r8

संस्कृति मंत्रालय MINISTRY OF CULTURE

इन्दिरा गांधी राष्ट्रीय कला केन्द्र Regional Centre, Ranchi

Ramman Vignettes: A Sacred Trip to Saloor–Dungra Hamlet, Garhwal

From the Masks Collection of IGNCA

Ramman, the remarkable religious festival of the twin villages of Saloor–Dungra in the Painkhanda Valley of Garhwal, Uttarakhand, stands as one of India’s most profound expressions of ritual theatre and collective memory. Celebrated annually to honour the village deity Bhūmīchetrapāla, or Bhūmiyāl Devatā, the tradition is known through written records since 1911, yet its roots stretch far deeper, nurtured for well over a century by the local community. Coinciding with Baisākhī, the harvest festival and the beginning of the Hindu solar year, Ramman begins when the village priest announces its dates, falling on the ninth or eleventh day after Baisākhī. Over ten vibrant days, the courtyard of Bhūmiyāl Devatā’s temple transforms into a sacred stage where episodes from the Rāmāyaṇa are sung, masked dances unfold, and stories of creation, myth, livelihood and history come alive.

Beginning with the dance of the Sun-God, the performances depict Gaṇeśa, Kālinkī (Pārvatī), Nārada, Rāṇī Rādhikā, Gopīchanda and several other celestial figures. Temporal and social realities are portrayed through the Mwār–Mwārin dance of milk-sellers, the Baniyā–Baniyān episode of travelling traders, and the beautifully choreographed Rāmkathā performed on eighteen rhythmic beats, narrating scenes from Janakpur to Laṅkā-Dahana and Rāj-Tilak.

The festival’s historical dimension is captured through the comic Māl Nṛtya, which re-enacts the battle between the Gurkhas and the Garhwālīs, while the ecological wisdom of the community emerges in the Kurjogī episode, where harmful weeds are ritually removed. Elaborate natural make-up, locally carved wooden masks, powerful drumming by the Dās community, and the chanting of Jāgars by village bards enrich this immersive ritual experience. Beginning with the grand procession of Bhūmiyāl Devatā and ending with the Narasiṃha–Prahlāda performance and a community feast, Ramman becomes a “total theatre”, an extraordinary fusion of devotion, artistry, ecology, history and identity.

As a part of its Research & documentation projects for folk and tribal traditions of Ramayana, the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) took up many safeguarding measures to revitalize this rich performative and symbolic tradition with active community participation. On the recommendation of IGNCA, the Government of India selected Ramman for nomination to the UNESCO’s representative list of ICH in 2009 and finally got the recognition at global arena.

The present curation displays fifteen selected traditional masks from the Ramman ritual theatre of Uttarakhand, drawn from the distinguished collection of IGNCA Archives. Each mask represents a unique character from the festival’s sacred and social narratives, offering a rare glimpse into the vibrant world of Saloor–Dungra. Hand-carved from local wood and finished with natural pigments and traditional techniques, these masks stand not only as artworks but as enduring vessels of community reminiscence and ritual significance.