KINNAUR

Vague stories are current aboutoccasional human sacrifice at other temples also but they are now abolished. Horns of some domestic and wild animals are taken to be sacred. Almost every top of the hill is held sacred and anyone passing must throw a stone or tie a piece of cloth somewhere. The portion of Kailash known as Raldang Kailash is taken to be the home of Lord Siva and his consort Uma or Parbati the daughter of the Himalayas. Oath taken in the name of some supernatural force is known as Darohi and a Darohi has a tremendous impact.

There is a peculiar institution in this district. Almost every important deity, Buddhist or Hindu or Animist has a man attached known as Grokech (mouth piece). He is supposed to know by heart the legend about the origin of the deity. He recites the legend and gets into a trance and his services are often taken for appeasing or avoiding a distress. This recital is i known as Chironing.

Before mentioning the temples and legends it may be observed that there are quite a number of well defined Hindu cults and a lot of miscellaneous Hindu cults which are rather elastic in import but have a tremendous influence at the particular villages that believe in them. The three important Hindu cults are Devi or Kali, Siva and Vishnu.

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