As far historical evidence has been able to reveal, right upto Indian independence in 1947, Kinnaur had been a part of t he Rampur Bushahr state. There is reference in the famous Sanskrit classic ‘AMARKOSA” about many tribes and castes in India which claim their origin from divine sources. The Gandharvas, Yakshas, Vidyadhars, Apsaras, Siddhas, Guhakas, Pishachas, Rakshasas, Bhutas etc
Kinnaur is called as ‘Khunu’ by Tibetan. Kinnaur has also been referred as ‘Kurpa’. In Leh the aria is called as Maon. Mone or Maon have also been the names for Bushahr state. Kamru a seat of former Bushahr state is also known as Mone. Kinnauras are also called as Khas or Khasia. From the writing of many Indian scholars, it becomes clear that there existed a tract inhabited by the kinners in the High Himalayas, to the West of the Kailash Mountain and Lake Mansarover. The five Pandava brothers, the heroes of Mahabharata, are said to have passed of a good part of their 12 year exile in Kinnaur.
From the 7th to 10th century A.D., the Kinnauras came under the strong ‘influence of BUDDHISM’ and the Bhotea language. The last bhot emperor ‘Partampal’ had to witness the liquidation of his forefather’s empire. In Kinnaur, then every valley or group of villages become a sparate “Thakurai”. The historic forts in ruins now at “Labrang” “Morang” and “Kamru” still tell the story of that age. In the beginning of the sixteenth century, the Thakur of Mone become so powerful that he defeated one by one all other Thakurs.
Then he extended his domain to Rampur Bushahr which physiographically falls outside the Kinnaur Tract. There are many legends famous for the heroic role played by Gods in the shaping of the future of this forbidden land. There is a legend that in the ancient past, three gods (Devtas) appeared in Mathura-Anna Puran Vrindavan. They were ‘Tapa Puran’ ‘Anna Puran’ ‘Deva Puran’. Tapa Puran stayed at ‘BADRI NATH’ Anna Puran at ‘TEHRI GHARWAL’ and Deva Puran got ‘KAMRU BADRI NATH’. He liquidated the Thakurs of Kamru, Sangla and Chini one by one.
MARRIAGE CUSTOMS>
Marriage customs of a society are the mirror of a society’s standard and progress. There are four major forms of marriage in Kinnaur.
(1) ‘Janekang’ or ‘Janetang ‘ i.e. a common arranged marriage.
( 2) ‘Damchalshis’ or ‘Damtangshis’ or ‘Benang-Hachis’ i.e. love marriage.
(3) ‘Darosh’ or ‘Dub Dub’ or ‘nymasha depang’ or ‘nymasha lemo’ or ‘ashish’ or ‘huchis’, i.e. marriage by forceful or consented capture.
FAIRS AND FESTIVEALS>
Kinnaura (Negis) society is a fair-festival dominated society. It goes to the credit of Negis that they devised their own method s of recreation and amusement. In this god cult dominated habitat, all fair and festivals are ceremonised with a view to appease and worship gods and goddesses. Many such occasions are accompanied by community fasts. So, probably it would be apt to call all these ceremonies as fastivities. Broadly the festivities here revolve round Hindu religious rites, Lamaistic religious rites and primitive traditions.
“SAZO” “CHAITRAL FESTIVAL” “BEESHU” “DAKRENI or DAKRAIN” “UKHYANG or PHULAICH” “PHAGUL” “LOSAR” “SHIRKIN FESTIVAL” “ JAGRO FESTIVAL” “ KHEPA” “RANG RORANG CHIN FESTIVAL” “DEEWAL FESTIVAL” “ JATRAN” “MAHANG SANGA” ‘’ERATANG” “PEETANG POOJA” “CHHAYANG KULMA” “SHIVARATRI” “TOSHIM”.