The Birth of a Devta: A Forgotten Legend from the Hills of Shimla

In the serene hills of Himachal Pradesh, nestled among pine-covered slopes and whispers of the wind, lives a tale passed down not through books, but from breath to breath — an oral legend preserved by elders like the late Sh. Mangat Ram of Shimla. At 93, his voice, though frail, echoed centuries of faith, mysticism, and divine consequence. This is the untold origin of a devta — a village deity still worshipped today — and how his presence came to be etched in both stone and belief.

An Unusual Birth and a Child’s Secret

The story begins in a quiet village where an 8-year-old girl gave birth — not to a child, but to two snakes. What should have been a moment of shock was instead shrouded in mystery. The girl, calm and composed, warned her mother not to go into the attic, saying, “My toys are in the pot.” But suspicion grew.

Driven by curiosity and unease, the mother eventually ignored her daughter’s plea. She took fire from the chulha(traditional hearth), climbed to the attic, and burned the pot. As flames consumed the mysterious container, something miraculous happened — one of the snakes turned into a stone idol, unmoved, unburnt. A sign, perhaps, that what was destroyed was never meant to be understood by mortal minds.

A Chain of Tragedy and Divine Transition

Grief and guilt followed. The young girl, perhaps sensing her secret had been violated, swallowed bronze coins and died shortly after. Her devastated mother, unable to bear the loss, cut off her own breast and took her own life. Only the father remained, broken but awakened.

In a symbolic act of spiritual transformation, he placed the stone snake idol in his jhola (cloth bag), left the village, and wandered the country as a sage. His path was guided not by logic but by grief, devotion, and destiny — a man carrying divinity born from tragedy.

A King, a Boon, and a Divine Bargain

Years passed, and the wandering sage reached Nahan, a princely state in present-day Himachal Pradesh. At the time, the King of Nahan was troubled — both of his queens were childless, and his lineage stood on the edge of extinction. On the advice of his ministers, the king sought the blessing of the mysterious sage.

The sage agreed, but with one condition.

He gave wheat grains, to be fed to the queens. He assured the king they would bear two sons, but warned: “In twelve years, I will return. You must give me one son.” Desperate for an heir, the king agreed.

Twelve Years Later: The Devta’s Destiny

True to his word, the sage returned when the boys turned twelve. Bound by his promise, the king handed over one of his sons. The boy was escorted in a royal procession — gold-laden elephants, ceremonial guards, and offerings marking his departure. The land where he was taken was given in divine offering, and there, the devta’s temple was established.

The other son remained and ruled Nahan. But it was the son taken by the sage — born of blessing, bound by sacrifice — who became the symbolic link between humans and the divine.

The Legacy Lives On

Today, in the quiet hills of Shimla and the sacred grounds of Nahan, this devta is still worshipped. Villagers remember the tale — sometimes in whispers, sometimes in hymns — and devotees still offer prayers at his temple. What began as an unimaginable series of events is now a story of faith, sacrifice, and transformation.

Through the storytelling of late Sh. Mangat Ram, this legend survives. Not just as folklore, but as a living testament to the depth of India’s oral traditions — and the mysterious ways in which the divine finds its place among mortals.

Watch the Full Story

This powerful tale is featured in Episode 17 of Unheard India | Shimla — where Mangat Ram himself narrates this astonishing journey from earthly sorrow to divine reverence. Watch the full video on our channel to experience the story in the voice of the man who carried it for generations.