KULU-MANALI

Preceded by standard-bearers, musicians including raucous drummers andmusicians blowing curved bugles of enormous size like curved serpents, the devatas are taken out in wooden palkis (palanquins)slung on long poles resting on the shoulders of the carriers).There are scheduled metalmasks fixed on the palkis or raths (chariots) in which devatas are taken out. There may also be wooden decorated chhatris (umbrellas) over the devatas.

At particular points of the procession dances will be held and the rath tilted from one side to the other but taking particular care the icons do not fall down. At places the devatas would be set down to rest and men and women would offer arti and puja. Penelope Chetwode had recorded an experience of a Goddess procession when devata Markanda was taken out for a ceremonial bath".

Mention has been made about the processions in Dussehra ceremony of Kulu. The masks and the raths (chariots) are stored carefully for future use in the processions.Usually for important religious fairs such devata processions are taken out. We find this type of devataprocession at the melas of Manikaran, Bunthar and other places. Quite a number of devatas in different villages are brought to Manikaran for the annual ritual bath and pilgrims have a dip in the same waters to earn pun (virtue).

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