(TAN): Kinnaur in north India’s Himachal Pradesh is known for its strong cultural heritage and Kinnauris deep love for their traditions.
Extremely religious, the local people believe that their Gods are not just statues made of stone or metal but have life within them. They talk, they eat, they sleep and they are even invited to weddings to bless the groom and bride. Their God, who they call Devta Ji, is a living embodiment of their faith who they love immensely and seek blessings from.
However, the same Devta Ji, who is said to fulfil all their wishes when happy, can also destroy everything when angry. The locals do not like to mess with their gods and are very particular about how they worship them, how they touch them and how they deal with them.
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Consequently, there are many dos and don’ts while entering a temple. However, tourists visiting the places sometimes do not understand the ways of the locals and often behave inappropriately at the places of worship. This, the locals believe, can anger the gods.
Calming down an angry God isn’t easy. It could require an animal sacrifice or penalty in the form of money. Before you jump to conclusions, the fine isn’t in the hundreds or thousands, but a specific INR 2.25.
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Hence, the Kinnauris are very particular about who is entering their temples.
I am married to a Kinnauri and it took my husband’s intervention for me to be allowed into a temple at Sangla. Mesmerized by the beauty and the architecture, I did not realize that I had entered the sanctum sanctorum of the temple when I was stopped by the priests.
Almost in tears, I came out. It was only after my husband introduced me to them that I was welcomed back warmly.
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Unlike many other temples where you can see priests asking for money, a number of shops outside selling prayer items and countless beggars, you can hardly find any of these outside the most famous temples in Kinnaur.
Kinnauris have kept their temples safe from commercialisation. Extremely hospitable in nature, they are ready to feed tourists free of cost but are not ready to allow them to enter their temples without permission.
