H.P.- The People

The People – H.P.

1.    The word Kinner originated from the two Sanskrit words: Kim + Nara, means what kind of strange persons are they? The look of the Kinnaura is that of a ‘halfman and half horse’ means the people with ‘Ashwamukha’.  According to the legend , Pradumna, son of Lord Krishna was the earliest king of the  Kinner.  In his book ‘kumarsambhava’  Kalidas has mentioned about Kinner.

2.    Kinnaur is called as ‘Khunu’ by Tibetans.  Kinners are said to be inhabitants of the Mahand mountains.

3.    In Kinnaur , when ceremonial friendship occurs between a man and a woman, it is called Jokheya, and when it occurs between two women it is called Konech.

4.    Darosh is a kind of marriage. It means to drag forcefully. Darosh is also known as Rakshasas vivah.

5.    Damchalshish – means to have a real relation – starts with love affair and boys and girl elopement resulted in marriage.

6.    Fyayaz is an ornament of forehead of the bride given by boy’s side.

7.    Among the Kinnauras, the property is inherited according to the jathong and kanchhong rules.

8.    In Ropa valley all families blessed with sons offer a goat collectively to the village deity on Ukhyang festival.

9.    Jads are Buddhist. They have occupied the area of Pangi and Chamba. Unmarried girls in the region are known as ‘Jomo’.

10. ‘Parvatia Adim Jati Sevak Sangh’  was founded in 1956 to extend welfare activities among the Gujjars tribe.

11. The Bhairvi classic, ‘Kiratarjuniya’ is woven round the historical battle,  that took place between the Kirata King and Arjuna. Later on, Kiratas came to be known as ‘Mavanas’ or Mavies’. The Kirata’s powerful king was ‘Shambar” , who fought against the Aryan King ‘Divodas’. Rishi Bharadawaj was the advisor of the Aryan King’ Divodas’ . The war between the two lasted for 40 years and has been discussed in the Rig Veda by Rishi Vashishta and Vamdeva. Shambar and his ally, Verchi were killed at a place named ‘Udubraj’. Divodas was succeeded by his son ‘Sudas’ and Bharadwaj by Rish Vashishta.

12. Mansa Devi is the goddess of Snakes.

13. Thoda – martial bow and arrow N.T. Exam – 2011 H.P.P.S.C.

14. The ancestral property is divided among all the sons of the family in Khasa but the eldest, and in some cases, the youngest so gets the additional share of a field and an ancestral house. This is called ‘jethong’ for the eldest brother and ‘Kanishong’ for the youngest brother.  N.T. Exam – 2011 H.P.P.S.C.

15. The Khasas were democratic in nature. They organized themselves into families and villages and elected ‘Mavi’ / ‘Mavana’ meaning a strong person among themselves.