5 - Communicating with Mahasu

Summary

Abstract

In this chapter I present Mahasu’s management, and the mediums through which one can communicate with Mahasu. I describe and analyze some encounters between Mahasu and his followers and demonstrate the locals’ epistemological dilemma regarding communicating with Mahasu through mediums: do they really converse with their gods?

Keywords: mediums, spirit possession, charisma, doubt

The God’s Management

The Mahasu brothers’ management comprises several roles, one of the most prestigious being that of wazir. There are two wazirs, one for shathi and one for pashi. The wazir of shathi is the head of Bashik’s vazarat (management) and is also responsible for Chalda when he is traveling in shathi. Likewise, the wazir of pashi is the head of Pabasi’s vazarat and is responsible for Chalda when he is in pashi. The wazirs of shathi and pashi are jointly responsible for the main temple in Hanol, the permanent location of Botha. As Hanol is located within shathi, the wazir of shathi has an advantage that manifests in the role of nayab wazir, the resident manager in Hanol. This position lasts for two years and is held alternately by people from Chatra, Purtad, and Ninus. These villages are in the Bawar region of shathi.

Although the wazirs are important, the people who actually manage the temples in the territory of Mahasu are the priests (pujari), priests’ assistants (thani), and accountants (bhandari). They are known as the kardars (management) of the temple. The kardars operate the temples independently of the wazirs, especially Botha’s temples and temples that have palanquins (palki) of their own.

The priests of Mahasu are called pujaris or deopuzia. They are responsible for temple services, including the daily puja. Often the pujaris also function as kul purohit (family priests), overseeing life-cycle rites in the village. For example, they perform their duties when a child is born and purification ceremonies are required, or when a family wants to read a child’s horoscope (janma-kundali). As the role is usually passed down from father to son, pujaris enjoy traditional authority (parampara, a Sanskrit word for series, tradition; lineage). When a pujari can no longer hold the position (due to death or retirement), his oldest son has the right to be the pujari.