One of the prominent deities of the Kumaon region is ऐड़ी or Ari or Aedi, who is widely considered by people of the region as a reincarnation of Arjun (“अर्जुन का अवतार है कुमाऊं का ऐड़ी देवता”). Aedi has four hands. Each hand holds a bow, arrow, trident, and गाजा or gaaja (an iron rod). Legend has it that Adi hides himself into the dense forest during the day and wanders at night. The deity leaves on a palanquin with a procession including two dogs with bells tied around their necks and two witches (Aanchri and Chanchri) as his bodyguards. His palanquin is carried by his two servants, Saau and Bhaau. Edwin Thomas Atkinson's The Himalayan Gazetteer (1884) describes Airi as someone whose "saliva is venomous that it wounds those on whom it falls" (826). It is believed that if someone catches sight of Aedi at night, the person immediately dies or is devoured by Aedi’s dogs. However, if the person escapes, the person becomes rich.​ 

The real name of Aedi was त्युणा or Tyuna. He used to go for hunting on the peaks of mountains every day along with his brother, ब्यूणा or Byuna. One day, their mother had a nightmare and she feared a misfortune might befall on her sons. Therefore, when Tyna and Byuna were leaving home for hunting, their mother stopped them and advised them not to go. While Byuna listened to his mother and decided not to go, Tyuna was adamant on leaving. He did pay heed to his mother’s warning and left for hunting with his two dogs Kathuwa and Jhapua.​

Tyuna wandered in the jungles of Pipalikot and Katiyachantha, but he couldn’t find a hunt. Finally, he looked out for a hunt in Kataribaghan but to no avail. Tired as he was, he rested under a tree at a peak in Kataribaghan. Out of fatigue, he tied his dogs with ropes around his legs and fell asleep. After some time, a deer came to the place where Tyuna was sleeping. To hound the deer, both the dogs ran in different directions to surround it. This broke Tyuna’s leg leading to his death. It is believed that it is the reason why Tyuna or Aedi leaves his procession on a palanquin.​

Aedi is worshipped as the deity of the domesticated animals. As per the tradition in some places, after the birth of the young ones, the first milk of the mother is offered to the deity. ​

The temple dedicated to Aedi is in Champawat. People offer iron bows and tridents to him at the temple once their wish is granted. Similar to Bhumiya, Aedi is a god of the pastoral group or the पशुचारक वर्ग (“अर्जुन का अवतार है कुमाऊं का ऐड़ी देवता”). Therefore, the deity acquires great importance to milch animals.

Works Cited:
Atkinson, Edwin Thomas. The Himalayan Gazetteer Vol. 2. Natraj Publishers, 2014.
“अर्जुन का अवतार है कुमाऊं का ऐड़ी देवता” Kafaltree. https://kafaltree.com/airi-devta-of-kumaon-is-arjun-reincarnation/. Accessed 10 April 2024.