Tucked away in the serene Himalayan village of Salood-Dungra, a centuries-old tradition is preparing to light up the hills with colour, rhythm, and divinity. The UNESCO-recognised Ramman festival, a spectacular mix of ritual, theatre, and folk celebration, is set to be observed this year with heightened enthusiasm and cultural splendour.

This annual event, held in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, is not your average local fair. It’s a vibrant embodiment of heritage, spirituality, and community, and preparations are already in full swing. The festivities officially begin on April 10, with locals, artists, and cultural enthusiasts coming together to honour a tradition that’s as old as time.

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Declared a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009, the Ramman festival is an extraordinary celebration rooted deeply in the folk traditions of the Painkhanda region. For the people of Salood-Dungra, it’s not just an event — it’s a sacred expression of their identity, devotion, and collective memory.

District Magistrate Dr. Sandeep Tiwari has extended an open invitation to people across India and the world to experience this one-of-a-kind ritual theatre. “This is not merely a festival; it’s a living tradition, a cultural inheritance we’re proud to share with the world,” he said, noting how digital outreach and media engagement this year aim to give Ramman a truly global stage.

The Ramman festival is believed to be over 500 years old, though some scholars argue it could trace its spiritual roots as far back as 2,500 years. Its connection to Adi Shankaracharya adds another layer of significance.

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Legend has it that during his mission to revive Hinduism, Shankaracharya’s disciples infused villages like Joshimath and nearby areas with ritual storytelling traditions — Ramman being one of their lasting legacies.

At its core, Ramman is a ritual performance — a highly stylised dance-drama that weaves mythology with community worship. Wooden masks carved from sacred trees depict gods, demons, and historical figures from the epics ‘Ramayana’ and ‘Mahabharata’. Each character is brought to life through expressive movements, chants, and symbolic gestures that have been preserved through generations.

Cultural expert Sanjay Chauhan describes Ramman as “a living museum of Uttarakhand’s oral history.” Indeed, few traditions in the world offer such a direct, immersive link between art, myth, and ritual.

The atmosphere during Ramman is one of high energy, reverence, and creative storytelling. Performers — often ordinary villagers trained in this sacred art — wear traditional attire: churidar pyjamas, ghaghras, silk turbans, and colourful stoles. The music is led by instruments like dhol, damau, manjira, jhanjhar, and the piercingly distinct bhankora.

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The dance-theatre comprises 18 wooden masks, 18 taal cycles (rhythmic patterns), 12 dhols, 12 damaus, 8 bhankoras.

Mythological episodes — such as Lord Rama’s birth, his exile, the golden deer incident, Sita’s abduction, and Lanka’s destruction — are enacted with both spiritual intensity and dramatic flair. Humorous characters like ‘Kuru Jogi’, ‘Bannya-Bannyaan’, and the dancing peacocks (‘Myor-Murain’) inject light-hearted moments, drawing cheers and laughter from the audience.

The global recognition that Ramman enjoys today didn’t come overnight. Scholars like Dr. Kushal Singh Bhandari played a pivotal role by documenting the festival and translating its rituals into English.

Photographer Arvind Mudgal and academic Prof. D.R. Purohit also lent their support, bringing visibility to this Himalayan heritage through years of advocacy and outreach.

In 2008, the festival was showcased at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. The showcase was so impactful that IGNCA sent a full team to Chamoli to witness the performance in its natural setting. That visit led to a historic moment — a team of 40 villagers later performed the Ramman in Delhi, captivating urban audiences and cultural institutions alike.

This momentum carried the tradition to international attention. By late 2009, Ramman had officially joined UNESCO’s global list of intangible cultural heritage. That same year, Japanese delegates from the International Council for Science (ICS) personally delivered the UNESCO certificate to the villagers — a moment of pride etched in local memory.

This year’s edition promises to be bigger and more inclusive. With administrative support and local participation, the festival will not only be a spectacle but also a reaffirmation of identity and resilience in a rapidly changing world.