1 446
2 The feudatories of Junga.
3 directed them to build a temple at the place where they, found ants. Ants
4 were duly found in a square place on Manun hill, and a temple
5 built in due course, but when only the roof remained to be built, a plank
6 flew off and settled in Pardli. Upon this the pvjdri said the temple
7 must he built there, as the god had come with a Brahman of that place,
8 and so a second temple was built and the image placed in it. That at
9 Manun was also subsequently completed, and a. third was erected at
10 Koti DMr, The cult also spread to Nala, in PatiAla territory, and to
11 Bhajji State, and temples were erected there. _ The Brahmans of Parali
12 were appointed Bhojkis and the pujdris of Koti Dhdr pujdrii of the god.
13 Meanwhile the image of Dharto remained in the tank into which it had
14 fallen. It is said that a man used to cook a rot (a large loaf) and threw
15 it into the water as an offering, requesting the pod to lend him utensils
16 which he needed to entertain his guests. This Dharto used to do, on the
17 condition that the utensils were restored to the pool when done with.
18 But one day the man borrowed 40 and only returned 85 plates, ami since
19 then the god has ceased to lend his crockery. Beside the god's image is
20 another, that of a Hr or spirit, called Tonda. Tonda used to. live at
21 Pav&liin a cave which was a water-mill, and if any one visited the
22 mill alone at night he used to become possessed by the bir, and, unless
23 promptly attended to, lose his life. But once the pnjdri of Mandni
24 went to the mill, and by the help of his god resisted the attempts of the
25 Mr to possess him. In fact he captured the Ur, and having laid him
26 flat on the grind-stone sat on him. Upon this the Ur promised to obey
27 him in alt matters if he spared his life, and so the pujdri asked him to
28 come to the temple, promising to worship him there if he ceased to
29 molest people. The Mr agreed and has now a separate place in the temple
30 of Manuni, whose wazir he has become.
31 (8) The Cult of Kaneiu
32 Legend. — After the war of the Mahabharta, when the Pandava*
33 had retired to the Badri Nath hills to worship, they erected several
34 temples and placed images in them. Amongst others they established
35 Kaneti in a temple at Kwara on the borders of Garhw&l and Bashahr,
36 and there are around this temple five villages, which are still known
37 after the Pindavas. Dodra and Kw/lra are two of these. The people
38 of the former wanted to- have a temple of their own, but those of Kwdra
39 objected and so enmity'1. arose between them. The Dodra people then
40 stole an image from the Kwara temple, but it disappeared and was found
41 again in a pool in a cave. N It then spoke by the mouth of its chela, and
42 declared that it would not live at Dodra, and that the people must quit
43 that place and accompany it elsewhere. So a body of men, Kanets,
44 Kolis and Tuns, left Dodra and reached Dagqn, in Keonthal State,
45 where was the temple, of Jfpur, the god of the Rija's family. This
46 temple the new god destroyed by lightning, and took possession of his
47 residence. The men who had accompanied the god settled in this region
48 and the cult of Kaneti prospered. Aicha, Brahman, «as then wazir of
49 Keonthal, and he made a vow that if his progeny increased, he would
50 cease to worship Jfpiir and affect Kimeti. His descendants soon num¬
51 bered 1500 houses. Similarly, the B haler tribe made a vow to Kaneti,
52 that if their repute for courage increased, they would desert Jfpur.