Nanda Devi Raj Jaat Yatra is a festival that stretches for whole three weeks. It is one such Uttarakhand festival that is globally famous. Innumerable people participate in Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra from the Garhwal-Kumaon region, the rest of the country.

Goddess Nanda Devi is a popular deity at many places of Garhwal & Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. Nanda Devi Raj Jat is organised once in every 12 years in Chamoli after royal priests’ descendents and the Kunwar royal family make elaborate preprations in the village of Nauti and in Kansuwar respectively. It is primarily a religious pilgrimage spanning for 280 kilometer. The trek takes about 20 days to be completed.

This Raj jat yatra originates from the Nauti village 20 km of Karnaprayag tehsil of Indian state of Uttarakhand. The Kunwar of village Kansua inaugurates the ceremony. The legend is this that Nanda Devi, consort of Lord Shiva left her village and went to the nanda devi parbat. Therefore when the yatra starts, heavy rain occurs as if the devi is crying. This yatra covers many villages and in between the Devi meets her sister in the Bhagwati village.

This yatra is very tough on account the landscape it goes through. In between the yatra there comes a Lake Roopkund where lies the hundreds of skeletons. It is said that once the King took some dancers to this sacred place due to which heavy snow fell and people died and the dancers got transformed into stone which can be sen in Patarnachonia. The other myth is this that king Yasodhwal’s wife was pregnant and while she was giving birth to her child, her placenta flowed down to Roopkund and this in turn caused the death of the people on that place. That is why the river Nandakini lost her significance and the Nandprayag is not considered sacred as the other Panch Prayags like Devprayag, Vishnuprayag, Karanprayag and Rudraprayag.

Nanda Devi Raj Jat 2013 – Dream Yatra program Details (released on Feb-15-2013)
Date Route Details Places to be halt Per day preparation chart
29th August Morning Yatra Will start from Nauti Village 11.30 Am start stay at  Idabadhani Home stay as well Gram panchayat arrangement
30th August Walk back to Nauti Viallge Nauti Village Home stay camp  /  panchayat awas niwas.
31st August Walk to  Kansuwa Kansuwa stay Home stay camp  /  panchayat awas niwas.
1st September Walk to Sem Sem upper village stay Home stay camp  /  panchayat awas niwas.
2nd September Walk to Koti Koti stay Home stay camp  /  panchayat awas niwas.
3rd September Walk to Bhagwati Bhagwati stay Home stay camp  /  panchayat awas niwas.
4th September Walk to Kulsari Kulsari stay Home stay camp  /  panchayat awas niwas.
5th September Walk to Chepnue Chepnue stay Home stay camp  /  panchayat awas niwas.
6th September Walk to Nandkesari Nandkesari stay Home stay camp  /  panchayat awas niwas.
7th September Walk to Faldiyagaon Stay at Faldiyagaon Home stay camp  /  panchayat awas niwas.
8th September Walk to Mundoli Mundoli Stay Guest house  / Camp /  panchayat awas niwas.
9th September Walk to Wan Wan stay Home stay/ camp / Guest house / panchayat awas niwas.
10th September Walk to Garoli Patal Stay at Garoli patal Camp  (difficult walk)
11th September Walk to Patal nauchani Stay at Patal nauchani Camp  (“)
12th September Walk to Roopkund Home kund shila samundra Stay at Shaila Sumundra Camp (“)
13th September Walk to Chandane ghat Stay at Chandane ghat Camp  (“)
14th September Walk to Sutol Stay at Sutol Home stay/ camp  /  panchayat awas niwas.
15th September Walk to Ghat Stay at Ghat Home stay /Guest house/Camp  / panchayat awas niwas.
16th September Walk to Nauti Villgae Stay at Nauti (Yatra end up here) Home stay camp  /  panchayat awas niwas.

The Chausigya Khadu(Four horns sheep)

The Chausigya leads the main role in the Nanda Devi Raj jat Yatra.The sheep has four horns.And the Yatra start with this sheep from Nauti Village.The people decorate the sheep with clothing’s and ornaments and when the yatra reached its destination then they freed the sheep.

About Maa Nanda

In Hill folk area of Uttarakhand Maa nanda is the Isht devi or kul devi .It is said that Gaura is the daughter of Uttarakhand.Maa Gaura was married to yogi who wear leopard skin. Maa Nanda devi temple is located all over the garhwal and kumaon.

Some epic says Nanda was a princess of the Chanda dynasty of Almora.Yog maya was the daughter of Nanda who was the eighth daughter of Vasudev and which escaped from Kansa hand ,and she predicted the death of Kansa.Some people believe that Naina devi in Nainital also the face of Maa Nanda

Maa Nanda temple is also situated in Himanchal Pradesh.Maa Nanda Devi also called the daughter of hills.Nanda Devi is a popular deity at many places of Kumaon.

Hindi program details for Nandadevi Raj jat yatra ::

Nanda Devi Raj jat Yatra 2013 Details

Yatra Route: Nauti – Sem – Bhagwati – Kulsari – Kulsari – Chepnue – Dewal – Mundoli – Wan (latu Devta) – Bedni Bugyal – Pathar Nachonia (Kalua Vinayak) – Bhagubasa (Roopkund & Jeaunra Gali) – Shila Samudra – Latu Khopri – Sutol – Sitel – Ghat

Nanda Devi Raj Jat is the most wonderful pilgrimage in the High Himalayan peaks. It combines obscure faith, mysteries and thrills with a flood of devotees. Like the Khumbh it is organized every 12 years. This 280 kilometer pilgrimage by foot begins at the village Nauti, of Chamoli district in Uttarakhand. There are 19 halting places. The journey absorbs the rainbow like beauty of traditions of the Himalayan society. A deep feeling of faith and reverence for Nanda Devi in Himalayan folk lore reflects the respect held for women in Uttarakhand. They observe the general life, manners and customs, as well as the folk art and culture of this region. Whatever their goal may be, people of all castes, religions and creeds become a part of this journey. After the welcome and hospitality at the border village of Van, the pilgrims move towards the Himalayan peaks. The changing colours on Bedini Bugyal makes people feel as if they are in Heaven

Beside this we operate same tour package from mid may to mid end October

Itinerary

Day 00.Arrive  Rishikesh.  Check in to High Bank Peasants Cottage. Evening introduction with trekking guide & camp staff followed  by  welcome dinner. Overnight  High Bank Peasants Cottage. 

DAY 01. RISHIKESH / JOSHIMATH   DRIVE 8- 9 HRS. OVERNIGHT HOTEL

Morning after breakfast drive to Joshimath. The entire drive toady is along the Ganga and Alaknanda river. We stop at Devprayag to visit the confluence at the beginning of the Ganges. Arrive Joshimath and transfer to hotel. Evening visit the small hill town. Dinner  and overnight hotel 

DAY 02. JOSHIMATH/ AULI/TALI  TREK 5-6 HRS. OVERNIGHT TENTS

Morning after breakfast trek to Tali . The entire trek today is Gradual climb through the forest and  in open meadow . One can get the view of – Neelkanth, Kamet, Hathiparbat, Hathighori, Mukut, Dronagiri and Nanda Devi.  Arrive Tali&  camp in meadow. Meals and overnight camp. 

DAY 03. TALI /DHAKWANI TREK 5-6 HRS. OVERNIGHT TENTS.

Morning after breakfast trek to Dhakwani. Today we climb all the way to Kauri Pass. Enjoy the panoramic view of the Greater  Himalayan Peaks and trek down to Dhakwani. ArriveDhakwani& camp. Dinner and overnight camp.

DAY 04. DHAKWANI / PANA  TREK 5-6 HRS. OVERNIGHT TENTS

Trek in rich forest of OaK , rhododendron steep climbing and steep  descending  

DAY 05 PANA / SEEMA KHARAK TREK 4-5 HRS. OVERNIGHT TENTS

A 2 hour descending  and 2 and ½  hour or 3 hour  steep climbing in the forest of  Deodar  blue pines.  (4-5 hours)

DAY 06. SEEMA KHARAK /GHUNI ( RAMANI) 4 -5 HRS. OVERNIGHT TENTS

First  1 and ½ hour climbing  in the forest  there are some small patches  of meadow on the way.  Chechanivinayak (pass) view of Trishuli,  around 2 hour gradual descending in the meadow   

DAY 07. GHUNI / SUTOL TREK 5-6 HRS. OVERNIGHT TENTS

Easy but long walking  In between  5-6 valleys, sutol  last village in the confluence  Nandakini – Roopkini

DAY 08 SUTOL / TALA KAPAR  OVERNIGHT TENTS

1 hour steep climbing 1 hour descending  walking with the  stream  2 hour steep climbing  in the forest  of blue pine , Oak ,rhododendron and burch (5-6 hours).

DAY 09 TALA  KAPAR /BHOGUBASA OVERNIGHT TENTS

1 and ½ hour  steep climbing  the forest, ½ hour in the rocky path of the medow  1 hour flat walking in medow  along the river roopkini ,  around 2 hour  steep climbing  to Bhagubasa . On the way  view of  Nanda Ghunti  and trishuli, Chaukhamba , 

DAY 10 BHOGUBASA /ROOP KUND -PatarNachawani- Bhagubasa to Roopkund is easy walking in the flat but in moraines ½  hour climbing  with same view  as last day. (4-5 hours). KalukaVinayak (pass) descending  till to patarnachani.

DAY 11 PATAR NACHANI / BEDNI  (Aali)- OVERNIGHT TENTS

The best view of Chaukhamba ,Neelkanth and Nanda devi , Trishul. Whole trek is in meadow. (3-4 hour).

DAY 12. BEDNI / WAN OVERNIGHT TENTS

Steep descending  2 and ½ hour and 1 hour climbing in rich forest  of rhododendron, Oak  camping in small meadow of wan  with the view of trishuli (3-4 hours).

DAY 13. WAN / LOHAJANG PASS/MUNDOLI TREK 4-5 HRS.

Easy walking  gradual  descending  around 3 hour and  1 and  ½ hour  steep climbing  to Lohajang  pass whole day in rich forest of conifer rhododendron etc. view of Trishuli  from lohajang pass. Arrive and camp .

DAY 14. MUNDOLI / ( Shivpuri 15kms up river from Rishikesh )  RISHIKESH DRIVE 9-10 HRS.

Morning after breakfast drive to Shivpuri . Check in to HIGH BANK Himalayan RetreatOn the Ganges. Rejuvenate yourself with a complimentary Ayurvedic  (Traditional Indian ) Massage.  Camp fire BBQ followed by dinner.  Overnight  at the retreat.

DAY 15 . RISHIKESH / Onward Journey .

Morning after breakfast Trip terminates.  On can stay in Rishikesh or drive to Delhi .

 

Nanda Devi Raj Jat is the most wonderful pilgrimage in the High Himalayan peaks. It combines obscure faith, mysteries and thrills with a flood of devotees. Like the Khumbh it is organized every 12 years. This 280 kilometer pilgrimage by foot begins at the village Nauti, of Chamoli district in Uttarakhand. There are 19 halting places. The journey absorbs the rainbow like beauty of traditions of the Himalayan society. A deep feeling of faith and reverence for Nanda Devi in Himalayan folk lore reflects the respect held for women in Uttarakhand. They observe the general life, manners and customs, as well as the folk art and culture of this region. Whatever their goal may be, people of all castes, religions and creeds become a part of this journey. After the welcome and hospitality at the border village of Van, the pilgrims move towards the Himalayan peaks. The changing colours on Bedini Bugyal makes people feel as if they are in Heaven.