Festival | Children's Activities | Honouring Guides
Traditional Medicine | Wool Spinning | Music & Dance | Locations
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Festival |
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Shri Tej Singh Rawat, Gram Pradhan of Lata unfurled the tri color. |
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On the dais, Brigadier (Retd.) S. S. Patwal, Ex Pradhan of Paini Village and Dhyaan (Daughter) of Lata, Mrs Indira Devi and Mahila Mangal Dal President of Lata Mrs Shukri Devi. |
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Indira Devi raised the issue of hypocrisy in the name of women participation and stressed the need for actual participation in the development process. |
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Kumari Sunita, a B.A. final student of Lata, presented a comparative analysis between Mrs Indira Gandhi and Gaura Devi while participating in lecture competition. |
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Wood for space heating is an essential requirement in extremely cold environments. |
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26th January was also the Basant Panchmi (Spring Festival). Children are waiting for the fried pakoras. |
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Community lunch after the women's festival at Ex Sarpanch of Van Panchayat of Lata, Hukum Singh’s house. |
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The Gram Sabha of Lata officially thanked various persons/institutions who helped in raising the grassroot concerns for conservation and equity. |
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Children's Activities
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A total of 11 teams participated in the "Govind Singh Rawat Memorial Community Rights" Cricket Tournament. |
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Govind Singh Rawat Memorial Community Rights Running Cricket Cup. |
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The best all rounder students of Lata were honoured during the occasion. |
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Young entrepreneurs. Darshan Singh (Class IX) and Yogesh Singh (Class VIII), opened a makeshift restaurant at the tournament ground. The sale of day one match was Rupees 209. |
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Children of Lata village writing a letter to the president of India. |
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Children of Lata's letter to the President of India (English translation). |
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Honouring Guides
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Sangram Singh of Lata is the backbone of adventure and rescue expeditions in the region. |
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Rajbar Singh alias "Raju Guide" is a popular guide in the Joshimath area. |
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Natha Singh is a prominent character in Bill Atkin’s ‘The Nanda Devi Affair." |
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Traditional Medicine
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Grand Ma Gwanchi Devi is the only one who still knows the traditional medicine for Ghaam Jwar, a fever caused by excessive sun exposure in high altitudes. There is only one more women Sureshi Devi who knows the secrets of traditional medicine. Western allopathic health services are not available in the villages. |
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Sureshi Devi is the most famous traditional health practitioner of the region. Her clientele reach up to Nandprayag. (Photo By Brij Mohan Sharma) |
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Wool Spinning
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Wool spinning competition during the festival. |
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Shukri Devi, the President of Mahila Mangal Dal of Lata, spinning wool in front of her winter home. |
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Music & Dance
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Himatu Lal is the only surviving person who knows the initiation rituals and mantras on mask dances during the Baisakhi festival. Also seen are Bhagat Singh, the President of Yuvak Mangal Dal of Lata and Brigadier (Retd) S. S. Patwal, the chief guest of the festival. |
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Sandeep Lal is confident youngster who is learning the folk instruments. Here, showing his skills on Hudka. |
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Flute was one of the most favourite musical instrument of shepherds. Bal Singh and Surendra Singh performed on a rusted flute during the festival. |
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Gabbar Singh of Bhalgaon is the only practicing Jagri in the Niti Valley. |
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Group Dance. |
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Locations
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The summer and winter settlements of Lata. Lata is on top. |
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Lamtala is the winter settlement of Lata. |
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Raifur was the ancient village of Ranas who later settled in Lata after some major calamity. The Ranas are still referred to as Raifurias in Lata. |
