Sun-worship in Himachal Pradesh: A Study Based on Temples and Sculptures
The Sun-worship in Himachal has been discussed here, based on archaeological data in the form of coins, inscriptions, temples and sculptures.
A Copper-plate Grant of Bahadur Singh of Kullu
A study of a copperplate (dated 1559 AD) issued by Raja Bahadur Singh of Kulu on the occasion of the marriage of his three daughters Sunu, Ganga and Rango. It records a grant of land at the village of Hat near Bajaura and other localities in Kulu. The grantee was Pandit Ramapati, the Rajguru to the Raja Ganeshvarman of Chamba. The language of the plate is Sanskrit written in an early form of Tankari/Takari script, called devāśesh in Chamba.
बजौरा के सांस्कृतिक अवशेष | सोमसी आलेख (1979)
सांस्कृतिक अवशेषों का समन्वित एवं सौष्ठव पूर्ण संग्रह केवल उन्हीं स्थलों पर उपलब्ध होता है जहां सांस्कृतिक जन-समुदायों ने जमकर निर्माण कार्य किया हो एवं भौगोलिक दृष्टि से सांस्कृतिक निर्माण कार्य के लिए स्थल-विशेष को उपयुक्त पाया हो। कुल्लू की देवघाटी में बजौरा या हाट (हाट बाजार) अनेकानेक संस्कृतियों का प्रवेश द्वार रहा है। जब त्रिगर्त की ओर से कुल्लू घाटी में उतरने वाली संस्कृतियों ने व्यासा के उद्गम को पाने का उपक्रम किया, हाट बजौरा इन संस्कृतियों का स्वाभाविक अध्यागत बना।
A Himalayan Arcadia (1909)
While Tyacke’s account is flawed by its colonial biases and generalizations, it still offers an engaging reading experience for those who appreciate rich descriptive writing, early travel narratives, and cultural history. Approached with a critical eye, the article can be both an enjoyable read and a thought-provoking exploration of how places and peoples were portrayed in colonial-era literature.
The Gods of Kulu (1909)
An ethnographic account, documenting the religious beliefs, rituals, and cultural practices of the people living in the Kulu region, particularly around the Kulu town, during the early 20th century. It explores various deities worshipped in the region, such as Sibji (Bijli Mahdeu), Jamlu, and Narsingh Bir, shedding light on their origins, significance, and the rituals associated with them. Additionally, it discusses the cultural context of Kulu at the time, highlighting the practicality and self-respect of its inhabitants despite their deeply rooted religious beliefs.
Colin Rosser and the ‘hermit’ village of Malana: a lost classic of village studies ethnography
Of the first wave of village studies ethnographers, it was Colin Rosser who chose what was—physically and psychologically—perhaps the most challenging location to undertake fieldwork. After graduating from the Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology at Cambridge, Rosser joined the newly created Dept of Cultural Anthropology at SOAS in 1950 to study for a PhD under the supervision of Professor Christoph von Fürer-Haimendorf. Perhaps because he had served as a Gurkha officer in India in the Second World War, Rosser favoured the Himalayas as his PhD field site and he remained attached to the region for the rest of his working life.
A Word on the “Wise Collection” by Rupert Simmington
“Major William Edmund Hay is a largely forgotten figure, known only for being the first Assistant Commissioner of Kulu and
Indrakshi Stotram in a Tankari Manuscript from Banjar of Kullu
This is an attempt to understand the Indrākṣī stōtram (इन्द्राक्षी स्तोत्रम्) written in a Tankri (ṭāṅkrī टांकरी) Manuscript from Banjar.
Waziris of the erstwhile state of Kullu
The administration of Kullu in the times of Rajas was broken up into provinces called ‘waziris’. A ‘waziri’ was divided into ‘kothis’, each of which further had two to five subdivisions called ‘phatis’. Each ‘phati’ had, depending on the population density, up to twenty separate villages within it. The Waziris were governed by civil governors called Wazirs who answered to the Prime Minister (Chauntra Wazir) of the Raja. In addition, the ‘kothis’ in a Waziri employed a sizable staff of officials and subordinates, all of whom were appointed by the Raja himself.