Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 5 1887.djvu/285

Rh CHAPTER III. The Religious and Secular Dances op the Himalayas, Kulu, Spiti, and Ladakh. The Kulu district is about 150 miles in length ; it extends from the Satlej river to the base of the Rotang pass. The Kulu valley or Kulu proper is traversed in its whole length by the Beas river, which rises on the summit of this mountain ; the country between its western watershed and the Satlej is joined to it for administrative purposes. The people of Kulu are not Buddhists, their religion partakes rather of Hindúism. Its inhabitants would appear to be a mixed race ; it is not impossible that this valley was originally peopled from Upper Kunowar on the Satlej, and that it had since received accessions from the north (the people look as if they had a certain amount of Tibetan blood in them) and from India also, judging from the admixture of Hindúism in their religion. Each village in this valley possesses its own particular god, whose shrine has its especial attendants who are maintained out of the produce of certain lands set apart for that purpose. Rugonath, the principal god of Kulu, dwells at Sultanporo, the capital. Tradition says that this idol was stolen from Oudh, more than 200 years ago. The story of its acquisition runs thus : The then ruler of Kulu, Juggut Sing, having heard reports of the great wealth possessed by a Brahmin in his territory, sent to demand money of him. The Brahmin refused compliance, and on a second messenger being sent to him set fire to his house, whereby he and all his family were burnt to death. Shortly afterwards, the Raja found himself attacked with leprosy, but he dreamed that if he could only succeed in procuring the god Rugonath he would be cured. He accordingly sent a servant to the kingdom of Oudh, who contrived to steal the idol, but was pursued and overtaken when returning by its original owners, who would fain have carried Rugonath back to Oudh, but the god showed such a decided wish to go to Kulu that they yielded the point. The Raja's messenger was allowed to have him ; and as soon as Rugonath appeared in the valley the Raja is said to have been cured of his terrible disease.