Aidi Devta: Folk Deity of Kumaon and Garhwal for Prosperity

गढ़वाल , कुमाऊं के लोक देवता ऐड़ी  गाथा

Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Kumaon-Garhwal, Uttarkahnd-13

Religious, Spiritual and Mythological Folklore of Garhwal, Kumaon, Uttarakhand – 13  

                                         Bhishma Kukreti 

There are a couple of sayings about Aidi a folk deity of Kumaon and Garhwal.  By taking interview with Kumaoni women, Anjali Kapila (2004) states that Kumaoni women do not take milk at the time of menstruation because the deity Aidi would be angry. Aidi devta is god for protecting animals. According to gloriousindia.com, there is temple in Dhura Saungroli (Almora), there is an old temple of Aidi deity.

According to bedupako.wetpaint.com, Aidi is elite dressed deity of justice and is incarnation of Arjun. 

According to gairsain-uttarakhand .blogspot.in , Aidi is Masan (people of Lord Shiva with the spiritual power).

As per Dinesh Chandra Baluni, when there is no ‘dosh ‘(curse) of Aidi deity the family becomes prosperous. There are description of army and Aidi riding on Dog vehicle in Aidi Jagar. The hands and feet of Aidi are supposed to be on back side and there are arrow and bow with Aidi.  His dogs are with bells. A couple of stanzas of Aidi Jagar are as  

कुमाऊं और गढ़वाल की लोक गाथाएँ -13 

            ऐड़ी देव गाथा जागर (सन्दर्भ: डा गोविन्द चातक   कुमाउंनी लोक गाथाएँ पृष्ठ )

ऐड़ी तेरी उत्पति कॉ होली ?
न तल्ली धरती , न मल्ली आकाश।
न पवन न पानी , न पशु न पखान
xx    xx
राजा दशरथ कूना भया की
जै दिन मेरो एकलो जान छियो
तै दिन मै डाणाको शिकार करन छियो
मरयाँ मिरगन  मै ल्युंन छियों
ताज़ी  शिकार खाना छिंयों
xx   xx
तब सोल सौ का ऐड़ी भूत बणी
इंद्र की सभा मा जाना छन
तब इंद्र राजा कादार  में दोष लगायो
राजा इंद्र की गद्दी जो हलकण पैठी
तब बेद  को  बर्मा कुनूं भयो कि -
सुनो हे राजा इनर,
राजा दशरथ का बीस जोड़ा मारका
ऐड़ी भॊत बणी गया को तै दोष होलु
तब ऐड़ी की पूजा रचालै  

Once, the king of Ayodhya, Dashrat was participating in a battle in support of Deities. His chariot became axis   and his queen Kaikayi put her finger in the hole to make axis. Dashrath won the battle. Dashrath asked kaikayi to get var. Kaikayi told she would ask when time was proper.  

 Dashrath had gone for hunting. In evening he heard the sound of elephants taking water. Dashrath threw arrows on towards elephants the basis of sound. After some time Dashrath came to pond and found that his nephew Shravan was filling the vessel and was killed by his arrows. Dying Shravan said,”O hunter! My parents were thirsty and please offer them water.” Shravan died. King dashrath went to his parents with water. They did not take water but died. There was curse on Dashrath for killing his nephew.  Dashrath melted his arrow and threw them into Ganges. However, one arrow was not melted. I fish gulped that arrow. The fisherman offered that fish to king Dashrath.  King Dashrath was cutting the fish. The arrow inside fish wounded Dashrath.

 The wound of Dashrath did not heal and he was just to die. Dashrath wanted to crown Rama as king of Ayodhya.

Dashrath saw that his two pairs of hunting dogs were thirsty and hungry as nobody paid attention. Dashrath showed his annoyance to his sons.  Listening sharp words of his father, Rama and Lakshman went to jungle for hunting. They took pairs of dog with them.

Kaikayi reminded Dashrath that he was supposed to follow her two demands. Kaikayi demanded fourteen years forest life for Rama and crown for her son Bharat.

There in forest, dogs (those were gone with Rama and Lakshman) were roaming fast here and there in search of water as they all were very thirsty. There was fluid flowing from the root of sandal tree. Poisonous Snakes were surrounding sandal trunk and their poison was flowing from the sandal tree as water. The dog pair took that poisonous fluid understanding it water. Both the dogs died instantly.

 Rama and Lakshmana came there and saw the dead dogs.  Rama blessed them to go to Indralok  in the form of Aidi so that they can enjoy in Idralok. Both the dogs reached to Indralok. However dogs had to curse there. Due to curse of dogs deities became lame. Guru Vrihaspati told to deities that there were no enjoyable materials for those dogs in the heaven (Idralok). The enjoyable food for Aidi was available only on the earth. Therefore, Indra sent them on the earth. Aidi likes living in dense and hill forests and established their livelihood there.

Copyright (Interpretation) @ Bhishma Kukreti, 27/4/2013

Folklore, Folk Legends, Folk Myths of Kumaon-Garhwal, Uttarakhand to be continued…14

Religious, Spiritual and Mythological Folklore of Garhwal, Kumaon, Uttarakhand to be continued…14   

Curtsey and references:

Dr. Krishna Nand Joshi, Kumaon ka Lok Sahitya (Folklore texts of Kumaon)

 Dr Trilochan Pandey, Kumaoni Bhasha aur Uska Sahity(Folklore literature of Kumaon )

Dr Siva Nand Nautiyal, Garhwal ke Lok Nrityageet  (Folk Songs and dances of Garhwal )

Dr Govind Chatak, Garhwali Lokgathayen (Folklore of Garhwali)

Dr. Govind Chatak, Kumaoni Lokgathayen (Folklore of Kumaoni)

Dr Urbi Datt Upadhyaya, Kumaon ki Lokgathaon ka Sahityik Adhyayan (Literary review of Folklore of Kumaon)

Dr. Prayag Joshi, Kumaon Garhwal ki Lokgathaon ka Vivechnatmak Adhyayan (Critical Review of Folklore of Kumaon and Garhwal)

Dr Dinesh Chandra Baluni, Uttarakhand ki Lokgathayen (Folklore of Uttarakhand)

Dr Jagdish (Jaggu) Naudiyal, Uttarakhand ki Sanskritik Dharohar, (Partially Folklore of Ravain) 

Abodh Bandhu Bahuguna, Dhunyal (Folklore and Folk Songs of Garhwal)

Shambhu Prasad Bahuguna, Virat Hriday

Kusum Budhwar, 2010, Where Gods Dwell: Central Himalayan Folktales and Legends 

Kumaon: Kala, Shilp,aur Sanskriti         www.himvan.com/webpages/dana.htm

Anjali Kapila (2004), Traditional health Practices of Kumaoni women

गढ़वाल , कुमाऊं के लोक देवता ऐड़ी जागर ,कुमाऊं के लोक देवता ऐड़ी जागर , पिथौरा गढ़ कुमाऊं के लोकदेवता ऐड़ी जागर  , द्वारिहाट कुमाऊं के लोक देवता ऐड़ी जागर , बागेश्वर कुमाऊं के लोक देवता ऐड़ी जागर
 , अल्मोड़ा कुमाऊं के लोक देवता ऐड़ी ,नैनीताल कुमाऊं के लोक देवता ऐड़ी जागर , उधम सिंह नगर कुमाऊंके लोक देवता ऐड़ी जागर , व्यानधुरा  कुमाऊं के लोक देवता ऐड़ी जागर ,टनकपुर कुमाऊं के लोक देवता ऐड़ीजागर
 ,चम्पावत -ललुवापानी कुमाऊं के लोक देवता ऐड़ी जागर  श्रृंखला जारी ...