Dehradun: Uttarakhand is not called Devbhoomi for nothing. Faith, tradition and history are embedded in the soil here. These days, Pandav Leela is being organized in the hilly areas of Uttarakhand, people are coming from far and wide to see and understand it. This question arises in the minds of many people that Mahabharata and Pandavas are related to Kurukshetra, then how did the tradition of Pandava Leela come into existence in Uttarakhand. The answer to this is found in religious texts and folk beliefs.
Pandavas are mentioned in Skandpuran’s Kedarkhand, which is today called Garhwal region. It is believed that after the Mahabharata war, to get rid of the sin of killing their relatives, Pandavas had set out towards Mount Kailash in search of Lord Bholenath. During this journey he spent a long time in many areas of Uttarakhand. The people living in the mountains closely observed the life of the Pandavas and carried forward their stories through folk traditions.
The stories related to Pandavas were told from generation to generation in the local language through folk songs, dances and musical instruments. This marked the beginning of Pandava Leela, which is still performed with the same devotion and enthusiasm even after centuries. This tradition, which has been going on since the Dwapar era, is still organized in the rural areas of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand as a symbol of happiness and harmony.
Special event of Pandav Leela
Many religious and cultural rituals take place during Pandav Leela. These include events like the day of taking out the arrows of Pandava animals i.e. incarnate men, religious bath, Moru Dali, Malafulari, Chakravyuh, Kamal Vyuha and Garuda Vyuha. There are a total of 13 Pashwas in the Pandava dance, which include Draupadi, Lord Narayana, Yudhishthir, Bhima, Arjun, Nakul, Sahadev, Hanuman, Agni Baan, Malaphulari, Bhavarika and Kalyalvar.
Belief related to safety of animals and village
Jaiveer Singh Rawat says that Pandav Leela is a centuries-old tradition, which is organized for the happiness and prosperity of the village. The villagers consider the Pandava kings as the masters of their village and believe that they protect the livestock, fields and women going into the forests. They believe that when diseases like foot-and-mouth spread among animals, then worshiping Pandavas protects the animals. Last year, the effects of this disease were seen across the country, but after a wish made to the Pandavas in their village, the animals remained safe. Apart from this, Pandav Leela is also organized in winter to connect the new generation with the old traditions and to increase collective interaction in the village.
