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JUNX, 1925)
LEGENDS OF THE GODLINGS OF THE SIMLA HILLS
101
LEGENDS OF THE GODLINGS OF THE SIMLA HILLS.
COLLECTED BY PANDIT SUKH CHAIN OF KUMHARSAIN
AND TRANSMITTED BY H. A. ROSE, I.C.S. (Retired). LIST OF DEOTAS OR GODLINGS INCLUDED IN THE LEGENDS.1
1st Group.--The Kot Ishwar Family. 1. Kot ishwar. 2. Bhusâ included with Kot Ishwar. 3. Sher Koţ. 4. Adshakti at Kacheri. 5. Kasumbâ at Khekhsu. 6. Mehani (Kot Ishwar).
2nd Group.-The Marechh Family. 7. Dithu of Dholaser. 8. Malendu of Malendi. 9. Bharoog. 10. Paochi, Shawan.
3rd Group.-The Någs. 11. Kalwa Nag of Kandru. 12. The Nag of Dhali. 13. The Nag of Dhanal. 14. The Nag of Ghunda. 15. The Nag of Bagi.
4th Group.-The Dum Family. 16. The Dum of Sharmall and Gathan. 17. The Dum of Hemri. 18. The Dum of Karel. 19. The Dum of Jhangroli. 20. The Dum of Kamali in Kandru. 21. The Dum of Pharal in Chebishi. 22. The Dum of KotlA in Chebishf. 23. The Dum of Rupri in Chebishi. 24. The Dum of Parojusha in Che bisht.
5th Group.-Muls. 25. Mul Padoi of Koti. 26. Mul Padoi of ShailA. 27. Mul Padoi of Gheti.
6th Group.-Kalls and Bhagwatis. 28. Kali of And. 29. Kali of Dertů. 30. Durga Bhagwati of Bharech. 31. Bhagwati of Kachin Ghati.
7th Group.-Independent Deotas. 32. Manûn or Magneshwar. 33. Melan in Kotgarh. 34. Baneshwar of Pujarli. 35. Garon of Panjauli. 36. Kot of Kalmun. 37. Matlu of Shelota. 38. Heon of Pali. 39. Khoru of Sainja. 40. Ghat of Karel. 41. Lonkra of Jao.
1st Group.-The Kot Ishwar Family. 1. Kot lahwar Mahadeo (Shiva.)--He originated in the temple of Durg& at Hat Koti. (Durga's own history goes back to the times of the Mahabharata.) When Kot Ishwar Mahadeo, began to oppress the people in Hát Koti, the Br&hmans thought that the god had become a råkshasa (devil) and two Brâhmans, Obd and Shoba, by magic shut him up in & tumbf and corked up its mouth. The tumbi, with the god and goddesses in it, they intended to throw into the Sutlej 40 miles from Hat Koti, which lies on the banks of the Pabar. The Brahmans had also shut two matris up in the tumbi with the god. When they reached Parof BA, two miles from the Sutlej, the Brahman who was holding the tumbi stumbled and let it fall. As it broke in pieces the imprisoned god, with the two matris escaped. Kot Ishwar Mahadeo took shelter among the bana and bhekhal bushes, one of the matris soared to the top of the Tikkar hill, now called Kechêre, where she took up her abode in the kail trees; and the other flow across the Sutlej balting at Khekhsů.
Kot Ishwar, again began to trouble the people in the form of a serpent. He would suck milk from the cows and they blamed the cow boy, who was much alarmed when one day he saw a serpent sucking milk from his cows. He told the owners of the cattle, and a Bråh. man of Batara, a village near Kumharsain, sent to the spot and called on the serpent to appear, if he were a god; threatening to burn him by magic as an evil spirit or devil, if he did not. So the god walked into his presence and the Brahman, bowing before Kof Ishwar, invited bim to his village, where he lived for 12 years.
1 Whoro not otherwise indicated the deoide noted are in Kumharain.