Samatva

Everyday life at Kali Bhari, Shimla

Kali Bhari at Shimla. Temples of Himachal …10.

There are grand temples, there are popular temples and there are temples at great locations. Then there are some that are part of everyday life.

Kali Bari temple in Shimla is a part of the daily life. It is an interesting blend of native history and migration. Kali as Shyamala represents what is native,  giving the city its name; and as Kali, gives identity to the Bengalis who accompanied the British into the city in its early years.

It is at the western end of the ridge, a few hundred meters after Scandal point where most tourists stop. My client in Shimla has a habit of walking to the temple every day, and I have accompanied him a few times.

The temple is grand because of this routine of its devotees. One June, we were at the temple when it had started raining heavily, The chill was unbearable and bare feet were making it worse. I took a glance from within the temple outside.

There is a small but open courtyard and you can look at all of Shimla from there. A bench if you are tired of the walking, a tiny oil lamp on the wall, shielded from the rain and snow; which must have been here since 1845. Then the sight of modernity –  a solar lamp post. The sight of the bells in the background of dusk, create serenity. The locality is nothing such, but faith does create an oasis.

Everyday life at Kali Bari temple, Shimla

When the whole town is a temple, Kullu Dussehrah

Kullu Dussehrah. Temples of Himachal …11.

Kullu has long decoupled from Manali.

The thin riverside town doesn’t look pretty with narrow streets and its general untidiness is a misfit with the rest of Himachal. It has its glory though, for a week every year during Kullu Dussehrah. Kullu excels in the tradition of Devtas. Each village was a small kingdom with its own Devta and the tradition continues till today. The devtas resemble a vertical plate – all gold we hear. The Devtas advise and mediate; and fix every joy and address every sorrow. People say even elections are decided before polling by the Devta, with a sacrifice of a goat.

Raghunathji in Kullu is the presiding devta, with a legacy tracing back to Ayodhya. Each year, Raghunathji invites all the Devtas to Kullu, for a week. Even today, the District Magistrate writes a formal letter to each Devta on behalf of Raghunatji, inviting them to Kullu. The Dussehrah starts on the day it ends in rest of India, on Vijayadasami, and continues for a week after that.

The deities arrive on foot to Kullu, carried by villagers, around 225 each year. They visit Raghunathji and make their way to the large ground in Kullu. Each Devta has a designated area; and the villagers live, cook, eat and celebrate with their deity for a week.

I first saw the last day of Kullu Dussehrah in 2017 for a brief while; and then resolved to come back. Last year, I managed a whirlwind trip to see the opening day. The festivities are remarkable; the stream of Devtas and pilgrims paying respect to Raghunatji; then march their way through narrow and steep alleys to the ground. The joy and revelry at the ground in the evening. Women dressed in Kullu fineries. Children awestruck at the chaos which no You Tube can show.

If you want to live a festival with no center of gravity, think of Kullu., the coming together of 200+ deities in one place. There is raw festivity, colours, noise, crowds and celebration.

After all, these seven days, the whole town is a temple.

The perspective of Buddha, Langza

Langza. Temples of Himachal ….12

The river Spiti is the spine of the region and Kaza, the largest town. It is about 3800 meters altitude. The river valley is somewhat narrow and hardly has any vegetation along it. A number of villages rise up the valley at different heights. Each has a patch of land, some large, some small, that surprisingly is cultivable.

Langza is one such village. It has less than 150 people. It is at 4250 meters. It is a sharp climb from the valley on barren mountain face. The road snakes through gaps in the mountains and then it suddenly opens up to the vista. You can see tiny specks of the village and houses at a distance.

The centrepiece of the village is the Buddha statue, giant, maybe 40 or 50 feet high. He overlooks the vast plains and it is difficult to get a sense of proportion with all that space. Right behind the Buddha is the 21000 feet Chau Chau mountain. With snow all around the year, it looks like a ice cream cone.

There are a couple of houses that host guests. When I reached early afternoon there was no one around at the place I was planning to stay. A toddler asked me to settle down and said his dad will come in a while. Time kind of doesn’t make sense here and he eventually came, hosted, guided and cooked for me. The womenfolk are totally engrossed in the farm work and don’t waste a minute of sunshine in late summer. Langza is also known for fossils which I didn’t buy from the two women bent on selling to me. I should have. I had plans for Annapurna in the autumn and thought I’d buy them there. I should have bought some in Langza.

Langza also leads up to Hikkim which the world’s highest post office; and further on to Komic which has a road at 4600 meters.

Langza and the Buddha, at 4250 meters, more than take the breath away. It is a different perspective.