Robin Koul
One of the oldest clans, settled in the Parnote area of Ramban are recognised with the cognomen of Pran/ Parhan/ Prain following the name of their village Parnote. People claim that their Thakur or Thakkar ancestry migrated from Kashmir hundreds of years back and settled in the area. They consider Raja Mandlik as their Kuldevta. After settling at a new place they accepted a local deity known as Kicholi Mata as their Ghram Devi. She is one of the most venerated deities in the Parnote area in Ramban. Her influence spread across Falti to Kanga villages. She is the youngest sister among her twenty two brothers and twelve sisters. She loved her brother Raja Shankhpal very much. But her extreme devotion turned against her due to some misfortune.
Legends: According to the legends, once a man who was in search of food for his family passed through the home of Shankhpal who lived along with his sisters in Bhattan area of Ramban. Shankhpal was not present at home. For a long time, Shankhpal had not returned home with provisions. His sisters, with a mind of conveying the message to their brother, stopped that person and requested him to pass their message about the shortage of food at home. He agreed to do so. But he raised his doubt and asked, ‘how will I recognise Shankhpal?’
Kicholi replied, “If it will be sunny, clouds will be there to provide him shade, and if it will be cloudy the sun’s rays will be shining on him. And the hem of his dress will be dripping water continuously.”
Thinking about this strange answer he resumed his journey. Walking in the forest for the next three days at last he found a person sitting in deep meditation. Although it was sunny, a single cloud hovering was framing a shadow over his body. Undoubtedly he thought that he was in front of some reverent person. He greeted him courteously and passed him the message from his sisters.
Shankhpal invited him to stay with him for the night. Before sleep he presented him with a bag full of herbs, food and some stone pebbles for his home. He also handed him a small wooden hammer (in local language called Murgali) and told him to give that to his sister. Shankhpal instructed him to tell his sisters to pound it on the Majamtham/ Aashtham (wooden pillar) once and their requirement will be met. And if they want anything more, bang that second time, and still if something was left, then pound it third time and all of their requirements will be fulfilled. He also told him to warn them, not to bang it fourth time, come what may.
While sleeping, he was thinking what kind of bizarre person Shankhpal is. “For him he gave stone pebbles and food, and for his sisters who needed food, they were provided with a hammer. What can this wooden hammer do?” He kept thinking and fell asleep. Morning when he woke up he found himself in the home of his sisters.
Baffling with disarray, he instructed them about the use of a hammer and left for his village. Walking for a long time he got tired with the weight and kept dropping the stone pebbles from his bag wherever he rested. At last when he reached home and unturned his bag and found the remaining pebbles had turned into gold. He rushed back to the places where he rested but could only find soil in place of those stone pebbles.
Here at Shankhpalas home a tragedy awaits to strike. One of his sisters banged the hammer for the first time. Their kitchen was filled with all the food and ration to eat. Another sister banged it for the second time, and their home was filled with all the fine clothes and bedding. His third sister bashed it for the third time and their home got filled with silver crockery. In excitement and curiosity, forgetting the instructions of her brother, Kicholi hit that hammer for the fourth time. Same time the sky got filled with dark clouds; thundering and lightning, creating a hail storm of stones in the area. Shankhpala came to know from his place and felt troubled that the whole area would get destroyed under the stone hail. (Place where the hail storm occurred is known as Bhattan and Duthan villages in district Ramban.)
It was such a big catastrophe that Nag Vasuki their father, had to intervene. Shankhpal and his elder brother Sampor came forward to stop the hail storm. It was decided that whoever among them will reach the origin of hailstorm first, blow the conch and stop that calamity will be anointed as the king.
Kicholi loved her brother Shankhpala very much. As the race started, his sisters did a conjuring trick and blew the conch. The sound started echoing in the mountains. Sampor Devta thought Shankhpal had reached the assigned place, so he stopped at a place called Panchari. Shankhpal also thought that Sampor had reached, but felt it was his duty to reach to his elder brother and help him.
When Shankhpala reached the place he couldn’t find his brother. He understood that his sisters had done some trick. He turned very furious, but he thought to save the people first. And with his rage and power he diverted the storm into a nearby stream. One can still see the remains of hail shaped stones in the area of Chai – Loddra.
Reaching home, still occupied with fury, it is believed that he threw his sisters from the top of Bhattan. One sister Nagani Mata landed at Bhattan, his other sister Kicholi Mata landed in Khothad, and another sister Shangli Mata settled down in Surni kund, in the form of an herb. (Shangli is burnt as incense which brings positivity in the home and removes negative energies. Local people go to the forest to collect it around the period of Dussehra. Also that may be a reason behind the custom of not burning incense in the temple of Raja Shankhpal ji Devta). Kicholi Mata devastated by the decision of her beloved brother, asked for his forgiveness. At last Raja Shankhpal ji forgave her and said to her that she will be allowed to visit him during his annual mela taking place in the period of Dussehra. (Local people call the day of pilgrimage to Raja Shankhpal Ji which is celebrated on Shukal Paksh Dashmi as Dussehra).
Discussion with Karleep Singh Ji (Lambardar) from Maitra revealed that Kaitrawal clan from Kaitra-Bhattan brought Nagani Mata to Khattar; area above the Falti top. They used to cultivate paddy in the Maitra area. And instead of coming down every day to inspect their fields they had devised a method, in which they throw heavy rocks from their village into their fields. That was known as Choupan. In this method they would tie a huge rock in the rope and with their might they throw that towards their fields. When the rock landed in their field, they could judge by the huge splash created, that their fields are full of water and if water didn’t splash then only they would come down to check for their fields for any breach in linhay (field boundaries). In the later time Mata Nagani appeared in the dream of their clan priest and told him to bring her to Maitra. In his version he said, “Mata aakhdi, jeh may Maitray roundi tey, ek panni da ek kodi may kadadi.” (Mata said, that if she would have been in Maitra then she would have blessed to produce one kodi dhaan from one panni. In those days one kodi makki (corn) was equal to four kg and one kodi dhaan (rice) was equal to three kg). After that prophecy Nagani mata was established in Maitra. The place is known as Nagani Mohhalla following the name of Mata Nagani.
Mysteries of her Temple: In conversation with Charan Jeet Singh Ji who is holding great knowledge about the traditions of his village we came to know various beliefs and customs of the local folks. Her temple is unique and mysterious in its own way. One can’t have the darshan (auspicious sight) of Mata at firsthand (pratyaksh roop). We came to know that, Mata is hiding herself in an idol form in some mysterious place. When one enters the sacred sanctum one can find only a wooden pillar made of deodar tree wood (Himalayan Cedar) called Tham, in the centre of the room. All the bogh (offerings) like halwa and jaggery is smeared only on that wooden Tham. It is believed that Mata has her abode inside that wooden Tham only. Only the temple priest knows where she is residing. And he only can open the dwara (door) of her abode and that too only when she has to go to meet her elder brother Raja Shankhpal during her annual pilgrimage. She comes out only for the yatra then only people can have her darshan, and after finishing her yatra she is again positioned inside that Tham.
Local Traditions and Beliefs: Talking to the village elders Sh. Rekhi Ram Pran Ji and Pandit Bushan Lal Ji, we came to know that Kicholi is the morphological derivation from Kanya / Kanjak. It is said that she was presiding in Khothad above Nishingha Ghandari area. Earlier population was lesser in villages and Khothad was the centre point for the nearby villages. When the population of the Parnote village started growing, Kicholi Mata was brought in a doli (Palanquin) to the present day Parnote. Their clan committed that they will not let brides to come on doli in this area. As they can’t give equal status of Kicholi Mata to any other person. And still doli is not allowed in this area. The brides who marry in their clan are also not supposed to wear the Golden Tikka (a ring on the forehead connected to the hair) as their elders have presented that to the Kicholi Mata and only she can wear that.
One of the knowledgeable people Shadilal Pran Ji informed us regarding the local traditions. During her annual yatra in the month of June / July, she is carried over on the head by the Temple pujari to the abode of Raja Shankhpal Ji at Ladha Dhar. After performing certain rituals, pujari Ji wears a new dress of white colour along with a white pagri (headgear). People also believe that she can change her physical appearance in the form of a Nagan (snake). Also it is said that in the olden times, on the day of yatra she appears in the form of a small girl and the pujari would carry her on his shoulders to the Raja Shankhpal.
Pilgrimage: Talking about the pilgrimage Pradip Singh Pran Ji informed us that Sunday and Thursday are the main days for visiting the temple. People come specially on these days and serve halwa in the temple. Pilgrimage is held annually in the month of June or July by the people, in which mata is taken on shoulders to meet her brother Raja Shankhpal.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
