The traditional Jatra fair of buffalo herders concluded at Kawalia Peak

The traditional Jatra fair, organized by buffalo herders at the picturesque Kawalia peak in Junga tehsil, concluded on Sunday with the worship of Kawalia deity. Hundreds of people from village panchayats Peeran and Satlai visited Kawalia deity, received his blessings, and partook of the feast. A special kheer (rice pudding) is prepared from buffalo milk during the deity’s worship, which is then distributed to devotees as prasad.
It should be noted that the Kawalia temple, located approximately eight thousand feet above sea level, has been a major center of faith for the buffalo herders of the region since ancient times. Every year, during the month of Bhadrapada, the Kawalia deity’s jatra is held here according to the auspicious time. The deity’s priest, Jabar Singh Thakur, explained that buffalo herders from the Peeran and Satlai regions live in temporary camps in Kawalia with their buffaloes for about six months of the year. After Dussehra, when the cold increases, they return to their homes.
He says that for generations, buffalo herders have been bringing their buffaloes to Kawalia. Here, the animals roam the open forest, while the herders construct temporary huts made of straw and hay for their own living. Installing doors on the temporary sheds constructed by buffalo herders in Kawalia is considered taboo. Locals believe that thanks to the blessings of the Kawalia deity, there is no fear of theft or other untoward incidents.
Dayaram Verma, former head of the village panchayat Peeran, said that Kawalia Peak is full of natural beauty. If this place is developed for tourism, it could become one of the major tourist destinations in the state.
He said that tourists visiting Chail and Kufri can reach Kawalia Peak by hiking approximately three kilometers from the Pajouli Valley. Upon reaching here, tourists get a panoramic view of the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas, as well as the surrounding plains and natural valleys. With the development of basic infrastructure, this area can become a center of attraction for religious faith as well as nature and rural tourism.