| Temples & Legends Of Himachal Pradesh |
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| Temples & Legends Of India |
CHAMBA |
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| Remaining there
for three genera- tions, he went to Darun at the source of a stream, a cold place
difficult of access; so the people petitioned his chela to remove lower down, and the Nag,
through his chela, told them to cast a bhana (a musical instrument like a plate of metal,
which is struck with a stick) from that place, and to build a new temple at the spot where
it stopped. By digging the foundations, they found a three - headed image of stone, and on
removing it a stream gushed forth. This was many generations ago. This image is in the padmasan attitude. Raja Siri Singh presented a second image of eight metals (ashtdhatu), which stands upright, holding a lathi or pole in its right hand. Its head is covered with figures of serpents, and it wears a necklace of chaklas with a janeo (sacred thread) and toragi or waistbelt and pazeb (loin-cloth), all of serpents. This temple is closed from first Magh to first Baisakh. At other times worship is performed every Sunday but only sheep and goats are accepted as offerings. The Kelang Nag has grown from being merely the Nag-deity of the Kugti village to the position of over-lordship as the presiding god of the entire Kugti valley and the Kugti pass. There is a strong belief prevalent there, to which some outsiders also bear testimony, that sportsmen going to Kugti side for big game, such as brown bear, must first propitiate the Kelang Devta with the sacrifice of a goat if they are to have a bag worth their while. When the Gaddi shepherds cross the Kugti pass over to Kulu-Lahul with their flocks for summer grazing, they dare not pass the temple, which lies on the path, without offering the sacrifice."
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