Ramman Festival

Current Context: The Ramman Festival, listed in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage, was celebrated in the villages of Saloor-Dungra, Uttarakhand.

About Ramman Festival:

• Location: Twin villages of Saloor-Dungra in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand.
• Timing: Celebrated annually in late April after the harvest.
• Deity Worshipped: Dedicated to Bhumiyal Devta, the village’s tutelary deity.
• Cultural Elements: Includes masked dances, epic recitations of Ramayana, and folk song performances.
• Unique Feature: Features Jagar singing, a ritual invocation of ancestral and local legends.

UNESCO Listing: Inscribed in 2009 as a living expression of Himalayan religious and cultural traditions.