HIMACHALI DEITIES AND THEIR ROLES IN HIMACHAL PRADESH: SOCIOLOGICAL INFLUENCE AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

Himachal Pradesh is known as the “Land of Living Gods.” It is distinguished by its mystifying and fascinating tradition of worshipping local deities reflecting reverence to the celestial beings, nature and community bonds. They call Himachal “Dev Bhoomi” because every village is a home to several deities. Every village also has its territorially bound main deity and a priest (gur) who is a medium of that deity. The gur allows divine possession to take place in his body for which he enters an altered state of consciousness. Unlike the pan Indian Hindu pantheon, these deities and their gurs are a part of the everyday lives of the devotees who seek divine healing. These issues can be of varying nature, be it physical or mental health, career, familial or community related, weather or theft. Under this system the village unites and acts like a close know family which in turn fosters harmony. The role of Himachali Deities and its sociological and cultural significance is a realm largely unknown to outsiders. Staunch belief in Deity System plays a pivotal role in environmental regulation as well. Himachal Pradesh harbours around 329 documented sacred groves called Dev Vans. These are forest areas protected and reserved for their religious significance. Local communities unite to safeguard these groves against any malicious activity thereby allowing flora and fauna to flourish. The Devis and Devtas move around in their palanquin or rather which is beautifully adorned with the mask of Devi or Devta they represent. The congregation of palanquins and festivity is a sight to behold. Such processions spark cultural values in the onlookers as well. Ethnographic analysis and regional studies across different districts of Himachal reveal the Deity System (Divine Governance) as a coherent system of belief that is still practised by the villagers in the picturesque Himachal. It binds an individual to a community, ancestry and natural world. This perspective stands in contrasting to the modern-day practises which have led to hazardous climatic condition and moral crises.