Amidst the chanting of Vedic mantra, the palanquin of goddess Surkanda Devi ceremoniously departed from Surkut mountain to reach her paternal village of Jadadhar on the occasion of Navratri starting Friday. This ritual practice is held once in three years and attracts natives and devotees from across India and abroad.
The devotees chosen to carry the ceremonial palanquin of the goddess covered the distance reaching the Jadadhar village late on Thursday evening to the sound of dhol-nagada. As per the belief held by villagers and past instances, the arrival of the goddess’ palanquin in the village was accompanied by a spell of rain and thunder much to the relief of villagers facing crop loss due to drought like situation.
Earlier on Wednesday, about 35-40 villagers reached the Surkut mountain to carry the goddess. On Thursday morning special prayers were offered to the goddess in the Surkanda Devi shrine by the temple priests. At about 10 AM, the priests chanted Vedic Mantras to send off the goddess’ palanquin to the Jadadhar village. The chosen villagers set off barefoot carrying the palanquin of the goddess on their head and walked for about seven hours to reach the village late on Thursday evening.
On arrival of Surkanda Devi’s ceremonial palanquin, the area echoed with enthusiastic salutations raised by residents of her paternal village and other devotees from various villages. Jadadhar residents suffering from crop damage due to drought condition had been beseeching the goddess to come to their rescue bringing much needed rain along with her palanquin in the village. Thunder and rain in the evening not only brought relief to the farmers but also reaffirmed the faith of the villagers.
It was during the seventies decade when the farmers in the area were facing starvation due to absence of rain in the Tehri area leading to crop loss. The residents of Jadadhar and other neighbouring villages approached the goddess in the Surkanda temple and continued singing bhajans throughout the night while also deciding to not return to their homes till the requested rain falls. later on the same night, rain clouds swiftly gathered in the skies above pouring rain sending the villagers scurrying to take shelter from the rain. In subsequent years, the villagers approached the temple of the goddess praying for rainfall during 1985, 1987 and 2000.
The people here strongly believe that the goddess never disappoints villagers who come to her temple beseeching for rain. Jadadhar village resident Vijay Jadadhari said that the goddess never disappoints the villagers who sincerely beseech her for welfare and prosperity. Another villager Manveer Jadadhari said that this time the villagers had prayed to the goddess for rain and as desired, the arrival of her palanquin brought much needed rain in the area.
Apart from the people of villages, many devotees from New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and other parts of the country have arrived here to welcome the goddess.