Garhwal, land of 52 ‘garhs’. From the Capital of Uttarakhand which is Dehradun, Garhwal starts its journey and ends at Uttaranchal. This sounds funny but buffaloes bathe more than people do in Garhwal, because cold weather forces them to give up on baths and save water. Jokes apart, there is so much that can make you fall in love with Garhwal and its heritage and we are here to talk about that!
So, let me proudly tell you that five Badri, five Kedar, and five prayags are sitting in the lap of Garhwal. Shiv ji, the destroyer of the universe has his homeland ‘Kailash’ in the Garhwal region. Garhwal is the true meaning of why Uttarakhand is called ‘Devbhoomi land’.
The people here are innocent as well as pure by heart and you can easily experience the same in their modest demeanour, also to boast that You can easily get to know the idea of innocence and simplicity of the people of the Garhwal region who record the lowest crime rates throughout the entire region.
You must have gone through my previous blog about the places of Kumaon, for a comfortable stay in the valleys of Bhimtal and make sure you book your stay at one of the best resorts in Bhimtal i.e. the Aaroham Resorts.
Songs
Every garhwali is heartly connected with their legendary Singer ‘Mr. Narendra Singh Negi’. From ‘Dharti humra Garhwale ki’ to ‘Haathan huseki pilaayi’, he has covered the whole of Garhwal just in his songs. In every song, whether it’s holy or romantic, Narendra Singh Negi puts the beauty of Garhwal in it.
Weddings
Garhwali weddings are a treat to your cultural apetite. Starting from ‘kundali judana’ which is of course only valid for arranged Marriage karne vale, they do the engagement as we all Indians do. Now Garhwali things, they make arsa(traditional sweet dessert which is compulsory in any function of Garhwal). The best thing in Garhwal’s whole village is out and ready to help the family who’s marrying their child. Men & women of the village prepare food together and serve it to the guests themselves.
Then Groom performs a ritual called ‘Bhiksha’ ritual, in this, he wears a dhoti and holds a laathi just like a monk. He goes from door to door, asking for rations from his close family members only and they give rice or wheat in the name of shagun to him.
Then from mehendi to Haldi haath women surround the bride/groom and sing their traditional song ‘Dena Hoya Mori ka Ganesha he’ in which they sing to Ganesh including all devi devtas to come and bless the bride/groom so they may have a happy and abundant married life.
With the traditional song called ‘heri pheri’ pheras are performed as the bride is beautifully decked in a saffron and red pichauda including gulobandh and nath.The next day of wedding, the couple performs ‘Dhaara’ puja, a place in every village where pure and chilled water comes from the top most snowy covered mountain.
Conclusion
Whoever is born on this Garhwal land should be proud of himself as not everyone gets the blessing of being born in the lap of gods and goddesses. The culture and heritage here are so beautiful that at least once your footsteps will be found walking the valleys and hills of Garhwal. Don’t forget to book your stay in Bhimtal which is in Aaroham Resorts which is one of the best luxury cottages in Bhimtal. .