‘Chaitola’ festival celebrated in eastern Kumoan region
‘Chaitola’ festival celebrated in eastern Kumoan region
B.D.Kasniyal
Pithoragarh, April 2
‘Chaitola’, the festival to celebrate village deities for their sacrifices to facilitate agriculture by keeping away the elements wanting to destroy it and also to celebrate new crop, a tradition from ancient times, concluded in villages of Soor region of eastern Kumaon today.
“The festival, celebrated before harvesting of Rabi crop session, concluded today after decorated umbrella that symbolises the local land deity ‘Deval Samel’, was taken to all 22 villages of Soor valley, that venerate the deity as their land deity or ‘Bhumiya Devta’,” said Chandreshekhar Bhatt, priest of ‘Deval Samel’ temple at Seradeval in Soor valley.
“Beginning of festival to venerate local land deities(Bhumiya devta), for their contribution in facilitating the profession of cultivation in their respective regions in ancient times, in eastern Kumaon region of Champawat and Pithoragarh, begins on Navami (9th day), of the month of Hindu calender from Chamdeval region of Champawat district of Kumaon region.
“The villages of Nyuldhukra, Baskuni, Drilling, Pulla, Pokhari Jakh, Sirkot and Chaupata, venerate the ‘Chamu’ deity, who in ancient times freed the region from the terror of a man eating demon by killing the demon and facilitating the occupation of agriculture in that region,” said Shankar Datt Pandey, a member of Chaitola management committee in Chamdeval area of Lohaghat.
“To pay respect to ‘Chamu’ deity, for freeing them from the terror of demon in ancient times,, the village women prepare ‘Papads’ from the rice flour that is grown in their fields as ‘prasad’ of the festival, “said Padma Datt Pant, a cultural historian of eastern Kumaon region.
In Pithoragarh district, the ‘Chaitola’ festival is celebrated besides in 22 villages of Soor valley, in Satgarh village, in Jakhpant area of Soor region and in villages surrounding the Asurchula peak and some other parts of valley.” All ‘Chaitola’ palanquins or coloured umbrellas visit these villages, symbolise the presence of land deity or protector deities, who initiated settlements in these respective areas by freeing the cultivators from terror of foragers in the time of beginning of the settlements in that particular area,” said Padma Datt Pant.
