PowerPoint Presentation

Uttarakhand Culture

By -:

Krishna Singh Kanyal

B.Tech Civil

VIth Sem

Uttarakhand formerlyUttaranchal, is astatein the northernpart ofIndia. It is often referred to as the "Land of the Gods due to the many holyHindutemplesand pilgrimage centres found throughout the state. Uttarakhand's name is derived from the Sanskrit wordsUttarameaning north, andKha meaning country or part of a country. Uttarakhand is known for itsnatural beautyof theHimalayas, theBhabharand the Terai.

There are 13districts in Uttarakhandwhich are grouped into two divisions, Kumaon and Garhwal.

The Kumaon division includes the following districts:

Almora

Bageshwar

Champawat

Nainital

Pithoragarh

Udham Singh Nagar

The Garhwal division includes the following districts:

Dehradun

Haridwar

Tehri Garhwal

Uttarkashi

Chamoli

Pauri Garhwal(commonly known as Garhwal)

Rudraprayag

Uttarakhand Language

The main languages of Uttarakhand are

Kumaoni

Garhwali

Hindi

Examples

English:What is your name?Kumaoni:Tumar naam ki cha?English:My name is Kamal.Kumaoni:Merr naam Kamal cha.English : How are you?Kumaoni : Ki haal hariyaan?English : I am fine. How are you? Kumaoni : Main theek choo(n). Tum kas chou?

Folk Songs of Uttarakhand

Bajuband:This is a folk song of love and sacrifice between the shepherds. It is a love dialogue between the man and woman or between a boy and girl which is sung in the form of a folk song

Basanti:'Basanti' folk songs are composed for the coming spring season when flowers, bloom and new life spring in the valleys of the hills of Garhwal. The folk song is sung individually or in groups.

Chhopati:These are the folk songs popular in Rawain-Jaunpur area of Tehri Garhwal. 'Chhopati' are the love songs sung between the men and women in the form of questions and answers.

Chhura:'Chhura' folk songs are sung among shepherds in the form of advice given by the old to youngsters, having learnt it out of their experience, particularly in grazing sheep and goats.

Uttarakhand Dances

Choliya Dance

The Choliya dance is a dance form which is more than 1000 years old, and has its origins in the Khasiya Kingdom of Khasesh. The Rajputs perform this dance at their weddings as a part of the marriage processions.

Jhora DanceJhora is a kind of community dance which is performed in the villages where the higher and lower castes perform. It is danced at fairs. This kind of dance is generally performed during the morning or evening, at the coming of spring.

Langvir Dance

This is an energetic dance performed more often than not by men. In Langvir, the dancer climbs a bamboo pole and balances himself at his navel on the top of the pole. Music is given by Dhol and he balances, swivels and almost dances on his belly at the pole, performing other acrobatic stunts.

Pandava DancePandava Dance is a type Musical / Broadway kind of show based on the story of Mahabharata accompanied by dance and music. This is performed mainly during Dusshera and Diwali.

Bhotiya DanceThe Bhotiya Dance is performed by the Bhotias tribe and is connected with death ceremonies. It is believed by the tribal people that the soul of the dead person resides in the body of a goat or sheep and by dancing this way the soul can be liberated for their next birth.

ChhapeliChhapeli dance is performed by couples with the female carrying a mirror in her left hand and a colored handkerchief in the other. The male plays a Hudukka on his left shoulder accompanied by others playing the Hurka, Manjira and Flute. The dance is a duet that outlines the joys of romance. The woman partner (sometimes also a young boy) dances with a smile and elegant waist movements, either in admiration of her beauty and charm or mocking her ways of expressing love.

ChancheriThis is a group dance of Danpur Patti region of Bageshwar District in Kumaon. Both men and women dance in a semi-circular formation with gradually increasing pace putting across unbridled joy.

Food

The primary food of Uttarakhand includes vegetables, though non-veg food is also served and savored by many. The primary characteristics of the Uttarakhand cuisine is that milk and milk based products is sparingly used here.

Some of the famous cuisines of Uttarakhand:

Garhwal ka fannah

Kafuli:

Kafuli is a thick gravy

preparation made

from green leafy vegetables

Jholi:

In Garhwali Jhol means very

thin gravy. Jhol can be made out

of tomatoes and potatoes.

Mandua ki Roti:

Swala

Bhaang ki Chutney

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Arts

Aipan

Rangoli, a traditional Indian art displayed in front of the

house, makes up a sacred and age-old practice.

Aipan is one of the conventional forms of rangoli,

mainly practiced in the state of Uttarakhand. The art

has cultural as well as religious implication in the life of

the Kumanois.

Murals

The fine arts of Uttaranchal are decidedly geometric with a natural grace and simplified complexity. One will find almost every home and place of worship decorated with some kind of mural done either as a proper wall painting or in the form of Aipan and Peeth.

Folk festivals of Uttarakhand

Makar Sankranti (Ghughutia)

According to the Hindu religious texts, on the day of Uttarayani, the sun enters the Zodiacal sign of 'Makar' (Capricon) from the Zodiacal sign of the Kark (Cancer), i.e. from this day onwards the sun becomes 'Uttarayan' or it starts moving to the north. It is said that from this day, which signals a change of season, the migratory birds start returning to the hills. On Makar Sankranti people give Khichadi (a mixture of pulses and rice) in charity, take ceremonial dips in holy rivers, participate in the Uttarayani fairs and celebrate the festival of Ghughutia or Kale Kauva.

Basant Panchami The festival of Basant Panchami celebrates the coming of the spring season. This festival, which also signals the end of winter, is generally celebrated during Magh (January - February). During this festival people worship the Goddess Saraswati, use yellow handkerchiefs or even yellow cloths and in a few places people put a yellow tilak on their foreheads.

Phool Dei

Phool Dei is celebrated on the first day of the month of Chaitra in mid March and on this day young girls conduct most of the ceremonies. In some places this festival is celebrated throughout the month with the advent of spring.

Harela and Bhitauli

On the first day of the navaratris (nine day holy period) of the month of Chaitra women fill baskets with soil and sow seven types of grains in them. The grains germinate symbolizing the future harvest. These yellow leaves, called Harela, are cut on the tenth day and people put them on their heads and behind their ears. During the month of Chaitra (March-April) brothers send presents to their sisters. These presents are called Bhitauli.

Olgia or Ghee Sankranti

Olgia is celebrated on the first day of Bhado (middle of August), when the harvest is lush and green, vegetables are in abundance and the milch animals very productive. In ancient times sons-in-law and nephews would give presents to fathers-in-law and maternal uncles, respectively, in order to celebrate Olgia.

NandaDevi Rajjaat Yatra

The three week long Nandadevi Rajjaat is one of the world famous festival of Uttaranchal. People from entire Garhwal-Kumaon as well as other parts of India and the world participate in Nandadevi Rajjaat Yatra.