Uttarakhand is famous for Rituals and culture. People of Uttarakhand have always preserved their culture and followed them from time to time.
Bhotiya Dance is a Folk dance conducted by the Bhotiya or the Bhot ethnic group of Uttarakhand. Bhotiya group is known for following the culture of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Bon religion, and the languages like Ladakhi, Sherpa, Standard Tibetan, Nepali, and Hindi are spoken by Bhotiyas. The tribe lives in the Trans-Himalayan region, which is connected with Uttarakhand, and the group is named Bhotiya in the Tibetan language.
According to the locals of the Himalayan region, people who have passed away in the Bhotiya community have their souls trapped within the body of goats and sheep. These are domesticated within the town of Bhotiyas. Performing Bhotiya folk dance helps in pulling the souls of the Bhotiya tribe out of those animals. This dance form is very similar to that of the dance forms present amongst the tribes living in Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland.
The Bhotiya dance form has been passed from one generation to another for centuries, and not a single step has changed over the years. Bhotiya dance of uttarakhand is one of the ancient dance forms present in Indian dance culture and is kept preserved. This dance form is only performed by the locals who belong to the Bhotiya tribe.
The Bhotiya group of Uttarkhand are well experienced in the use of medicinal plants found in Uttarakhand. The local fermented beverages made and used by Bhotiya are Jan, which is a local beer.
It seems unbelievable when people say they do it to liberate the soul of the dead. In the 21st century, this seems unreal. However, we all are humans, and we are what our beliefs are.