MANDI, Jan. 19 -- THE residents of nine villages of the Kullu district have taken pledge to observe silence for 42 days to appease a local deity, Gautam Rishi.
Beginning from day the Hindu festival of Makar Sankranti is celebrated by people of the area, the people of these nine villages will maintain complete silence till February 25.
The residents of villages i.e. Goshal, Solang, Shanag, Kothi, Palchan, Ruar, Kulang, Majhach and Burua took pledge this year to observe silence during this period.
This practice is followed by the residents as an old-age tradition, according to which the local deity Gautam Rishi located in Goshal village leaves for Dev Lok to attend the assembly of deities on the auspicious day of Makar Sankranti and return...