‘Cursed’ centuries ago, this Hamirpur village in Himachal is scared of celebrating Diwali
At a time when India revels in the glow of Diwali each year, one village in Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur district stays cloaked in darkness.
Located 25 km from the Hamirpur district headquarters, Sammoo village in Bhoranj subdivision has avoided Diwali celebrations for centuries due to a deeply ingrained belief in a curse. For generations, villagers here have refrained from lighting crackers, preparing festive dishes or celebrating the festival in a conventional way. The belief is unwavering: any attempt to celebrate Diwali will bring disaster or even death.
Curse that changed Diwali forever
The origins of this Diwali taboo trace back to a tragic tale from hundreds of years ago. The legend goes that a woman, upon learning of her husband’s death while en route to her maternal home for Diwali, chose to commit sati along with her child on his funeral pyre.
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Before her final moments, she is said to have cursed the village, declaring that Diwali would bring suffering and death for seven generations. In honour of her spirit, villagers worship her image on Diwali but dare not engage in festivities.
A resident maintains that if any family attempts to celebrate Diwali, misfortune was certain to follow. As a result, Diwali in Sammoo is observed in silence, with homes locked up and villagers avoiding even basic festivities.
History of warnings, failed remedies
Elders in the village recall the few who defied the tradition only suffered. An elderly man recounted an incident where two families tried to celebrate, only to have their houses catch fire. Several family members reportedly fell gravely ill, leading them to eventually leave the village.
In recent years, the community has undertaken various rituals to lift the curse, including a large yagya three years ago, but the results were inconclusive. “We tried everything, but the curse holds strong,” he said.
