Choti Jat and Badi Jat: the two Nanda Devi processions explained
People who follow the Nanda Devi tradition talk about two kinds of procession. One happens far more often and covers a shorter course; the other, the great Raj Jat, is the twelve-yearly pilgrimage that reaches the high meadows around Roopkund and Homkund. The words used for them vary, and that is the main reason they get confused.
Two names for each, and why that is normal
Local usage is not standardised. In many accounts the annual procession is the Lok Jat, “the people’s journey”, and it is also described as the smaller or Choti Jat. The great procession is the Raj Jat, and because it is the larger of the two it is also called the Badi Jat. This site uses “Choti Jat” and “Badi Jat” because those are the words visitors search for, but they are shorthand: a village elder in one valley may use a different word for the same event.
Spelling adds a second layer. The same word is written jat, jaat or yatra, and in Hindi as जात or यात्रा. When you search for news, it helps to try several forms.
How the two differ
| Smaller procession (Lok / Choti Jat) | Great procession (Raj / Badi Jat) | |
|---|---|---|
| How often | Far more often, traditionally yearly | Traditionally about once every twelve years |
| Reach | A shorter course, to meadows nearer the villages | The full circuit to the high ground around Roopkund and Homkund and back |
| Scale | Mostly people from nearby villages | Very large: many villages, and pilgrims from outside the region |
| Organisation | Usually organised locally | Large-scale planning involving the district administration is reported |
| Announcements | Usually announced locally | Schedule announced by the organisers once fixed |
The distinction between them is a matter of degree and tradition, not of two different deities or festivals: both honour Nanda Devi, and both carry her to the mountains and bring her back.
What this site covers
The measured route on our map, 257.4 km over 19 days, is the great procession. We do not hold survey data for the shorter annual course, so we do not map it; where we mention it, we are relying on general accounts rather than our own measurements.
How to find reliable news about each
- Search in both English and Hindi, and try more than one spelling (Raj Jat, Raj Jaat, Nanda Devi Raj Yatra, राजजात).
- Be cautious about dates on social media posts, especially those that circulate as images. Some carry internal contradictions that are not obvious at first reading.
- For anything that affects travel, check the notices of the Chamoli district administration and the organising committees, which are the authority on dates, routes and restrictions.
Sources and notes
- Route measurements: the survey data behind the interactive map.
- General description of the two processions: commonly published accounts and the printed Raj Jat booklet cited elsewhere on this site. Usage of the terms varies and has not been standardised by any official body that we know of.