Jagar (ritual)

Jagar (Devanagari: जागर) is a Himalayan form of Shamanism which is practiced in the hills of Uttarakhand, both in Garhwal and Kumaon mostly during the night. It is also practiced in Sudurpaschim province of Nepal, particularly more diversified and revered in Baitadi district. As a ritual, Jagar is a way in which gods and local deities are woken from their dormant stage and asked for favors or remedies. The ritual is connected to the idea of divine justice and is practiced to seek penance for a crime or to seek justice from the gods for some injustice. The word Jagar comes from the Sanskrit root, Jaga, meaning "to wake".

Music is the medium through which the gods are invoked. The singer, or Jagariya, sings a ballad of the gods and heroes of the region, in which the adventures and exploits of the god being invoked are described. After evolving over time, Jagar singing has transformed into an art form that is greatly cherished, the exponents of which are often heralded as living heritage.

These traditions are part of the Himalayas. Every village had its own god, called Bhumiya or kshetrapala, protecting its boundaries. For example, in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, there is a deity named Devalsamiti who is Kshetrapala of 22 villages. Each family has its own kuladeva or kuladevi. In addition, there were numerous other benevolent demigods and godesses that could reward people, as well as malicious spirits that could torment people. These practices are similar to shamanistic traditions prevalent in ancient rites around the world. While most of these deities have been lost or incorporated into monotheistic practices, Hinduism has strong kuladevata traditions that enabled the Jagar tradition to grow in India and Nepal. In particular, the isolation of the Kumaon and Garhwal due to the Himalayas promoted the emergence of local religious traditions, which are still strong in these regions along with mainstream Hinduism.

Jagar ceremonies generally have three primary types. The first is the Dev Jagar, or the invocation of a god, which usually includes local gods occupying the body of the medium. The second is the Bhoot Jagar, or the invocation of a deceased person's spirit or soul in the medium's body. Other less frequently practiced forms include the Masan Puja.

Today, Jagar is viewed as a cultural and musical component of local heritage that needs preservation. The ritual remains highly revered, especially in rural areas and New Delhi. Since many Kumauni and Gadwali live in Delhi and are unable go to villages every year for Jagar, they have initiated Jagar in Delhi. Some examples of local deities that were invoked during Jagar and are highly revered (examples only taken from Pithoragarh district)

• Devalsamiti
• Gangnath
• Asur
• Bhagwati Mata
• Kalika Mata
• Ganmeshwar
• Goril (also known as Golu devta)
• Harjyu-Samjyu
• Devtaal
• Nagarja
• Latwa
• Ulka devi