cutlure & tradition of uttrakhand

Culture & Tradition of Uttrakhand           

Its is belived that budhism existed in the hills of uttrankhand as far back as during 7^th century. However, shankracharya who established the holy shrine of badrinath during 8^th century converted the poputetion to vedic faith. Hinduism is deep rooted in the hills of uttrankhand.  In fact one say with authority that uttrankhand is a plaxe where Hinduism was practiced and preserved in both pre-brahminical and brahminical forms. According to the Himalayan Gazetter Volume II of 1878 by E. T. Atikinson there were 380 temples in kumaun, about 550 in garhwal and 100 in Dehradun and jaunsar bhawer rison. Accordingly, the names of daitis worshipped in these temples are broadly divided into two main categories, the Shiva and Vishnava. There were 250 Shiva temples in kumaun and 350 temples in garhwal. Similarly there were 35 Vishnava in kumaun and 61 in garhwal with another 65 temple of Nagraja which are affiliated to the Vishanava sects but in which Shiva also has a force in the form of Bhairava of the Shiva temple. 139 temple in garhwal and 64 in kumaun are dedicated to Shakti or the female form alone. But the Vishanava temples in both regions are only eight in number.Of the Shiva Shakti temple, 42 in garhwal and 18in kumaun are dedicated to Kali. Whilst the Shakti form of Bhairav temple are knows as emanations of Kali. Nanda comes next in popularity and then Chandika and Durga. The remainng temples are dedicated to the worship of Surya, Ganesh and other deities and mortals and the pre-brahminical village gods.
    Lords Shiva and Vishnu and their female forms are the principal objects of worship. Alongwith them one could also find different dei ties besed on cultsof the old tribe which are worshipped both in temples and during domestic ceremonies. Demonism which has been the earliest form of religious belief on the basis of super netural spirits is also prevalent in the hills of Uttrakhand. With the change of religion, demonism acquired sn evil meaning and was also practiced amongst the people in various forms. The existences of the holy shrines of Badrinath and Kedarnath in the high Himalaya regions o f Uttrakhand are in the form of Vishnu and Shiva and they have an important place in the history pf Hindu religion in the country. Every year, lakhs of pilgrims visit these shrines which were also visited by Ram and Sita. Arjun and Krishna meditated and pandavas ordained their earthly pilgrimage to these holy shrines. All this has had great influence on the people of Uttrakhand and their faith in Hindu religion.