JAAGAR IN UTTARAKHAND: CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE AND GLOBAL PARALLELS

Abstract

Jaagar, which means “to awaken”, is a traditional folk custom from the hill-state Uttarakhand, India, and performs vivacious cultural manifestation that entwines mysticism, devout spirituality, community involvement, and local customary practices. This investigation explores the multidimensional magnitudes of Jaagar, scrutinizing its cultural connotation, performance components, and communal facets. Furthermore, it draws comparisons with analogous folk-art practices universally, such as Kirtan, Haka, Candomblé, and Samba, to highlight widespread premises of spirituality, community, and cultural identity. The discoveries propose that Jaagar not only bolsters communal bonds but also adapts to contemporaneous social issues, operating as a podium for cultural conservation and social commentary. This research paper subsidizes to the comprehensive understanding of folk traditions as dynamic practices that replicate the cultural ethics, values and objectives of their communities while upholding their inimitable cultural identities.