Thursday, 28 April 2022 | PNS | Joshimath
The religious festival and ritual theatre of Garhwal- Ramman was held in the Salud village in Chamoli district. The Bhumiyal Devta was ritually worshipped on the occasion. This was followed by the Mukhauta (mask) dance to the beats of traditional dhol and damau. The Ramman Mela could not be held properly during the past two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The villagers have organised it in a grand manner this year.
Celebrated in the Painkhanda region of Chamoli district, the Ramman was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2009. The Mukhauta dance is the main attraction of this fair. During this performance, the dancers depict the deeds of lord Rama. The date of the Ramman Mela is announced after worship of the Bhumiyal Devta at this time of the year. The folk dance is organised every night and the Ramman Mela is held on the last day of the religious rituals. Since the Mela was held only symbolically during the past two years due to the Covid pandemic, a large number of people from the region attended the fair this time as in the pre-Covid times.
