62 Abode of Gods
Kafal pako cheta
O meri chela
O meri chela
It was probably this love for music which attracted Udai Shan-
kar and Anna Pavalova to set up their dance schools in Almora.
Kumaon inherits its rich treasures of art from Katyur Kings
who built magnificent temples of Baijnath, Dwarahat, Jageshwar,
Bageshwar, Katarmal and Champawat. These temples have been
built after the style prevailing in central India where each temple
is surrounded by smaller temples which house smaller deities of
the four corners. The figures of Yaksha and Yakshanis have been
carved out in detail with great grace and poise but the finest
specimen of Kumaon art are the sculptures of Lord Shiva and
Mahishashurmardini which have been chiseled out with exce-
llence. Besides these ancient forms of art, Kumaon inherits a rich
tradition of folk art, samples of which can be seen outside every
house. Kumaonese also model figures of Shiva and Parvati during
Harola, a local festival which falls during rainy season.
In modern times the music and art of Kumaon has produced
gifted artists of stage and painting like Mohan Upreti, Lenin
Pant, Brijendralal Shah, Brij Mohan Shah, Bhuwanlal Shah, Ran-
dhir Singh Bisht and Salim.
Kumaonese are fond of fairs and festivals because they provide
them ample opportunity for social mixup visiting places, reviving
old friendships, trading and display their wear and jewellery;
about which women are very enthusiastic. The prominent fairs of
Kumaon are Jauljibi, Bageshwar, Debidhura and Thai. Amongst
festivals the most famous are Nanda Devi, Olkiya and Diwali.
The festival of Nanda Devi has a legend behind it. Nanda
Devi, the sister of Chand kings was once chased by a buffalo
while she was strolling in the royal gardens. Fearing the impen-
ding doom the young maiden took shelter benind a banana
plant. Learning the plight of his sister, the Chand King killed
the buffalo. This story was subsequently interpreted as Durga
story and ever since buffaloes began to be sacrificed at different
places before the altar of Nanda.
Jauljibi and Bageshwar were our trade centres for the people
of Tibet, Nepal and India. Once traders traded here in borex,
sKeelajeet, kasturi, wool, ghee, carpets, honey, herbs, sohaga,