THE HAMLET OF PULGA

"We Are Relatives At The Village And

Yet We Become Strangers In The City"

~Thabo Katlholo

Pulga, a Parvati Valley town, is well-known for its natural beauty and wooden homestays. It has become a backpacker's paradise due to its stunning panoramas. From deodar forests to little excursions, the neighborhood is now always alive with tourists of all ages.

During my most recent visit, I noticed a strong attraction to the area: Its People. Even in the midst of visitors, they live a very peaceful and discreet life. They don't care about other individuals and have their own way of life and rituals. Their livelihood is dependent on the crops they raise, and some of them travel to the main city to sell them. They do not have opulent homes, but rather timber structures that some of them have rented to private persons who run cafés/hotels. Many people, however, still own homes and property.

Aside from documenting the usual domestic tasks, one of their traditions drew my attention, during my stay. Though it was the last day, I couldn't catch the complete vibe, but from what I could glean, it is one of a kind.

They have a modest temple-like building where their "Dev" (Mahadev) resides and where the ceremony takes place. Every morning (during the procession days), the young boys carry the metal idol on their shoulders through the village, accompanied by local drummers who play a similar beat all the way until they reach an open ground where the women of the family gather to worship it. It lasts around an hour or two before they return to the main temple, where identical go idols from neighboring villages have arrived and are worshipped together by the priest. During worship, the ladies dress up in their traditional festive attire and present the crops they harvest as well as cash. No tourist or anyone outside their tribe is not allowed to touch or go near to idol.

Miles away from the city's hustle and bustle, the small community continues to thrive. Perhaps someday this area will become an urban city, and the people who will live here will become a part of the metropolitan world. But what I would prefer, is that certain portions of the planet should stay unexplored by humans.