Almora. Under the historic Maa Nanda Devi Fair, an extraordinary confluence of devotion and faith was witnessed on Sunday at the Nanda Devi temple premises. The Ghushmeshwar Mahila Samiti organized a grand Mata ki Chowki in honor of Maa Nanda-Sunanda. The entire temple courtyard resonated with chants of the goddess’s name, bhajans, and kirtans. Devotees offered flowers, coconuts, and chunari to the goddess, expressing their deep reverence.
The Chowki was beautifully conducted by the committee’s president Lata Tiwari, secretary Preeti Bisht, treasurer Radha Tiwari, along with members Radha Bisht, Madhavi Bisht, Kamla Pandey, Pushpa Mehra, Deepa Pandey, Sapna Sanga, Prabha Bora, Tara Tiwari, Hema Tiwari, Kamla Karki, Rekha Rautela, Jyoti Joshi, Prema Bisht, Kanchan Joshi, Anita Kannaujia, Leela Joshi and many others. Their devotion-filled performances continued late into the night, enchanting the large gathering of devotees who danced and swayed with joy.
The event was graced by special guests including former BJP district president Ravi Rautela, Kamla Joshi, Anand Bagdwal, former Municipal Chairman Prakash Joshi, Hema Matela, and Nirmala Kandpal, who appreciated the efforts of the committee and pledged to carry forward the cultural and religious heritage of the Nanda Devi Fair.
The fair committee also played a crucial role in supporting the event. Among the key organizers were President Manoj Verma, Secretary Manoj Sanwal, Chief Cultural Coordinator Tara Joshi, Co-coordinator Ravi Goyal, Administrator Anoop Sah, Treasurer Harish Bisht, Chief Coordinator Arjun Bisht Cheema, Coordinators Amit Sah Monu, Amarnath Negi, Amarnath Singh Negi, Media In-charge Kapil Malhotra, Councilor Kuldeep Mer, Co-coordinator Councilor Abhishek Joshi, Co-coordinator Manoj Bhandari ‘Mantu’, Dhan Singh Mehta, Jeevan Nath Verma, Co-coordinator Rajendra Bisht, Administrator Harish Bhandari, Hitesh Verma, Jagat Tiwari, Ashish Bisht, Daya Krishna Pargai, Naman Bisht, Pankaj Pargai, Aditya Bisht, Govind Mehra, and Poonam Paliwal.
The melodious bhajans and devotional songs filled the atmosphere with divine energy. Women sang Maa’s bhajans to the tunes of traditional instruments, while devotees joined in with dance and spiritual fervor. The Chowki once again highlighted that the essence of the Nanda Devi Fair lies in the beautiful blend of faith and culture.
Committee President Lata Tiwari said:
“Organizing Mata ki Chowki in the Nanda Devi Fair is a matter of deep faith and pride for us. All our sisters participated with complete devotion in the service of Maa. The purpose of this Chowki is not only to perform religious rituals but also to carry forward the values of unity, culture, and tradition to the next generation. We are delighted that so many devotees joined us. May Maa Nanda-Sunanda’s blessings remain with all of us.”
The organizers emphasized that such religious events not only bring communities together but also serve as a medium to connect the younger generation with their cultural roots. A large number of devotees actively participated, seeking blessings of happiness, peace, and prosperity.
The Mata ki Chowki held in the sacred Nanda Devi courtyard has now been inscribed as a golden chapter in the history of the fair. Filled with devotion and reverence, the event infused the entire atmosphere with spiritual energy.
