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Mandi, August 21 (HS). In the Suket region of the Satluj valley of Mandi district, the worship of Gugga Chhatri and singing of ballads has been prevalent under the Siddha Nath tradition. In Pangna, the ancient capital of Suket, the people of the Nath community Bagh are carrying out this rich ancient tradition for a month by taking Gugga Singhasani from house to house and singing Gugga ballads. During this time, every night, the Guru of Gugga's representatives and subordinate deities appease the demonic powers.
The singing of Gugga Gatha is done from Shravan Purnima to Gugga Ashtami and a fair is organized on Navami. But Pangna's Singhasani Gugga keeps on visiting the area from one fortnight of Bhadrapad month to the whole month in the absence of the Dev community and protects the area from evil and bad forces. The stories related to the birth of Gugga Singhasani, Gorakh Kundli, Behan Bichhora, Jhede, Veer Gathas are sung in many variations. After listening to these stories, the devotees worship Gugga Ji and offer seasonal fruits, food, donations and sweets. In return, the priest of Gugga Ji takes a handful of food from this plate, touches it with the Dev Rathi of Gugga, Guggi and returns it to the devotees after praying for the happiness, prosperity of the family and the fulfillment of wishes. This is consumed by the family members as prasadam by distributing it amongst themselves on the basis of the count of odd grains and the remaining grains are kept safely in the grain baskets.
Coming out of the sanctum sanctorum of the six-storey artistic temple of Suketh's presiding deity Rajrajeshwari Mahamaya Pangna, the first singing takes place in the courtyard of Mahamaya. Having received Mahamaya's chunri-like armour as a blessing, the people going from village to village and house to house in the panchayats of Baag, Bhutha, Nagaraon Ghanghali, Shahal, Bakhol, Malauhan, Suin, Thach, Pajyanu and Bahi Sarhi, Kalashan, Churag, Sorata etc., sing the Gugga saga and finally reach the Pangna market.
The residents of Pangna become enthralled with the Guggha singing which is being inherited by the Mangalmukhi singers of the Nath caste of the Gorakhnath community.
Culture expert Dr Jagdish Sharma says that the Siddha Nath tradition in the historic city of Pangna in Suket has played a vital role in providing vitality to the traditions of religious and cultural life here.
