Indian Antiquary Vol 54

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 136

110
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[JUNE, 1028
These are the six bhors, but the other companions of the Nag rank above them in degree. These are the Bhagwatis -
(1) Bhagwati Recht. A few years before the Gurkh& invasion, Ranjit of Bashahar came to Jadan and Dhar and plundered the deota Nag's treasury, some images of which he took to Bashahar. The deotd Nag punished him by his power and he found his ribs sticking out of his sides and the milk that he drank ooming out through the holes. One of the LAm& Gurds told him that his spoliation of the Nag's treasury was the direct cause of his complaint, Ho he returned all what he had taken from the temple.
Bhima Kali of Sardhan in Bashahar also gave the Nag a pair of chamba wood dhols and a karnal, together with a kali shut up in one of the dhols. When the instruments were put in the Nag's teriplo, they played of themselves at the dead of night. When people asked the Någ the reaso, he said that the kalt sent by Bhima Kali sounded them. The kalf of Bashahar, however, could do no further mischief as she was subdued by the Nag and bidden to dwell at Rechi, the hill above Sandha, where a chauntra (platform) was built for her. She is a kind of subordinate companion to the Nâg and protects women in ehildbirth.
(2) Nichi is a Bhagwatf. She dwells at Roni in Chadara in a deord (small temple) and lives with Jharoshra Kolis, but her spirit speaks through a Turt. Her duty it is to guard the Nag's musical instruments and nashan (flag), eto. If a Koli touches any instrument, a goat is taken from the Koli as punishment.
(3) Jal Matri Bhagwatt has her temple at Kingsha. She appeared near the water where the sarelf was killed, and is a goddess of water.
(4) Karmechri Bhagwati came out of a piece of the sareli's flesh, and her deord is close to that of the Nag at Jadân. She also drives away evil spirits and can tell all about the idgábhdgd, the kind of spirit that might cause trouble.
(5) Dhinchas Bhagwatt preserves stores of milk and ghi. People invoke her for plenty of milk and ghs in their houses.
(6) Devi Bajrash Bhagwati appeared from Ranfpur, where something fell from KAIQ and became this Bhagwati. She protects people from famine and pestilence.
(1) Bhanpat Tikkar lives with the Nøg at Tikkar. Tikkar Nag is the same as Jadan and Dhar Nag. The same Nag has separate images at Jadan, Kiari, Bharana, Dhar and Tikkar.
As generations have passed away, people now think each separate personage to be the the same Nâg. The different parganas each worship the Nag of their own pargana. People say that KAIC left his topd at Tikkar and that it turned into the Tikkar Nag. Dhar Nag calls the Nag of Tikkar his gurt. Jadun Nag calls Dhar Nag his dadd or elder brother. Dhar Nag calls Jadan Näg his bhad or younger brother, and BharAna Nag is called by him bahadrd or a brother. From this it may be inferred that Tikkar Nag is the central spirit of the other Nags, boonuse it was here that Kala became the sarelf and his shepherd brothers with the sheep and the two loaves all tumed into stones.
There are two temples on the top of Tikkar. At the following teohdrs, which are oelebrated on Tikkar, people collect at melas:
(1) the Salokrt in Baisakh ;
(2) the Jathenjo in Jeth, when all the Nags stay there at night and all the residents of the obuntry side bring a big loaf and ghl and divide them apongst the people. This loaf is called saond:
Ranjit wazlr, commonly called Ranji, and great-grandfather of Ran Bahadur, wazfr of Bashahar, who conquered Dodra-Kowar.
. This is the ridge which is seen from Simla and from which the Shalf poak rises. The ridge stretches north-east from the ShAli. Between the two temples lies the boundary line, the southern Valley being shared bot woon Madhan and Koanthal and the northern between Bhajjt and Kumharmin. The boundaries of four States moet bore.