RELIGION
The bulk population of Himachal Pradesh is
Hindus, 95.77% of the total population (1981 census). The Muslims occupy the second position 1.63%. They
have some concentration in Chamba, Kangra and Sirmur. The Buddhists constitute a
little more than 1% of the population and live in the trans-himalayan areas of
Lahaul and Spiti, Kinnaur and Kulu while the Sikhs (1.2%) are found here and
there with some concentration in Kangra, Shimla, Mandi and Sirmur districts. The
Christian population is 0.1%.
 The people are deeply religious and god fearing. The grandeur of the natural
features, the Himalayas and the magnitude of physical forces, has led the
inhabitants to assign supernatural powers to natural environments. To the
children of the mountains, the' Himalayas are the Gods'. Along with the Gods
represented in the 'Thakardwara's' and the 'Shivalas', people worship the
village deities, the Deotas, the Rishis, the Munis, the Siddhas, the Pandavas,
the hill tops, the trees, the joginis or wood fairies, the Kali, the Shakti, the
Nagas (snakes) and even a host of devils and deities of the aborigines. They
believe that water courses, the sprouting seeds, the ripening corn ear are all
in charge of separate spirits. Animals sacrifice is a major religious rite and
is performed at weddings, funerals, festivals, harvest time, on the beginning of
the thanksgiving.
Lamaistic Buddhism is practiced in the
trans-himalayan
areas. The great Padma
Sambhava who was responsible for the spread of Buddhism in Tibet in the 8th
century, lived for sometime at Riwalsar near Mandi. There is a temple in his
name. Lamaistic Buddhism assimilates the mysticism of the northern school of
Buddhism, the 'Vajra-yana' with the magic and devil worship of the Tantras and
the cult of the Shakti, Tara. The priest or the Lama is the friend, philosopher
and guide of the Buddhists. He guides them in spiritual matters, foretells
events, determines lucky and unlucky days, practices medicine, exorcises evil
spirits, performs magic and regulates the destiny of the living and the dead.
The Muslims in the villages follow
Saint Pir Lakh Data and also pray and light
earthen lamps at the shrines of other saints.
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