High in the Garhwal Himalayas, in the twin villages of Saloor-Dungra, an extraordinary cultural performance unfolds each year. Known as the Ramman festival, this ritual theatre tradition is not merely a celebration, it is a living archive of memory, belief and craftsmanship. Recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage, Ramman brings together ritual, performance and artisanal practice into a single, immersive experience.

At its heart lies a powerful visual language: 18 distinct masks, each embodying a character, deity or archetype, transforming villagers into storytellers of a centuries-old tradition.

Ramman Mela

Celebration of Ramman Festival

A Festival Rooted in Devotion and Community

The festival is dedicated to Bhumiyal Devta, the guardian deity of the village. Celebrated annually after Baisakhi, it marks not only a religious occasion but also the beginning of a new agricultural cycle. Over 10 to 13 days, the deity is carried in procession, while rituals and performances unfold in the temple courtyard.

Ramman is entirely organised by the community. Each caste and occupational group has a defined role, where priests conduct rituals, performers enact stories and musicians sustain the rhythm of the festival. This structured participation transforms Ramman into a social framework embodied through art, reinforcing collective identity and continuity.

Ramman performance

Theatre, Myth and Memory

Ramman unfolds like a layered narrative. It begins with invocations to Ganesha, followed by dances depicting divine and mythological episodes. At its core is the performance of the Ramkatha, where episodes from the Ramayana are sung and enacted through a codified system of rhythm and movement.

Ramman extends beyond classical mythology. Performances such as the Maal Nritya recreate historical encounters, while others portray the struggles of pastoralists and traders. The inclusion of Jagar - a musical storytelling tradition, brings local legends into the fold, making the festival a fusion of epic, history and lived experience.

The Art of the Mask: Crafting Identity

Perhaps the most striking element of Ramman is its masks, 18 in total, each meticulously handcrafted and deeply symbolic. Made from the wood of local trees such as Bhojpatra (Himalayan birch) and mulberry, these masks are not mere props but sacred objects, often worshipped before being used in performance.

The crafting process is both technical and ritualistic. Artisans begin by shaping the wood and marking facial features, followed by detailed carving and smoothing. The masks are then painted using natural materials - turmeric, vermilion, soot and plant-based dyes, giving them their vivid and expressive appearance.

Some masks, like that of Narasimha, are particularly revered and can weigh up to 25 kilograms. Their physicality adds to the intensity of the performance, as the wearer must embody not only the character but also the weight of its symbolic presence.

Chamoli Wooden Ramman Mask

Raw Materials, Tools and Process

The making of Ramman masks is a deeply layered process that combines craftsmanship, ritual discipline and environmental knowledge.

The materials used are entirely local and organic, reinforcing the festival’s connection to its landscape:

• Wood: Primarily Bhojpatra (Himalayan birch) and Kemu (mulberry), chosen for durability and workability
• Bamboo: Used in structural elements or support
• Natural dyes and pigments: Turmeric (yellow), vermilion (red), soot (black), and plant-based extracts
• Natural binders: Honey, oils, and sometimes wheat flour paste
• Cloth and paper: Occasionally used for layering or surface detailing
• These materials are not neutral. They carry symbolic and ritual significance, embedding the environment into the object itself.

The tools used are simple but require great skill:

• Chisels (varied sizes for detailing)
• Knives and blades (for precision carving)
• Hammers and wooden mallets
• Files and sandpaper (for smoothing surfaces)
• Saws and drills (for shaping and hollowing)

The absence of mechanised tools highlights the manual, time-intensive nature of the craft.

The Process

• Wood selection and cutting - A suitable block of wood is chosen and cut to approximate size.
• Marking and sketching facial features - eyes, nose, mouth - are outlined based on traditional forms.
• Rough carving - The basic structure is shaped using chisels and mallets.
• Detailing - Artisans refine features, adding expressions and symbolic elements.
• Smoothing - The surface is polished using files and sandpaper.
• Painting and finishing - Natural pigments are applied, often in bold, high-contrast colours.
• Ritual preparation - Before use, some masks undergo consecration rituals, marking their transition from object to sacred entity.

This process transforms raw wood into a performative and spiritual artefact, ready to be animated in ritual.

Embodied Knowledge and Oral Tradition

What makes Ramman particularly remarkable is its mode of transmission. There are no written manuals or formal training systems - knowledge is passed down through observation, participation and repetition. Children grow up watching performances, gradually absorbing the rhythms, gestures and meanings embedded within them.

This oral and embodied transmission ensures continuity, but it also makes the tradition vulnerable. With changing socio-economic conditions and declining participation, Ramman faces the risk of fading into obscurity.

More than a festival: A fragile yet resistant heritage

Despite its UNESCO recognition, Ramman remains largely confined to its local context. Its survival depends on the very community that sustains it, on their willingness to continue performing, crafting and believing.

In many ways, Ramman represents a broader truth about traditional arts in India, they are not static relics, but living systems that require active participation and recognition. The masks, the music, the performances - all are threads in a larger cultural fabric that binds past and present.

The Ramman festival is not just a ritual or a performance, it is a multisensory expression of identity. Through its masks, it visualises myth; through its performances, it narrates history and through its community, it sustains meaning.

In an age of rapid change, traditions like Ramman remind us that culture is not only preserved in museums or texts but in living practices, where art, belief and everyday life converge.