Jagar: A Deep Dive into Uttarakhand’s Spiritual Tradition

As the word suggests, Jagar comes from the Sanskrit origin, “jaga,” which means to be woken up. It is defined as a process by which any god or deceased person’s spirit or soul is called or woken up from its dormant state and asked for favors or solutions to certain problems being faced by the summoner. To perform Jagar, music is used as the medium to invoke the spirits, making it an important aspect of the process. In case you are still wondering what Jagar actually is, let me put it in a simpler way: recall the time when you witnessed some people at temples or during Jagrans (an all-night vigil including songs and dance in honor of a deity) in a frenzied mood, dancing to the rhythmic beats of the dhol, chanting prayers, and clapping, as if in a trance. Yes, you got it right! Many of us know it by the name “Mata aana” or “Devi aana,” which is a type of Jagar wherein the person is considered to be possessed by a divine power.

The process of Jagar requires three members: the Jagariya, the Dagariya, and the Syonkar. The Jagariya, or the singer, sings the ballads of gods with references to the great epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana and leads the ritual. The Dagariya acts as the medium of incarnation for the gods and the spirits, while the Syonkar organizes the Jagar in his home to seek supernatural intervention. To clarify the purpose of this process, it is necessary to mention that Jagar is very closely related to the idea of divine justice and is often performed to seek penance for a crime or seek justice for some injustice.

Often regarded as the cultural and musical heritage of Uttarakhand, Jagar is particularly practiced in the Kumaon and Garhwal regions. Considering the first paragraph, let me introduce you to the two types of Jagar: Dev Jagar and Bhoot Jagar. The former is defined as the invocation of a god, while the latter is defined as the invocation of a deceased person’s spirit or soul in the medium’s body. As far as Bhoot Jagar is concerned, it plays an important role in performing exorcisms. Exorcism is defined as the attempted expulsion of a supposed evil spirit from a person’s body. By invoking the evil spirit inside a person’s body and with the help of certain essential mantras and prayers, the evil soul can be cast out of the body of the Dagariya by the Jagariya.

Jagar is carried out in the following steps. Firstly, the room in which it is to be performed is purified through certain sacred processes under the guidance of the Jagariya. Once purified, the sacred fire, traditionally known as the Dhuni, is lit for Homa. Homa is a ritual wherein an oblation or any religious offering is made into the fire. As mentioned previously, the most important element of the process, that is music, is supported by percussion instruments native to Uttarakhand, such as the Hurka, Dhol, Damu, and Thali. After the place has been properly set up and the necessities of the process fulfilled, the actual ritual begins. Jagar begins with the chanting of the Sanjhvali Geet, wherein all the gods are remembered, their names are repeated, and assistance is sought for the successful completion of the process. This is followed by the Birtvai, during which the spirit being invoked is praised, and ballads relating to their adventures and life are sung aloud. The next stage is known as the Ausan, wherein the beats of the Hurka and other instruments are gradually increased in cohesion. It is during this stage that the Dagariya starts going into a trance with frenzied movements. Once the spirit enters the body, it is questioned regarding the problems faced by the Syonkar.

As the ceremony nears its end, Kakh Raman, which is the ash (also known as Bibhuti) obtained from the Homa, is applied to the foreheads of all the people present. Thereafter, some natives express their Dainik Vichar, which involves thinking about the provider, the god, and the way he provides for us. This is followed by the priest ritually blessing the people present by praying for their prosperity, also known as the Ashirwad. Finally, the spirits are requested to return, or Prasthan, to their respective heavenly abodes during this concluding stage. Not to forget, there also exists another essential part of this ritual known as the Guru Arti. This is based on the local belief that all gods and demi-gods in the local assemblage of Kumaon are believed to be the disciples of Guru Gorakhnath. Therefore, he too is pacified, remembered, and his protection sought.

Now that you are familiar with Jagar, it is absolutely fine to doubt its credibility and question its practice. You might be wondering why Jagar still needs to be practiced in the 21st century, often described as the era that has witnessed great scientific innovations and has almost reduced our belief in the supernatural to nil. Let us try to analyze the situation from the point of view of the people residing in these hilly regions where the practice of Jagar is quite common. The bitter life of the hills, the lack of basic amenities, coupled with isolation and continuous vulnerability to the eccentricities of nature, make it absolutely necessary to have something to fall back upon, which is considered stronger than the above problems. Hence, this has led people to possess a strong belief in the paranormal phenomenon and various folk gods, who have slowly gained reverence among the hill dwellers.