Nanda Goes to Her In-laws

In the hills, Nanda is not a distant goddess — she is a daughter. Born in the mountains, married to Shiva who lives on Mount Kailash, she is every Pahadi girl who leaves her maika (mother's home) after marriage.

Once, songs say, Nanda came home to her maika and stayed long, and the land grew restless until she was properly sent back with gifts. Ever since, her people escort her to her in-laws with ceremony.

That is the Nanda Devi Raj Jat: a procession from Nauti village climbing through forests, meadows and the skeleton-lake of Roopkund to Homkund, led by a four-horned ram carrying her gifts. At Homkund the ram walks on alone into the mountains.

The songs sung along the way are full of the tears and blessings of a mother sending her daughter away — which is why the Raj Jat moves every Pahadi heart.