MeraPahad Community Of Uttarakhand Lovers

नंदा की उपासना प्राचीन काल से ही किये जाने के प्रमाण धार्मिक ग्रंथों, उपनिषद और पुराणों में मिलते हैं । रुप मंडन में पार्वती को गौरी के छ: रुपों में एक बताया गया है । भगवती की ६ अंगभूता देवियों में नंदा भी एक है । नंदा को नवदुर्गाओं में से भी एक बताया गया है । भविष्य पुराण में जिन दुर्गाओं का उल्लेख है उनमें महालक्ष्मी, नंदा, क्षेमकरी, शिवदूती, महाटूँडा, भ्रामरी, चंद्रमंडला, रेवती और हरसिद्धी हैं । शिवपुराण में वर्णित नंदा तीर्थ वास्तव में कूर्माचल ही है । शक्ति के रुप में नंदा ही सारे हिमालय में पूजित हैं ।

नंदा के इस शक्ति रुप की पूजा गढ़वाल में करुली, कसोली, नरोना, हिंडोली, तल्ली दसोली, सिमली, तल्ली धूरी, नौटी, चांदपुर, गैड़लोहवा आदि स्थानों में होती है । गढ़वाल में राज जात यात्रा का आयोजन भी नंदा के सम्मान में होता है ।

Genesis of the tradition

The event marks the coming of Nanda Devi to her mother's place (mait). During this time Uttarakhand reverberates with festivities. The event finishes when the people of her maiti (mother's home), escort her in a procession to her Sauras (husbands home in Kailash). This procession is called the Nanda Jat. The entire s-cene is beautifully protrayed in the folk songs and Jagars sung by the women of Uttarakhand. Such Nanda Jats arc held in almost all the places in the hills, where there is a Nanda Devi Temple. Every Garhadhipatis in the hills took out Nanda Jats to please the Isht- Devi. Every twelve years the Nanda Raj Jat replaces the annual Raj Jat on the route of Hornkund, from the temple of Nanda Devi. The dolis of other devtas also known as the 'Birs of Nanda Devi', also join the Raj Jat. The Goril Dev of Kumaon and the Lattu Dev of Bandhan are the prominent devtas.




The Nanda Raj Jat was started by the ancestors of the Rajas of Garhwal. The ancient tradition of taking out Nanda Jats among
all the Garhadhipatis, was combined by the Raja into a Royal pilgrimage every twelve years. Raja Ajay Par(Shesh Pal) of
Chandgarh started the Nanda Raj Jat in the 15th century. Since then, the royal family takes the pilgrimage along with their
purohits to seek forgiveness from Nanda Devi, and offer 'Tarpan' for the ancestors who had died at the Roopkund, along with his pregnant wife and courtesans.

However, Carbon 14 dating of the skeletons, done by Crane and Griffin in 1958 proved that the bones found were between
500 to 800 years old.




Courtsey... http://www.garhwaltourism.com/raj-jat/raj1.asp

The festivities come to a standstill, when the comes for the Devi to leave for her Sauras (husband's home). Special pr"y"
and rituals are performed and the offerings are loaded on the four-horned Ram just like the things given to a daughter in her
marriage are sent. The deity is decorated like a bride, ready to leave for her husband's home. The scene becomes pathetic when the devotees, in tears, bid farewell to the Devi, as if they are bidding farewell to their own daughter.

Leaving the image of the Goddess there, the four horned ram proceeds towards towards Kailash (Trishuli peak) the abode of
Lord Shiva on its own.

The Trishuli peak is the highest peak of the Nanda Parbat, the highest mountain range in Chamoli district. The parbat is
revered by the people, the women folk believe that the mist I around the Nanda Kot peak is the smoke coming out of the
kitchen of Goddess Nanda. They get sentimental while they sing songs associated with their revered Goddess, whom they regard
as a pampered daughter of their own.
 

see more details.


http://gbpihed.gov.in/envis/HTML/vol92/vol92SunilNautiyal.html