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Just as the erstwhile rulers of the Himachal States, big or small, felt and gave out they were trustees for the presiding deity of the ruling family, the villagers also feel and give out they are the raiyats (subjects) of particular devatas of the village. Almost every village has got one or two or even more proprietary devatas.
In any widespread distress, personal illness or cattle epidemic the devatas are fervently worshipped. Water is necessary for agriculture in the mountains, droughts have to be avoided, snakes have to be guarded against. The Naga Cult enjoining snake-worship is widely prevalent. Narayan and Pashakot are devatas and Phungni devi of Chohar Valley in Mandi district are worshipped for preventing drought.
Men and women have passed on some of their reflexes to their Gods and Goddesses. No one should smoke near Narayan and Pashakot but the Baba Kot deity in the old palace of Mandi is taken to be very fond of tobacco and a hukka or his side always keeps smoking hubble- bubble.
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