S Gopal Puri
Dharamshala: Every year at the hilltop Indrunag temple in Kangra in Himachal Pradesh, a curious battle is fought. It is not fought with swords or armies, but with rituals, chants and deep belief. And each year, the Gods lose.
The temple courtyard fills with devotees as effigies of witches confront the gods in a staged war. Round after round, the witches prevail, leaving the divine forces symbolically defeated. To an outsider, it may seem unsettling that Gods should fall. But to the faithful, this defeat carries a deeper meaning. It is a reminder that while evil appears to dominate, protection and blessings ultimately flow from Lord Indrunag, who shields his people through the power of devotion and prayer.
“Even when the Gods lose here, Lord Indrunag never abandons us,” said a devotee in the crowd, pressing folded hands to his forehead. “This ritual is a test of our faith, not theirs.”
The belief runs deep in the region. Farmers see the ritual as a safeguard against sudden rains and hail that could ruin their fields. Families take comfort in knowing the blessings of Lord Indrunag extend to health and prosperity. And for many, the act of watching Gods fall is not a sign of despair but of trust — the trust that after every defeat, comes protection.
This year, the temple has announced another grand moment: Lord Indrunag will visit the sacred Manimahesh Kailash on Radhashtami for a holy dip. The procession will carry the deity through mountain paths, drawing pilgrims from across Himachal Pradesh.
Inside the temple, preparations are already underway for a five-day offering of sandalwood paste and butter. Priests will anoint the deity daily and at the end, the sacred butter will be shared among devotees as ‘prasad’, believed to heal and bless.
In a world that often seeks strength only in victory, Lord Indrunag’s ritual flips the lesson: that faith is not in never falling, but in rising again. For the people of Kangra, the defeat of the Gods is not the end of a battle but the beginning of a blessing.
