The color of faith, awaited by pilgrims all year, has reappeared in the land of Kumaund: Mother Nanda-Sunda has returned to her home. In the historic temple of Mata Naina Devi in Nainital, the statues of Kuladevi Mother Nanda-Sunda were consecrated according to the traditional rites and rituals of Kumaund. As soon as the consecration ceremony concluded, the entire temple filled with cheers in honor of the Mother.
Pilgrims began arriving for worship late at night. Long queues of devotees formed outside the temple around three in the morning. By morning, the temple complex and surrounding areas were filled with pilgrims. People, holding offerings and expressing devotion, came to their Kuladevi, chanting her hymns.
Mother Nanda-Sunda holds a special place in the religious and cultural traditions of Kumaund. According to beliefs, the veneration of Mother Nanda dates back to the time of the Chand kings. Today, many families in Kumaund consider Mother Nanda-Sunda their Kuladevi and regularly perform worship. According to folk tales, Mother Nanda-Sunda comes from her native home in Kumaund only once a year. It is during this period that the Mother's statues are prepared for the Nandashtami festival, after which they are consecrated, marking her arrival in her homeland. Therefore, the Nandashtami festival is considered not just a religious event, but a major celebration connected to the culture and sentiments of Kumaund.
Following the consecration, a rotation of visits and prayers began in the temple. Pilgrims arriving from afar pray to Mother Nanda-Sunda, wishing well-being and prosperity for their families. Cheers in honor of the Mother are constantly heard in the temple complex, and the entire atmosphere appears reverent. For the pilgrims, this is not only an opportunity to see the Mother's statues but also a chance to connect with their centuries-old traditions.
The celebration of Mother Nanda-Sunda's arrival in Nainital will continue in the coming days. On September 23rd, a grand procession of the Mother through the city is scheduled. A large number of pilgrims are expected to participate. During this procession, the atmosphere of Nainital will become completely religious and festive. Pilgrims will see the Mother, and the city will fill with her cheers. The most touching moment will be the subsequent immersion of the statues of Mother Nanda-Sunda in Nain Lake. In the folk tradition of Kumaund, this is seen not merely as the immersion of a statue. It is associated with saying goodbye to a daughter who has returned to her homeland. According to beliefs and feelings, the Mother comes to her homeland for a few days, bestows her blessings upon the pilgrims, and then departs in a procession. Thus, the Nandashtami festival is limited not only to worship and visitation but also to the joy of the daughter's arrival in her native home, as well as the feeling of farewell.
Currently, in Nainital, the religious and cultural heritage of Kumaund is being revived amidst the cheers in honor of Mother Nanda-Sunda. The crowds gathering at the temple complex, the rituals of worship, the preparation for the procession, and the tradition of farewell make this festival special. Mother Nanda-Sunda, having arrived in her homeland for a few days, will now bestow her blessings upon the pilgrims. Then, after the city procession on September 23rd, the time for farewell will come. This marks not just a religious holiday, but a living emotional tradition of Kumaund, where the Mother comes to her homeland like a daughter and then returns to her home, blessing the pilgrims.