All in good faith

The Nanda Raj Jat in Uttarakhand is worthwhile for both seekers and adventure seekers.

A trail of pilgrims between Vaan and Bedni Bugyal.

It’s a train of faith across the mountains. The Nanda Raj Jat, a once-in-12-years event in Uttarakhand, involves people from all over the region and beyond. Some join as a mark of faith to the goddess, some to experience the thrill of walking along the trail, while others attend as the goddess passes through their homes and villages.

This year marked the first time that the event has occurred in the life of Uttarakhand as a separate state and was delayed by a year due to the calamity that ravaged the state. The Raj Jat is an extraordinary feat of organisation and organic cooperation. Several towns and villages prepare their own token of faith — a chhantoli (ornate umbrella) for the goddess, amalgamating with the main procession, which takes off from the village of Nauti in Chamoli district. During the 280 km trek, the goddess morphs from daughter to daughter-in-law and the faithful bid her farewell in her journey from her natal to marital home.

Of all the picturesque spots in the

yatra , the Bedni Bugyal (a high altitude meadow) is perhaps the most spectacular. From here, the trek’s gradient becomes steep and only the devoted and the brave-hearted carry on. As the Himalayan peaks of Trishul and Nanda Ghunti overlook the expanse of the

bugyal , Nanda makes it her home for a night; the green meadows reflect the bright hues of the scores of

chhantolis that come from far and wide.

But it is not a matter of faith alone. Perceived as one of the most significant events in the life of the people, the Raj Jat has recently assumed the scale of a popular large-scale event. The last Raj Jat in 2000 saw an estimated 1,25,000 attendees compared to the one this year which had already witnessed a turnaround of over 50,000 people in the first few days.

Projected as a large-scale event by the state administration, the government involved itself with various aspects of the event — providing accommodation, food, medicines and rescue provisions for the yatris .