Kumaon Encyclopedia
Aipan to Uttarayani: short, clear explanations of Kumaon’s culture, history, festivals, food, faith and nature.
Aipanऐपण
ArtRitual floor and wall art drawn with white rice paste (biswar) on a red ochre (geru) base for festivals, weddings and pujas. Uttarakhand’s Aipan has a GI tag.
Explore more →Bagwal (Devidhura)बग्वाल
FestivalRitual “battle” held at the Barahi temple in Devidhura (Champawat) on Raksha Bandhan; once fought with stones, it is now played with fruits.
Explore more →Bal Mithaiबाल मिठाई
FoodAlmora’s famous sweet: chocolate-brown roasted khoya coated with tiny white sugar balls.
Explore more →Bhitauliभिटौली
CustomGifts of clothes and sweets sent to married daughters in the month of Chait, a custom of love and remembrance.
Buranshबुरांश
NatureRhododendron arboreum, Uttarakhand’s state tree, whose red spring flowers are made into juice and celebrated in songs.
Explore more →Chand dynastyचंद राजवंश
HistoryRulers of Kumaon for several centuries, first from Champawat and later from Almora, which they made their capital in the 16th century.
Chholiyaछोलिया
DanceSword-and-shield dance performed by men leading the wedding procession, with drums and horns.
Chipko movementचिपको आंदोलन
HistoryForest-protection movement of the 1970s in which villagers, famously the women of Reni led by Gaura Devi in 1974, hugged trees to stop felling.
Coolie Begar movementकुली बेगार आंदोलन
HistoryIn January 1921 at the Uttarayani Mela in Bageshwar, people led by Badri Datt Pande threw the forced-labour registers into the Saryu, ending the system.
Dhara & Naulaधारा व नौला
HeritageTraditional spring outlets (dhara) and stone-lined step wells (naula) that supplied hill villages with water, many carved and centuries old.
Ghughutiyaघुघुतिया
FestivalMakar Sankranti festival when children wear garlands of sweet dough ‘ghughute’ and call the crows to share them.
Explore more →Golu Devtaगोलू देवता
FaithRevered as the god of justice; devotees write petitions and tie bells at his temples in Chitai, Ghorakhal and Champawat.
Explore more →Harelaहरेला
FestivalFestival of greenery on Karka Sankranti in July; shoots sown 9–10 days earlier are cut and placed on heads with blessings, and trees are planted.
Explore more →Hudkaहुड़का
MusicHourglass-shaped drum played by Jagar singers and storytellers.
Explore more →Igas Bagwalइगास बग्वाल
FestivalThe hills’ own Diwali, 11 days after Diwali, with bhailo fire-torches, folk dance and worship of cattle.
Explore more →Jagarजागर
FaithNight-long ritual of singing and drumming to invoke local deities, led by a singer called the jagariya.
Explore more →Jageshwarजागेश्वर
HeritageGroup of around 124 stone temples in a deodar forest near Almora, one of the most important Shiva shrines of Kumaon.
Explore more →Jhodaझोड़ा
DanceCircle dance-song in which dancers link arms and move together as a lead singer calls the verses.
Explore more →Johar & the Shauka tradersजोहार
HistoryThe Johar valley above Munsiyari was home to Shauka traders who ran the Himalayan trade with Tibet until the 1960s.
Explore more →Kafalकाफल
NatureWild bayberry of early summer, sweet and sour, sold along hill roads and the subject of a famous folk tale.
Explore more →Katyuri dynastyकत्यूरी राजवंश
HistoryEarly rulers of Kumaon from the Katyur (Garur–Baijnath) valley, remembered for their stone temples.
Kumaon Regimentकुमाऊं रेजिमेंट
HistoryInfantry regiment of the Indian Army with its regimental centre at Ranikhet, among the most decorated in India.
Kumaoni Holiकुमाऊनी होली
FestivalMusical Holi with three forms: baithaki (seated classical-style singing), khadi (standing, in procession) and mahila (women’s) Holi.
Explore more →Kumaoni languageकुमाऊनी
LanguageIndo-Aryan language of the Central Pahari group, written in Devanagari, with several regional dialects. UNESCO lists it as endangered.
Explore more →Nanda Deviनंदा देवी
FaithBeloved goddess of Kumaon and Garhwal and the name of India’s second-highest peak; honoured at the Nanda Devi Mela and the Nanda Devi Raj Jat.
Explore more →Patal Bhuvaneshwarपाताल भुवनेश्वर
FaithLimestone cave temple near Gangolihat with rock formations linked to many deities and legends.
Phool Deiफूलदेई
FestivalSpring festival on Chaitra Sankranti when children scatter flowers at doorsteps singing blessings.
Explore more →Pichhoraपिछौड़ा
DressYellow-and-red veil worn by married Kumaoni women at weddings and auspicious occasions.
Ringalरिंगाल
CraftHimalayan dwarf bamboo woven into baskets, mats and household items.
Singoriसिंगोड़ी
FoodSweet of khoya and coconut wrapped in a cone of maalu leaf; an Almora speciality.
Tamta copperwareताम्र शिल्प
CraftHand-beaten copper vessels made by the Tamta coppersmiths of Almora.
Uttarayani Melaउत्तरायणी मेला
FestivalGreat January fair at the Saryu–Gomti sangam in Bageshwar, also remembered for the 1921 Coolie Begar protest.
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