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Himachal Pradesh's Shimla is witnessing a rare and age-old religious tradition that is believed to bring together the deities of the Spail Valley, showcasing the region's vibrant cultural heritage. The four-day event was marked by a unique 'rope-sliding tradition' on Saturday in which a 'jedi' (a man belonging to the Beda caste) slid through a rope for at least one kilometer from one hill to the other.
A video of the event shows the 65-year-old man, Surat Ram, performing the ritual by sitting on a wooden raft and then sliding down the rope through what is called the "valley of death". Shortly before he reached the other side of the hill, a rope that was attached to the man from one end, fell from the hands of people holding it on the other side. However, they got a hold of it immediately.
The rope (known as 'munji' - a sacred rope) was made adhering to strict rituals of celibacy and silence. It was also soaked in oil for the sliding to be smooth. According to Surat Ram, it took two and a half months for him to prepare the rope. He was assisted by four other people, he told news agency IANS.
Thousands of people had gathered in Dalgaon, a remote village in the Rohru sub-division of Shimla, to witness the tradition. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu also reportedly attended it.
The religious event 'Bhunda Maha Yagya' began on January 2 and will end on January 5. It is marked by processions of deities carried in intricately adorned palanquins to the sound of trumpets and drums. The 'rope-sliding' ritual was last performed in 1985 by Surat Ram, who was 21 years old at that time.