The air is thick with drumbeats and devotion as masked performers sway in a hypnotic rhythm, their vibrant costumes catching the sunlight in bursts of scarlet, saffron, gold and emerald. Deep, rhythmic beats echo through the mountains, pulsing through the lush fields of Saloor Dungra, a tiny village tucked away in the heart of Uttarakhand’s Garhwal region. I follow the music, half drawn by curiosity, half pulled by something deeper—a sense that I am about to witness not just a festival, but a living tapestry in the mountain hamlet where snow-kissed peaks cradle centuries-old traditions. Ramman Utsav unfolds as a sacred spectacle, part ritual, part theatre, and wholly entrancing.

As I stand amidst the gathering, watching the masked dancers come alive in choreographed precision, it feels like stepping into a vivid tableau of a religious and cultural pageant, with community rituals, traditional folklore, processions carrying village deities, mythical plays, and ethnic music and dances.  Drenched in colour and layered with symbolism, Ramman Utsav is a tradition that has been practised for over 500 years. However, it’s an ancient religious festival that dates back to the 8th century, when Shri Adi Shankaracharya came to the region and established Jyotirmath and Anirmath.

Ramman Utsav is believed to be an offshoot of the Bhakti Movement, and it took the form of an annual religious ritual theatre depicting a condensed form of Ram Katha. There are no dialogues, but just dances that depict the Birth of Ram and Lakshman, Sita’s Swayamvar, Vanvas, the Killing of the Golden Deer, Sita’s Abduction, and the Burning of Lanka, besides the Final Coronation.

In addition, it also features scenes featuring Narasimha Devtaa, Ganesha, and Pandavas, besides dances like Gaanna Gunni Nritya, Suraj Ishwar Nritya, Ganesh Kalinkya Nritya, Pandav Nritya, among others. There are agrarian communities and characters, historic events and indigenous folklore that are depicted in the dances as well, like Mwar-Mwarin, Baniya-Baniyan and the Khyalari Dance and the Maal Nritya and Kurjogi.

Celebrated in the courtyard of the guardian deity, Bhumiyal Shetrapal Devta, I am mesmerised by the vibrant energy and the entrancing rhythm as I feel that the very soul of the mountains is dancing before me. The ritual performance of the village deity takes centre stage, swaying in a trance-like movement echoing the heartbeat of the land.  The colours dazzle, the chants rise, and the air hums with reverence. Ramman Utsav is not just a festival—it’s a communion with the divine, performed by a community that showcases faith in every beat and breath.

More than just a celebration, Ramman Utsav is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, recognised by UNESCO, a unique spectacle of a ritual theatre that blends performance, prayer, and storytelling. Rooted in the oral traditions of the Garhwal region, the festival is celebrated in April around Baisakhi and is celebrated for almost a fortnight, mainly in the Himalayan villages like Saloor -Dungra, Dungri Barosi and Selang, besides another 15 hamlets in the vicinity and culminates in the grand pageant.

The Masks of Ramman Utsav are an integral part of the festival and are locally handmade by the villagers from the wood of the Bhojpatra ( Himalayan Birch) and Kemu (mulberry )there are over 18 masks, some of them like that of the Narasin Devtaa weighing 25 kgs,  which are held in reverence and worshipped before the festival. Some of them are made to dance in the temple premises before the festival, invoking the deities as well. While the colourful costumes are a highlight, it’s the make-up using natural dyes, turmeric and honey that gives the characters their identity.

The chants and songs are divine, and there is a variety of musical instruments used, like the drums called Dhol and Damau, Jhanhjar and Manjira or the cymbal and trumpets called Bhankara. The singing and chanting are by the traditional bards.

The entire performance is choreographed in 18 Taals, each depicting a particular dance and a scene from the Ramayana. Every beat is fixed, even for specific performances, and there is a local villager who records the same as well.

While the first Seven Taals depict the Birth of Rama and Lakshman, the Eighth Taal is referred to as the Ardhanga Dance by Sita, where there is a reference to the form of Mahadev called Ardhanareeswarar as half male-half female, representing the unity of Shiva and Parvati.  The Ninth Taal showcases the vibrant  Swayamvar or Sita.

In between the remaining Taals are depicted by local folk dances with cultural symbolic representations. We meet fascinating characters in the Mwar-Mwarin Dance. It depicts the herdsman returning to his wife, and on the way, he has to ward off attacks from wild animals and is healed by magical herbal remedies.

The next is the Baniya-Baniyan and the Khyalari Dance. The dances portray the traders from Tibet and their tryst with the locals, as well as how they are often waylaid by robbers.

The Maal Nritya by the warriors and wrestlers are next, where we see the historic Gorkha war depicted, where two pairs of warriors dressed in red and white stage a mock war with guns and shields. The Malla Yudd is finally interrupted by the Kurjogi, a performer wearing a thick layer of briar, and he disrupts the dance by throwing the thorny seeds and shrubs on the audience.

We return to the Ram Katha in the 16th Taal, where Rama slays the Golden Deer, while the 17th Taal depicts the Kidnapping of Sita and Lanka Dahan or the Burning of Lanka, while the 18th Taal is all about the Coronation Ceremony, with flowers being showered upon the audience.

In the end, we see a powerful dance by Narasimha or Nrisingh where the divine spirit empowers a local who performs the dances before carrying the marionette of Prahlad.

Finally, the curtains are down, but not before the last performance of the Bhumiyal  Devtaa, where it is believed that the local dancers get into a trance when the spirit descends upon them. The Devis and Devtas of the Devbhoomi also join in this Dance of the Deities as Ma Nanda, Ma Bhagwati. Tyun Devta and Vishwakarma perform as well.

As the Bhumiyal Devtaa sways,  other characters in vibrant masks swirl and ornate robes perform age-old rituals with hypnotic energy.  As drums thunder and the bhankora pierces through the Himalayan air, the celebration spills across the divine courtyard like a vibrant, vivid dream.

Travel Tips for Ramman Utsav

• Location: Saloor Dungra village, Chamoli District, Uttarakhand.

• ️ When: Usually held in April (exact date varies according to the Hindu calendar).

• What to Expect: A day-long ritual theatre of music, dance, storytelling, and worship. Sometimes it is held all night long 

• How to Reach: The nearest town is Joshimath. From there, it’s a drive and a short walk to the village.

• Stay : While there are homestays in the village, you can stay in Joshimath as well.

• Responsible Travel: This is a sacred ritual. Dress modestly, ask before photographing, and support the local community.