Nanda Devi festival ends with immersion of idols

BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, September 23

The five-day annual Nanda Devi festival ended in the Kumaon region today with the immersion of idols of Nanda and Sunanda in water bodies at Almora, Champawat and Nainital districts. The idols were immersed in Didihat yesterday after prayers to Nanda Devi.

According to reports, the idols were taken around Almora town according to the tradition and later were given a tearful send off by waiting men and women who watched the emotional scenes of departing Nanda and Sunanda from their houses.

“The feeling of parting Nanda Devi not only gives a sense of insecurity to the residents of Almora town but also makes them emotional as their beloved goddess has separated from them, though only for a year,” said Navin Bisht, a journalist based at Almora.

In Champawat town, the old capital of Chand Kings, who brought the Nanda worship tradition to Kumaon from Garhwal in the 16th century, the five-day festivities ended after the idols were immersed in a water body. “Before immersing the idols, Ganesh puja, and yajna ceremonies were organised. A procession was held through the town,” said Dinesh Pandey, a local resident and journalist based in Champawat.

In Nainital, the Nanda festival ended with the immersion of idols. Earlier, a procession was held across the town from Malli Tal to Talli Tal.

“The atmosphere in Nainital town remains filled with devotion, piety, bliss and delight during the festival as people not only from surrounding villages and the town but also from metros such as Lucknow, Delhi and other cities flock to Nainital to celebrate the festival,” said Ajay Rawat, a local resident and retired professor of history from Kumaon University.