Maa Kalinka is the worshiped goddess of 7 villages of Gouchar, the belief here is unique.

Sonia Mishra/Goucher These days, the entire mountains of Uttarakhand are resonating with Mother’s triumphant voice, on the one hand Nanda Lokjat is moving towards its last stop, on the other hand another form of Mother is being called from the in-laws’ house in other parts of the district. Sending them to their mother’s house and from their motherland to their father-in-law’s house. Maa Kalinka is the worshiped goddess of 7 villages of Gauchar in Chamoli district and all the villagers worship Maa as Dhyani.

These days, mother Kalinka has come to her maternal home, where all the maternal relatives have greeted the mother. After keeping the girl on the ladder for three days, she will be sent to her in-laws in Bhattnagar on the fourth day. Priest Nagendra Shastri says that Maa Kalinka is the deity worshiped in seven villages of Gauchar, of which Gauchar Manda Panai Sera is mother’s maternal home and Gauchar Bhattanagar is mother’s in-laws.

This is how mother is worshipped
Every year in the month of Bhadrapada, the mother is brought from her father-in-law’s house to the maternal house, while her brother Rawal (Latu deity) goes to her father-in-law’s house to pick up his sister. After that the mother comes with her brother to her maternal house, where a large number of mother’s relatives welcome the mother with joy and the mother is kept as a maid in her maternal house. The mother stays at the mother’s house for three days. During this time puja, havan, jagran etc. are done continuously.

Work started with mother’s vision
After three days, Samoun (Kakhdi and Mugri) is given to the mother as a gift. All the residents of the area sent the mother to her in-laws home with tears in her eyes like a girl. Local priest Shakti Prasad Deoli said that Maa Kalinka is the revered goddess of Ranigarh area. The people of Maa Gouchar’s seven villages start their work on seeing Maa Gouchar and Maa certainly fulfills everyone’s wishes.

Before 1975 there was a practice of sacrifice
The priest also explained that before 1975, sacrifices were offered in the temple, but after 1975, the spirit of non-violence was adopted and this practice was abolished and now Sri Phal is worshipped.