Ramman Mela

Ramman is a religious festival and ritual theatre of the Garhwal region.  The festival is held every year after Baisakhi (a harvest festival). On the day of Baisakhi, the village priest announces the date for the Ramman festival which falls on the ninth or the eleventh day after Baisakhi.  The Ramman begins with an invocation to Ganesha, the remover of obstacles followed by the dance of Ganesha and Parvati. This is followed by the dance of the Sun God, an enactment of the creation-myth of the birth of Brahma and Ganesha. The other dances include the dance of the Bur Deva along with Gopi Chand (Krishna) and Radhika. After these initial performances, the focus now shifts to the enactment of the local Ramkatha. Episodes from Rama’s life, beginning with his visit to Janakpur and culminating with his coronation following his return from exile, are sung to a total of 324 beats and steps. There are 18 masks made of Bhojpatra that are worn by dancers who enact the Ramayana through the dance. It takes place in the courtyard of the Bhumiyal Devta's temple. Another important aspect of these performances is the singing of Jagar, a musical rendition of local legends.* The exact dates of the festival depend upon the Hindu Calendar.