Chaupakhya Festival is celebrated during Navratris at Chaumi Devta Temple in Rayansi, a small village located in the Pithoragarh district in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand.
How is Chaupakhya Festival celebrated?
Chaumi Devta is the chief deity of the people of Rayansi and they celebrate Chaupakhya Festival with great zeal and enthusiasm. The festival is celebrated at the open space in front of Chaumi Devta Temple. On Vijay Dashami, the villagers pray at the temple and the shaman of Chaumi Devta is carried in a palanquin for a religious procession.
The people from the nearby villages also take part in the religious procession. The palanquin is circled around the areas of the temple with people dancing and singing at the songs and drumbeats.After the procession, the shaman embodies Chaumi Devta and starts dancing. People put forth their problems in front of him and ask for his solutions.
The shaman listens to their problem and answers them while dancing. He gives them the reasons for their problems and offers solutions for them. He bestows the villagers with the blessings of Chaumi Devta by offering them flowers and rice. People also hold fairs where regional products are sold.
When is Chaupakhya Festival celebrated?
Chaupakhya Festival is celebrated on Vijaya Dashami, i.e. on the 10th day of Navratris.