Shimla/ Hamirpur, Oct 20,
In Sammoo, a quiet and remote village tucked away in the Bhoranj block of Himachal’s Hamirpur district, the Festival of Lights arrives each year in darkness. While the rest of the state gleams with diyas, lamps, and laughter, the narrow lanes of Sammoo remain silent — no lamps flicker, no crackers burst, and no sweets are exchanged.
For the people of this village, Diwali is not a day of joy — it’s a day they dare not celebrate.
Locals believe a centuries-old curse forbids them from observing the festival. The story, passed down through generations, tells of a woman who, upon hearing of her soldier-husband’s death, performed sati — a self-immolation ritual — but not before cursing the village. Her words, villagers say, condemned Sammoo to eternal sorrow if they ever rejoiced on Diwali again.
“Ever since that day, no one here has dared to light a lamp or distribute sweets,†said Bidhi Chand Thakur, a 72-year-old resident who has seen seven decades of silent Diwalis. “Whenever someone tried to defy the belief, tragedy followed — a death, an accident, or a house fire. We’ve seen it with our own eyes.â€
A walk through Sammoo on Diwali evening reveals a picture starkly different from the rest of India. While neighboring villages glow under festive lights, Sammoo’s homes remain dim and locked. Villagers go about routine chores, deliberately avoiding anything that might resemble celebration.
Attempts to lift the curse have been made. Elders recount that priests once performed havan and yagya rituals to appease the unseen forces, but each effort, they say, failed. “The rituals only made things worse. We realized some powers are best left undisturbed,†said another villager.
Even the younger generation, who have moved to nearby towns for education or work, return home on Diwali only to respect the tradition. Some privately wish to end what they see as superstition, but few are willing to risk defying it.
For Sammoo, Diwali remains the one festival that never came home — a reminder of a curse that has become part of its identity.
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