PIONEER NEWS SERVICE | Jyotirmath
The Ramman festival, a religious festival recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of humanity, was celebrated in the twin villages of Saloor-Dungra in Chamoli district on Wednesday. The festival, organised by the joint panchayat of the two villages, combines theatre, music, re-enactments of history and mythology and traditional tales in a vibrant celebration of the Garhwal Himalayas’ spiritual and cultural ethos.
The celebration included worship of Bhumi Kshetrapal Devta and 18 Pattar dances. The latter is a unique ritual theatre performance involving 18 participants who wear 18 masks and dance on 18 beats. Thousands of devotees from far-off places reached Saloor village to see the festival.
The coordinator of Ramman, Kushal Singh Bhandari said that the uniqueness of Saloor-Dungra’s Ramman relates to the traditional mask dance which has been thriving in popularity for centuries. “This festival is special because it embodies an old culture. Besides, it unites all,” he added.
