Idols of Messar and Gamra made during the Saaton-Aathon celebrations in Bajani village of Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand. Image by the Author.

Saato-Aatho

One day a disgruntled Gamra (Goddess Parvati) leaves Mount Kailash, the abode of Messar (Lord Shiva) in the month of भादों or Bhadon. When he reaches her मैत or maet (maternal place), her mother, Mainuli, asks her the reason of her arrival at the maternal place in the भूखो मैंण or bhookho maen ("hungry month"). Gaura does not tell her the reason that she has had differences with husband, Messar. Intead, she says that she has just come today and shall leave the next day.

Mother: 

What will you eat and what will you wear now?

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Gaura: 

Dear mother! Please give me दशमी की रोटी or dashmi ki roti

Dear father! Please give me a नौ पाठे घाघरी or nau paathe ghaaghaeri 

Dear brother! Please give me a द्यू हाथै पिछौड़ी or dyu haathe picchodi

Dear bhabhi (sister-in-law)! Please give me a सुनै की द्यूढ़ी or sunae ki dyudi (a form of a lamp made up of gold) and a large copper container.

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Everyone agrees to give whatever Gaura asks except her sister-in-law (bhabhi), who refuses to give her the golden diya.

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This angers Gaura and she curses her bhabhi, “May your cow only give birth to male calves”. Her bhabhi accepts her mistake and reverses her decision for the fear of the curse.

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Bhabhi: Gaura! Take सुनै की द्यूढ़ी or sunae ki dyudi and the copper container.
 

This satiates Gaura’s anger and she blesses her saying, “May you all be blessed with a long life. दुबै जस जड़ ह्वै जौ, फूलै जस भाड़ी”. Finally, as Messar (Shiva) comes and visits Gaura's maternal place, the village celebrates their visit in a tradition that is known as Gamra Mahotsav ("Gamra Mega Festival"). The two leave the place happily and everyone sings along.

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Note: While one version believes that Gaura leaves on the next day, the other version considers her stay to be a week-long or a fortnight-long. Their stay is celebrated by people with fun and frolic in form of songs and dance.

On the day of her departure from her maternal place, Gaura’s exit is celebrated with another song:

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All:

Dance and indulge in खेल (“khel”), Loli Gamara

We shall see how you dance today

Old people shall join the dance

So shall the young folks

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Gaura: 

Stay, stay aaama and bubu

Mother and Father

Uncle and Aunty

Brother and Bhabhi

We shall leave now for our home.

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All: 

Please take all these things we have gifted you with great happiness, Gamra.

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Gaura and Maheshwar leave for their abode, Mount Kailash.

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Glossary:

नौ पाठे घाघरी or nau paathe ghaaghaeri: Refers to a traditional skirt of nine parts worn by women at the waist and goes on to cover till the ankle.

खेल or khel: a traditional circular formation of people where they move forward and backward to the tunes of the traditional percussion musical instruments of hudka, dhol, and damau. (For details, visit Visual Glossary).

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The sound of the hudka (along with the harmonium) played by Laxman Singh Manola as recorded by the author in 2013.

मैत or maet: The maternal place of a woman

भदों or Bhadon: The month of August-September as per the Hindu calendar.

भूखो मैंण or bhookho maen (literally “the hungry season”): The month of August-September is referred to as so because no grains are available during the season.

दशमी की रोटी or dashmi ki roti: a dish prepared by mixing whole wheat flour and besan.

सुनै की द्यूढ़ी or sunae ki dyudi: a form of a lamp made up of gold.

द्यू हाथै पिछौड़ी or dyu haathe picchodi: Picchoda or picchodi refers to a traditional yellow-coloured dupatta (odhni or chunari) with red dots that is worn by married women in Uttarakhand. The reference to “dyu haathe” is to the length of the picchoda, which is approximately of the size of two arms. (For details, visit Visual Glossary)

दुबै जस जड़ ह्वै जौ, फूलै जस भाड़ी or doobae jass jadh hwae jaw, phoolae jas bhaadi: Literally translates to “May you have roots like a doob grass (Cynodon dactylon) and the bounty of flowers”. It is a form of a blessing bestowed by the elders when they leave the village. The grass symbolises long life given its deep root system. (For details, visit Visual Glossary)