Even as the officials in Mandi in Himachal Pradesh are upbeat over the inclusion of Devdhwani, the largest folk music ensemble on Maha Shivratri in Limca Book of Records and are aiming at the bigger ensemble this year, they are in a fix over the 'nazrana' to deities owing to cash crunch after demonetisation.
Around 200 deities, who come from far off remote places of the Mandi district, which is also considered as the cultural capital of Himachal, attend the International Maha Shivratri every year at Paddal Ground, around 150 kms from here.
These deities are paid a maximum of Rs.20,000 (termed as Najrana) for visiting the Shivratri Fair which was started by erstwhile King of Mandi, Ishwari Sen in 1792 after he was released from captivity by Gurkhas.
The Shivratri festival will be celebrated from 24 February (Shivaratri day) for seven days till 2 March this year.
The ‘Najrana’ to deities is paid every year by the district administration as per the distance covered by its ‘Kardars’ (priest & servants of a deity).
Mandi based social activist, Hem Singh Thakur said the district administration had sent invitation to registered deities but without any official information for the ‘Kardars’ to open their bank accounts.
“It is impossible for them to open bank accounts due to lack of banking facilities in many remote areas near the abode of these deities. And by the time the information on opening of bank accounts reached the deities, they had already started off from their places,” he said.
Some of the deities take more than 20 days to reach the festival ground in Mandi as they come all the way walking up and down the hills.
Thakur said the cashless system is not feasible as most of the people, who carry deities to Paddal Ground in Mandi are not the same year.
“The deities are carried on palanquins or rathas (chariots by people) to Mandi by members of different castes (mostly Brahmins & Kshatriyas) every year, in rotation wise,” he added.
Talking to The Statesman, Deputy Commissioner, Mandi, Sandeep Kadam said earlier the district administration was planning to transfer the ‘Najarana’ or honourarium by cashless system. “But considering the banking facilities in the villages from where these deities arrive, we have now scrapped the plan,” he said.
Kadam added we are now making alternate arrangements for paying honourarium to the deities.
The Mandi festival or International Maha Shivratri Fair is particularly famous as it transforms Mandi town into a venue of grand celebration when all gods and goddesses assemble on the banks of Beas River, starting on Shivaratri.
On the occasion, every deity is decorated and the deity visits Madho Rai temple first to pay obeisance to Lord Vishnu and then proceed to the palace in a colourful procession called the Shoba Yatra or 'Zareb’.
Thereafter, all the deities pay obeisance to Lord Shiva at the Bhootnath temple where the main festival of Shivaratri is held for seven days.