Being home to four great Hindu religious sites – Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath, Uttarakhand is perhaps one of the most divine states of India.
Described by many as the land of the Gods, the land – that boasts of the towering Himalayas, scenic natural beauty, exotic flora and fauna – lures everyone from everywhere.
But those from Uttarakhand in New Zealand, numbering some six thousand, are also doing their bit to ensure their culture is kept alive in Aotearoa. And one such organisation which endeavours to do the same is the Devbhoomi Association of New Zealand (DANZ).
In this seventeenth part of our series on cultural Indian associations across New Zealand, we look closely at the Wellington-based Devbhoomi Association of New Zealand, which has around 600 members and its body of work.
Giving information about how DANZ came into being, its media in-charge, Manas Rawat, says, “Our organisation came into being in 2016 when some like-minded people got together who had a feeling of giving back to the community. Following the same, a constitution was drafted, and a non-profitable society was registered. The first AGM took place in April 2016."
Uttarakhand is a very young state but is a cradle of ancient civilisation, and each region in the state carries unique knowledge of art-forms, culture, history, language and literature. “The main motive was to preserve this culture and at the same time share and learn from others. We also aspire to spread awareness among our members to become productive members of our kiwi community. We also work towards acting as a bridge between the New Zealanders and Indian diaspora, through finding common grounds and activities," says Rawat.
Apart from celebrating all important national festivals, DANZ holds regular gatherings to commemorate events unique to Uttarakhand, such as ‘fool-dehi', which is marked by kids collecting flowers and exchanging them for sweets from the elders. In 2019 DANZ hosted an event called ‘Baduli' where one of the legendary singers from Uttarakhand (Padma Shree Awardee) Narendra Singh Negi performed along with some other famous artists in Wellington.
The community members also hold language classes and storytelling sessions for the kids. The community members also have informal career workshops for youth and act as mentors.
“We also regularly participate in city council events where we won a koha (Te reo for a gift) and are closely associated with the Indian High commission. We have continuously celebrated 'Holi' since 2016, which has been celebrated not only with colours but also with unique food and dress from Uttrakhand,” says Rawat, who feels it is essential to have cultural organisations in the Kiwi-Indian community as it helps to preserve the uniqueness of diversity we hold.
Considering the health situation, DANZ is planning social activities in the summer. They will start with the "master-chef Uttarakhand" competition, and planning for the Diwali celebration is already on the way.
On a parting note, when asked about the future of the DANZ, Rawat says, "We want to be involved more in community work. We want to make the informal activities we conduct for careers and other things more structured and regular. We are actively looking to make it a registered charitable society and look for funding from councils for assistance.”
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