Ancient Indian village in the state of Himachal Pradesh
Malana is an ancient Indian village in the state of Himachal Pradesh. This solitary village in the Malana Nala, a side valley of the Parvati Valley to the north-east of Kullu Valley, is isolated from the rest of the world. The majestic peaks of Chandrakhani and Deotibba shadow the village. It is situated on a remote plateau by the side of the torrential Malana river, at a height of 3,029 metres (9,938 ft) above sea level. Unaffected by modern civilisation, Malana has its own lifestyle and social structure. People are strict in following their customs. Malana has been the subject of various documentaries, including Malana: Globalization of a Himalayan Village,and Malana, A Lost Identity.The existing speakers of the autochthonous language Kanashi, the traditional language of the inhabitants of Malana, number approximately 1700. According to the 1961 census, the language speakers were then 563, but today the population of Malana is at least three times as large as 40 years ago.
History
Malana has a history and it goes back to Jamlu rishi (sage) who inhabited this place and made rules and regulations. It is one of the oldest democracies of the world with a well organized parliamentary system. All of this is guided by the their devta (deity) Jamlu rishi.Although Jamlu is currently identified with a sage from the Puranas, this is a relatively recent development. Jamlu is believed to have been worshipped in pre-Aryan times. Penelope Chetwood recounts a tale about an orthodox Brahmin priest, who visited Malana, and tried to educate the locals about the pedigree of their god, and what subsequently befell the hapless priest.
Malana is considered to be one of the first democracies in the world.According to tradition, the residents of Malana are the descendant of Aryans, and they acquired their independence during the Mughal reign when the Emperor Akbar walked to the village in order to cure an ailment that he was afflicted with; after having been successfully cured he put out an edict stating that all the inhabitants of the valley would never be required to pay tax. An alternative tradition suggests that Malana was founded by remnants of Alexander the Great's Army.
A dam project, the Malana Hydro Power Station, has brought Malana much closer to the rest of the world and provides revenue for the region. A new road has shortened the walking time from several days to just 4 hours. The Hydro Malana Project has also ruined the beauty of the valley
Malana village has recently become so popular in international stoners’ culture that every person wants to visit this little Greece in Parvati valley of Himachal Pradesh.Located at the interior summits of Kullu valley belowChanderkhani pass, at an altitude of 276 meters above sea level, Malana is so surreal and calm that one has to rub his eyes to believe that it actually exists. This place has different identity for different people, for some it is a paradise and for some it is the place where you get the world’s best hashish or marijuana. This village has long remained secluded from the rest of the world and that is the reason why this place holds so many facts which people visiting this place don’t know. So here is a list of 10 interesting facts about Malana which you should know before visiting thisvillage.
1. Descendants of Alexander the Great
Malana is believed to be inhabited by the descendants of soldiers of Alexander the great. The local inhabitants proclaim themselves asdescendants of the Greek king and speak a language which can only be understood by them. The people of Malana have facial features that, to an extent, resemble the Romans. It is believed that when Alexander the Great had defeated Indian king Porus along the banks of the river Beas and after a series of campaigns in India, his soldiers felt tired and wanted to return home. Alexander, too, issaid to had gone back home. Lore has it that some of his soldiers, too tired to return, preferred to settle down along the banks of the river Beas. Their local court system, even today, reflects ancient Greek system and it is said that the residents of Malana may be their descendants. In the reportof Times of India by Vivek Mohan, who has conducted over four years of study and produced a national award winning documentary `Malana’, said the answer to Malana residents’ origin remains a riddle to him. So it remains a big question till now that, are these people reallythe descendants of Alexander the Great.
2. Grows the World’s best Hashish
A true hash hunter in India will look for two quality products, Malana Cream and Kerala Gold. Now the question ariseswhy Malana cream is so special? Malana cannabis has developed a reputation for being as one of the best in India. In fact, it’s even the most expensive on Amsterdam coffee shop menus. This creamis so special due to many reasons and one reason is that it ismade from heirloom cannabis grown in that remote area of the Parvati Valley which grows only in mountain fields above specific altitude. Some people also claim that the Hash made from Malana plant contains 30 to 40% THC, which is pretty high considering many Indian plants which can produce THC between 5 to 8%. The hash from Malana is dark black in colour with gum properties.
3. Culture and Practices
The Malana people have a very vivid and colourful culture. Tourists cannot touch them or enter their houses or their temples. People from outside are also barred to touch the sacred stones. In Malana, “Rishi Jamdagni ” is worshiped by the local people. All the rules, regulations and decisions about the village and inhabitants are made by the Devta (the local deity of the village). Pujari (priest) is the main person of the village who works as a subordinate of Devta . Being apujari is not easy in Malana, pujari has to two take two oaths, the first being not to wear shoes anymore for the rest of his life and the second one is not to go outside the district allocated to him. Dhamyani and Dhurani Rajputs stay in upper Malana and Nagvani and Pachani Rajputs reside in lower Malana. In terms of hierarchy, the Dhamyani is on the top and Panchani is at number four. This system of hierarchy is only found in the Malana village.
4. Festivals in Malana
Phagli celebrations
Phagli festival gets its name from the month of Phalgun.Phagli fair falls during the month of Phalgun (i.e. 2nd half of February and 1st half of March). Phagli is celebrated in most of the villages of Kullu valley but it holds a very important place amongst the people of the village Malana. This festival shows the victory of good over evil and finally the good emerges as the winner.
Shaun Celebrations
Shaun festival in Malana is celebrated every year on 15thaugust during Independence day. The local residents of the village gather, dressed up in their traditional attire. And if you ask me I believe that it is the best time to visit. The Malanis perform their local dance called Nati in the name ofGod and show their beautiful and wonderful culture. People from all over the Kullu district visit Malana on this special occasion. The Malanis on the day of Shaun festival offer their deity newly harvested crops as a tribute for their good fortune.
5.Kanashi, the Local Language
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The residents of Malana village speak Kanashi which is believed as a dialect of the devil who used to reside in this village long ago. This Kanashi Language is believedto be amixture of Sanskrit and several Tibetan languages and is entirely different from the languages spoken in the neighbouring areas. This language is from the family of Sino-Tibetian under the category of West Himalayas and only spoken in the Malana village. The interesting fact about Kanashi language is that being a pro normalized language it doesn’t require the subject and verb to be mentioned separately.
6. Oldest democracy of the World
This thing may sound nonsense but it’s the biggest fact about Malana village. The localinhabitants claim Village Malana to be the World’s oldest democracy with a well organized parliamentary system, guided by their Devta Jamlu rishi. It is believed that the village acquired its independence during the Mughal reign when the Emperor Akbar walked into the village in order to cure an ailment that he was affected with. After having been successfully cured, he put on edict stating that all theinhabitants of the valley would never be required to pay tax. And according to another legend, it is believed that Malana still follows the Greekparliamentary system and hence regarded as the World’s oldest democracy. And it is one of the most important fact about Malana
7. Little Greece
Known for its rich and esteemed culture, Malana is sometimes also called as Little Greece in the Himalayas. The Inhabitants of Malana consider themselves as the descendants of Greek ancestry which is still a questionof debate for a number ofpeople. The village is located at the interior summits of Kullu valley and lies just below theChandrakhani pass and the aerial view of the village is just the cluster of few stone roofs which look identical to the ancient Greece and hence called as the Little Greece of the Himalayas.
8. Claim of Being Superior
The Malanis consider themselves to be superior to the rest of the world as they believe themselves to be thedescendants of Alexander the Great. Outsiders are not allowed to touch the temples‘ building in the village. The people of the village are very friendly but are told to maintain distance from the outsiders.The shopkeepers will request you to keep the money on the counter instead of taking it directly. In case of contact, heavy fines are imposed as penalty and immediate bath is taken by the local people. Malana is truly a very unique village with very unique customs. Malana is more of avillage for backpackers and travelers and less for tourists with family.
9. Village of Taboos
There are number of rules one should know before visiting Malana village. According to the rules one is not allowed to cut down the tree or fixing nails is completely prohibited. Not only this, you are not also allowed to burn the wood in the forests of the village. The hunting of animals is not allowed and is only permitted for a particular period of time in a year.
10. Police Intervention Not Allowed
Police intervention is not allowed in the village, but in certain cases if accused wants to seek help from the police. one has to pay the mandatory fine ofRs1000 to the village council. So this was the list of most important facts about Malana which you should know before visiting this village
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