Golu Devata

Golu Devata or Lord Golu (Hindi: गॊलू दॆवता) is the legendary mythological and historical God of the Kumaun region of Uttarakhand state of India and is their deity.

The Golu Devta Chitai, temple is about 4 km from the main gate of Binsar wildlife sanctuary & about 10 km. from Almora. Novel on Goludev story can read -"Sanyasi-Yodha" writer Kaustubh anand chandola. Web-www.sanyasiyodha.com

Golu Devata is thought to be as an incarnation of Gaur Bhairav (Shiva), and is worshipped all over the region and regarded as the dispenser of justice by the devotees with extreme faith.

Historically, he is considered as the brave son and General of Katyuri king, Jhal Rai and his mother was Kalinka, and his grandfather was Hal Rai and great-grandfather was Hal Rai. Historically the origin of Golu Devata is accepted at Champawat. His mother Kalinka is believed to be the sister of two other local deities Harishchand Devjyun (the divine spirit of Raja Harish of the Chands) and Sem Devjyun and both these deities are regarded as uncles of Lord Golu.

Another legend suggests that he was a General in the army of Chand king, Baz Bahadur (1638–78), and died displaying exemplary valour at war, the temple at Chitai was erected in his honour, 8 km from Almora city.

Another legend says that Golu Devta was killed by the king of Binsar due to some false doubt, and he was beheaded by the king and his body fell at Gairad at Dana Golu and his head fell at Kaparkhan, near modern-day Binsar, a few km from Almora. At Dana Golu, there is the original and most ancient temple of Golu Devta.

The most popular story about Golu talks of a local king who, while hunting, sent his servants to look for water. The servants disturbed a woman who was praying. The woman, in a fit of anger, taunted the king that he could not separate two fighting bulls and proceeded to do so herself. The king was very impressed by this deed and he married the lady. When this queen got a son, the other queens, who were jealous of her, placed a stone in its place and the child in a cage and put the cage into the river. The child was brought up by a fisherman. When the boy grew up he took a wooden horse to the river and on being questioned by the queens he replied that if women can give birth to stone then wooden horses can drink water. When the king heard about this, he punished the guilty queens and crowned the boy, who went on to be known as Golu devta

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