In the hilly areas situated on the borders of Jaunsar-Bawar of Uttarakhand and Himachal, such faith still beats, which people consider to be the order of God and the final decision of justice. At the center of these beliefs is the deity Mahasu, who is worshiped by the local people as a waking god, a god of justice and a protective deity. Whenever the procession of Mahasu Devta, surrounded by hundreds of years old traditions, moves towards the villages, it is said that the deity himself has come out to listen to the sorrows and pain of the people.
From the mythological story of liberating from demons to the unique tradition of providing protection and justice to the villages, Mahasu Devta is still considered to be the strongest pillar of faith in Uttarakhand. There is a deep belief among the people of the state that the order of Mahasu Devta is never wrong and every word spoken in the court of the deity is weighed on the scales of truth.
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History of Mahasu Devta
The history of Mahasu Devta is considered very ancient. According to local traditions, the Mahasu gods are actually a group of four brothers-
- Basik Mahasu
- Pabasik Mahasu
- Boothia Mahasu
- Chalda Mahasu
These four brothers together are called ‘Mahasu Dev’. Their origin is believed to be from Tretayuga. It is believed that he was incarnated to liberate the demons and for the welfare of the people. According to many historians, the tradition of Mahasu Devta is more than 1000 years old and his big temples were established in Hanol (Uttarakashi) and many areas of Himachal.
Major beliefs related to Mahasu Devta
god of justice
It is a popular belief that whoever approaches Mahasu Devta with his problem or dispute with a true heart, definitely gets justice.
That’s why he is also called ‘waking god’.
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protector god
Mahasu Devta is considered the symbol of protection of villages, protection of animals, protection from natural calamities and protection from evil spirits.
wish fulfilling god
Devotees believe that Mahasu Devta fulfills every wish if prayed with a true heart.
Dev tradition and Dev doli
Their doli is considered very sacred. Whenever the doli sets out, it is believed that the gods themselves come out to inspect the villages.
Why is Mahasu Devta famous?
- Tradition of giving accurate and prompt justice,
- God of trouble-shooter and protection,
- Thousands of years old unique divine tradition and dance,
- Folk beliefs like the doli moving on its own and prophecy,
- Afraid of their anger and confident of their grace,
- The family deities of many villages of Uttarakhand-Himachal,
- For these reasons, Mahasu Devta is still the center of people’s faith.
Mythological story related to Mahasu Devta
According to local mythology, once upon a time the Himalayan region was terrorized by a terrible demon Kumbha. He tortured people, insulted gods and goddesses and made the lives of the local people full of sorrows.
Then to save this area from the demon, Lord Shankar and Mother Parvati incarnated four brothers in the form of Mahasu Devta. The four brothers killed the demons and freed the people from fear, thereby establishing peace in the area. It is said that during the war, Chalda Mahasu first fought the demon, then the rest of the brothers also helped in the war. According to belief, after killing the demons, Mahasu Devta showed the people the path of religion, justice and social order.
Hanol Temple (Uttarakashi) – The most famous seat of Mahasu Devta
- This temple is believed to be from the Pandava period.
- It is an excellent example of wood art and Himalayan architecture.
- It is said that the deities themselves remain in an awakened state in the temple.
- Dev Darbar is held in the temple premises where decisions are pronounced.
Local people’s belief towards Mahasu Devta
- God’s orders are considered law
- People consider the decision given by Dev Doli or the word of God as final.
- extreme respect and fear of deity
- It is said that whoever lies or does wrong, Mahasu Devta punishes him.
- revered as the protector of the village
- If there is any disease, disaster or crisis in the village, the local people remember him first.
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