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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
JULY, 1925
people became alarmed and at last the whole country side, with the Thâkur, brought the brothers to bay in a battle, in which the elder, who was called Dâm, was killed. Kon the younger also died and both were cremated on the spot where they had fallen, but they emerged from the ashes in the form of idols.
These miraculous images punished the Thakur in many ways, haunting him in his sleep and overturning his bed. To appease the images as pap, the Thakur conveyed them to Nagarkot in Kullû, but when presented there before the goddess they vanished. The people were distressed at their loss and fasted before Durga until she made them reappear. So she gave them back the images, but some say that she gave them other images in lieu of the originals. Thereafter Dûm Deotâ was also called Nagarkoția Deotâ of Sharmalla.
One image was brought to Sharmallâ where Dûm was established, while the image of Kon was taken to Gathan village. Temples were built for the residence of each. But some say that both images at those places were first established at Sharmalla. People used to invite the Deotâs to their houses, but the Sharmalla people refused to send them to Gathan, and so the people of the latter place stole one of the deotds and established him there.
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Sharmallâ Dûm has a cash grant of Rs. 16 annually from the Kumhârsain State. He is worshipped daily by Brahmans, but his gur (the man into whom the spirit comes and through whom it speaks) is always a Kanet. The deotd has his kardars, the chief among them being the bhandari in charge of the stores. The Sharmallâ women call him by the pet name of Nanu, but other people call him Dûm. His annual melâ is held on the Bishû day in Baisakh, but his játra is held every 7th or 8th year. When a new Rânâ ascends the gaddi, a Rajaoli mela is held, and the deotâ tours in the villages of his devotees. A Shânt meld is held every 50 years.
The deota's followers are found mostly in Ubdesh pargana and in the following villages:Bagî in Bhushahar, Durî in Khaneti, Bagru-Dhâr in Theog. Daro, Jall and Rewag in Shilli are also villages devoted to his cult.
The Doota used to have a melá at Shamokhar. Some say that while the deotás Magneshwar, Kot Ishwar and Dûm sat in their respective places and the melâ began, the trio quarrelled, and so the meld was forbidden to be held in the future by British Government order. The Dagrot people in consequence pay a chershi of Rs. 30 to Manan or Magneshwar every third year.
The deotâ helped Kumharsain to gain its victory over Keunthal, and when besought by a Rânâ of Jubbal, blessed him with a son, for which the Rânâ presented him with a golden image. The original Dûm image was of brass, and a few smaller images have been added as its companions. The Thakur of Rajâna was also blessed with a son at an advanced age and he presented Dâm with a silver chain worth Rs. 140. The Deotâ is rich, having silver instruments (narsinga and karnal) of music, while a necklace of gold mohars and gold ornaments always adorn him.
Ha is not dulathiri, but goats are sacrificed before him. He is believed by his devotees to be a very powerful god, blessing the people, but distressing those who do not obey him. The Dûm of Sharmalla had a large dominion of his own, but Dûm of Gathan has a much larger one.
The Pam of Sharmalla has seven khúnds (descendants of mávis or mâwannas who recognise his authority). These are:-Baghalû and Charoga in Khanetî, Atnet and Relû in Bashahar, Dogrê and Rachla in Kumhârsain, and Dharongû in Balsan. The Charogu, Relû and Dharogû khad (ra viacs) were seized by Dûm of Gathan and added to his dominions.
17. The Deotá Dûm of Hemri.-This Deota has the same history as Dûm of Sharmalla. Shurâ and Parg. lived at Hemri, and it is said that when the Dûm brothers were killed, their images were brought to Hemri and thence taken to Sharmalla and Gathan. Some say, however, that the Dûm brothers were killed by mávis before the Thakurs of Rajana ruled the country.
