Centuries-old ‘curse’ keeps Himachal’s Sammoo village away from Diwali celebrations

People of Sammoo village in Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur district are not celebrating Diwali, a custom they have been following since time immemorial, fearing a curse of a distraught woman who committed Sati on this festival generations ago.

Diwali, the vibrant festival of light, passes like any other day with houses remaining dark and devoid of lights and sounds of crackers.

The villagers remain trapped in a muddle of tradition and under lurking fear of something dreadful happening.

The elders



have cautioned the younger lot that any celebration, be it illumination or preparing any special dish, would not bode well and invite misfortune, disaster and deaths.

Legend goes that, many moons ago, the woman referred to here had left for her parents’ home to celebrate Diwali. But soon she got the news that her husband, a soldier in the king’s court, died.

The woman, who was pregnant, could not bear the shock burnt herself on her husband’s pyre and cursed the villagers that they will never be able to celebrate Diwali.