OP KAMAOK 151 



The sanctity of the Himalaya in Hindu mythology, by no means neces- 

 sarily implies the pre-existence of the Hindu religion in this province, as 

 the enormous height and grandeur of that range visible from the plains would 

 have been sufficient to recommend it as a scene for the penances of gods and 

 heroes. The worship of Vishnu would appear to have been introduced into 

 this province by missionaries, from the peninsula of India. All the most cele- 

 brated shrines and temples dedicated to the incarnations of that deity, owe 

 their undoubted foundation to the former princes of that quarter, and to the 

 present moment these temples, including Badarmath^ KedarnatJi, Raghimath* 

 at Deopragy Narsink, at Joshimath, &c., are exclusively administered to by 

 priests, natives of the peninsula. To the polytheism of the Hindu creed, has 

 been here superadded a variety of local superstitions, and the great bulk 

 of the population are now Hindus in prejudices and customs, rather than in 

 religion. Every remarkable mountain, peak, cave, forest, fountain and rock 

 has its presiding demon or spirit, to which frequent sacrifices are offered, and 

 religious ceremonies continually performed by the surroundjing inhabitants at 

 small temples erected on the spot. These temples are extremely numerous 

 throughout the country, and new ones are daily erecting; while the temples 

 dedicated to Hindu deities, in the interior, are, with a few exceptions, deserted 

 and decayed. The ceremonies peculiar to the local deities are uninterest- 

 ing : on particular festivals, dancing forms a principal part, when the 

 dances are performed by any number of men, who move round in a circle 

 with various contortions, their motions being regulated by the slow measure of 

 song, which is sung by the leader of the party, the rest joining in the chorus. 



The former government, together with the principal people of the pro- 



* Although it is scarcely possible that the author of this paper should have been misinformed, 

 yet the general impression derivable from original authorities is, that some of these are shrines of 

 Siva, not of Vishnu.— H. H. W. 



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