Festival · Almora and Kasar Devi, Kumaon
Nanda Devi Mela, Almora
Kumaon's biggest autumn festival honours the goddesses Nanda and Sunanda. In Almora, images are shaped from banana-tree trunks, worshipped at the Nanda Devi temple and carried in procession through Lal Bazaar before they are taken to the water. Nainital and other towns hold their own versions.
Photo: 1v2a3i · CC BY-SA 4.0 · CommonsNanda Devi is the patron goddess of Kumaon and Garhwal, linked to the mountain that carries her name. In Almora her worship is centred on the Nanda Devi temple in the old town, a Chand royal temple founded in 1688. The mela grew under the Chand kings and continues as the town's main festival, falling around Nanda Ashtami in the lunar month of Bhadrapada, usually late August or September.
The festival runs over several days. Banana trunks, chosen and brought in with ceremony, are used to shape the images of the sister goddesses Nanda and Sunanda, which are dressed, decorated and installed for worship. Folk singers, drummers and dancers perform, stalls fill the bazaar, and families from surrounding villages come into town. On the final day the images are carried in procession through Lal Bazaar and taken to be submerged in water.
Nainital holds a large Nanda Devi Mahotsav at the Naina Devi temple at the same time, and smaller fairs take place in Bageshwar and other towns. For visitors, Almora's mela is the best chance to see Kumaoni folk performance, dress and food in one place. Dates follow the lunar calendar, so check current status before you travel.
Tips for the day
- Book a room at Kasar Devi or in Almora early; families return home for the mela and rooms fill.
- Watch the final procession from a step or shop front in Lal Bazaar and keep children close in the crowd.
- Ask before photographing rituals and performers, and do not use flash near the images.
Where it happens
Almora and Kasar Devi
Almora, at about 1,604 m, was the Chand kings' capital from the 1560s and is still Kumaon's cultural centre. Walk the stone-paved Lal Bazaar for bal mithai, visit the Nanda Devi temple, then stay 8 km up at Kasar Devi on the pine ridge once called Crank's Ridge. Plan two to four nights.
Stay nearby
Questions
About Nanda Devi Mela, Almora
When is the Nanda Devi Mela in Almora?
It falls around Nanda Ashtami in the lunar month of Bhadrapada, usually in late August or September. Exact dates change each year, so check current status before you travel.
What happens at the Nanda Devi Mela?
Images of the goddesses Nanda and Sunanda are shaped from banana trunks and worshipped at the Nanda Devi temple, with folk music, dance and stalls in the bazaar, ending in a procession to the water.
Is the Nanda Devi Mela held in Nainital too?
Yes, Nainital holds a large Nanda Devi Mahotsav at the Naina Devi temple at the same time of year, with its own procession. Bageshwar and other towns hold smaller fairs.
Is the Nanda Devi Mela suitable for tourists?
Yes, visitors are welcome. It is crowded on the main days, so be patient, dress modestly, respect rituals and keep valuables secure. Late monsoon rain is possible.