started at 4 pm today and was inaugurated by
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami virtually while Congress Pithoragarh MLA Mayukh Singh Mahar was chief guest.”The Chief Minister announced that the ‘Hill Jatra’ will be celebrated as a state festival from next year,” said Gopu Mahar.
“The festival depicts scenes at the time of transplanting paddy crop in the mud (called Hill in local language), during ‘Khariff’ agricultural season in which pair of ox, ploughing muddy field for paddy transplantation, women busy in plantation of paddy, old men smoking ‘Hukka’, lazy ox wanting to rest in muddy field, presence of wild animals deer and ‘Cheetal’ (spotted Deer) around the fields, representing exact character of ancient society at the time of paddy plantation are depicted by artists wearing various masks,” said Govind Singh Mahar, a resident of Kumar village.
“Besides the paddy transplantation scenes presented by masks, the festival is also known for “Lakhiya Bhoot”, considered as ‘Virbhadra’, the demon disciple of ‘Lord Shiva’, that destroyed the ‘Yagna’ of ‘Daksha Prajapati’, after ‘Mata Sati’, wife of ‘Lord Shiva’, threw herself into fire after seeing humiliation of her beloved husband ‘Lord Shiva’ in the ‘Yagna’ being performed by her father at Kankhal,” said Mahar.
“As the ‘Lakhiya Bhoot’ is raised in Koli Mohallah of the village and dressed like demons of pre-agrarian era and gives blessing after been pleased, it represents ‘Kol’ traditions being respected by agrarian people,” said Mahar.
Besides in Kumaor village, the ‘Hill Jatra’ is also organised in various villages of Soor valley namely Bajeti, Rawalgaon, Rori Paku, Chamali, Dungri, Pali, Himtar, Jajar Chingari and Satgarh villages.”These villages name ‘Hill Jatra’ as ‘Hiran Chital’ festival but do not have character of ‘Lakhiya Bhoot’, which is the lone tradition of Kumaor village,” said Padma Datt Pant, a writer on local cultural of Soor region.
“The festival, that represents, ancient agrarian society of the valley, also represents Mask dance traditions Tibet that has entered into Soor valley via Nepal,”said Pant.
Chandra Singh Chauhan, regional archaeological officer at Almora, who has reached here to cover the ‘Hill Jatra’ and plans to sent it for inclusion into UNESCO heritage list, said that his team has covered the festival from the ancient mask festival point of view.”We will sent it to Ministry of Culture, Government of India to be later referred it to UNESCO panel for inclusion into heritage list of international culture organisation,” said Chauhan
According to Chauhan till date, ‘Rammar’, the masked dance festival representing events of ‘Ramayan’ era in folk style of Garhwal region is the lone festival from hills that has been enlisted by UNESCO as heritage cultural event.
With solemnisation of ‘Hilljatra’, the week-long ‘Gaura festival’ or ‘Aathon’, came to an end today after the villagers immersed the effigies of Gaura- Maheshwar in a religious place.
Parvez Ali, Police Circle Officer, Pithoragarh said that adequate security arrangements were made for the peaceful conduct with police ,home guards and fire services deployed for the festivities.