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<p>Bagḍwāl worship is a traditional ritual in Garhwal, Uttarakhand, centered on the veneration of Jītū Bagḍwāl, a mortal figure turned <i>bhūmyāl</i> (protector of the land). The ceremony centers on an affective folk ballad recounting his abduction by mountain spirits (<i>āñcharī</i>), enacted through drumming, dance, and divine embodiment. Utilizing the theoretical frameworks of “natureculture” and “eco-sociality,” this article posits the ritual as a dynamic interface between sound, topography, and spirit. Its recent revival reveals how Himalayan cosmologies remain dynamically entangled with their terrain, histories, and deities. Sensory elements, particularly the drumming and narration of bards, facilitate a state of divinization wherein practitioners embody these deities. This study shows that the worship is not merely a request for protection, but a profound expression of communal bonding. Ultimately, Bagḍwāl worship demonstrates the efficacy of ritual in mediating collective identity, healing, and ecological belonging within Himalayan traditions.</p>

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Drumming the Deity to Life: Sound, Divinization, and the Return of Bagḍwāl Devtā in the Garhwal Himalaya

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月26日

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  • Vineet Gairola,
  • Shubha Ranganathan

摘要

Bagḍwāl worship is a traditional ritual in Garhwal, Uttarakhand, centered on the veneration of Jītū Bagḍwāl, a mortal figure turned bhūmyāl (protector of the land). The ceremony centers on an affective folk ballad recounting his abduction by mountain spirits (āñcharī), enacted through drumming, dance, and divine embodiment. Utilizing the theoretical frameworks of “natureculture” and “eco-sociality,” this article posits the ritual as a dynamic interface between sound, topography, and spirit. Its recent revival reveals how Himalayan cosmologies remain dynamically entangled with their terrain, histories, and deities. Sensory elements, particularly the drumming and narration of bards, facilitate a state of divinization wherein practitioners embody these deities. This study shows that the worship is not merely a request for protection, but a profound expression of communal bonding. Ultimately, Bagḍwāl worship demonstrates the efficacy of ritual in mediating collective identity, healing, and ecological belonging within Himalayan traditions.