Harina Jatra: deer festival connects Nepal and India
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In Huti village, Darchula, Nepal, people celebrate Harina Jatra, a festival where three individuals dress as deer and parade to the Naulakedar Durga Bhawani temple each Vijaya Dashami.
The celebration, taking place in the far-western region of Nepal near the Mahakali River, blends religious faith, local history, and folk traditions passed down through generations. Local legends explain the festival’s origins.
One story tells of the goddess Naula Devta riding a deer to establish her power and receiving a promise of sacrifice. Another links the festival to a past landslide and resulting famine in the region. While the exact beginning of Harina Jatra remains unknown, 80-year-old Prem Singh Kunwar affirms the tradition is very old. From Ghatasthapana to Navaratri, people fast, tell goddess stories, and stay awake at night in preparation.
On Dashain, after receiving blessings, residents gather at the Naulakedar temple to begin the Harina Jatra procession. People from both Nepal and the Indian state of Uttarakhand, separated by the Mahakali River, attend the festival and join in the dancing and singing. Rajendra Kunwar, a documentary maker, notes that this unique festival, with its deer representations and Damaha music, is unlike any other he has encountered.
He urges collaboration between local and national organizations to preserve and promote Harina Jatra as a cultural identity for Nepal.
