IRMT MUSEUM: MEMORIAL STONES 52 valuable memorial stones erected in memory of Naggar kings and queens executed approximately four-five hundred years ago, were recovered from ‘Vish Kund' place at Naggar and brought to the IRMT. Special slope simulating their original place was built and statues mounted there in three rows. Proper cleaning and further conservation of statues was done, measurement and description by an expert from the Archeological Survey of India, Shimla. Statues are currently at display as a part of the IRMT attraction for the visitors. Memorial stones at Naggar, Distt. Kullu "The practice of erecting memorial stones to the dead was widespread in Himachal Pradesh. These stones are variously referred to as the satis, berselas, and muhras. In the eastern part of the state viz. Districts of Kullu, Mandi, Bilaspur and Suket, the privilege of erecting memorials was confined to the royal family. In the north and north-eastern areas, particularly, Kangra and Chamba, there were so much restrictions, and Varuna-devas were erected in memory of others. At Naggar, the erstwhile capital of the Kullu state and , now, a straggling village on the left bank of the Beas, several memorial stones are inserted into the brow of the hill, two hundred yards south of the Naggar castle, just above the main Naggar-Manali road. These stones were first noticed as early as 1869 by Harcourt who counted 141 stones of which 52 are surviving now. Of assorted shapes and sizes, these stones are not finely cut nor finished. But, generally, the slabs are rectangular and curved at the top end. The material used is grey sand-stone, locally quarried. Unfortunately, it is of a friable nature. Consequently, the original details have been defaced in most of them. Generally, the male and the female are depicted seated or standing side by side. The figures are crudely carved and arranged in panels where the number of figures is large. In one slab at the top panel contains the chief male figure, with female figures either seated or standing on either side. The lower rows contain only female figures, standing or seated, with folded hands. On some slabs two females wield chowri (fly-whisk), on either side of the chief figures in the top panels. The number of females represented on some slabs is surprisingly large, as some lower part of the slab is buried in the soil, and number of figures could not be counted. If we accept a tradition that these are the figures of queens, concubines and slave-girls, who committed “sati” with the dead ruler, we have to conclude that the incidence of human sacrifice was very high. The dresses of the figures are interesting; in some slabs male and female figures are both shown, wearing ankle length coats of the type depicted on Kusana coins and sculptures. In some of the better preserved slabs, we clearly discern a sari like garment with one end passing over the left shoulder. The female dress on later slabs is reminiscent of the dress of the Rajput females seen in the miniature paintings of the Pahari schools. The figures are adorned with simple ornaments, but several male figures depicted individually have no ornaments at all. May be, this represent rulers who died as reckless, after denouncing their thrones. The only religious symbol to be observed on the slabs, is the Siva-linga. It is placed before the male figure whose right hand rests on the linga, while his left hand holds a vessel in the act of pouring something over it. But this feature is observed on only a few slabs. Slabs which have no linga do not have religious symbol at all. On several stone slabs there appears to be a full blown lotus in single, double or triple concentric circle. The symbols are however betraying the Shivaite affiliations of the rulers or chieftains. The ornamentation is limited to the upper portion of the slabs. In most cases temple shikara of the Northern order is depicted. The shikara varies in shape, from the gently sloping variety to the sharply falling ones. These are complete with corner stones and amalakas. The amalakas are carved even on top portion of the slabs which do not have shikara. On the surface of the shikara is depicted the caitya dormor motif which is peculiar to the temples of the district Kullu. This practice of using motifs from temples appears to be common to all memorial slabs in Himachal. The slabs in the Trilokanath Temple , Mandi, repeat what is found in the main temple. Some of the Naggar slabs bear no ornamentations on the top but in others the shikara is replaced by a niche. The significance of the shikara can not be easily determined. Of the 52 stones, 25 have shikaras. As mentioned above, the full blown lotus is featured on almost all the slabs in single, double or triple concentric circles. On some slabs, half lotuses figure on either side of the lotus. Floral motifs decorate the top of the surface of the shikara and sometimes run across the slabs separating the panels". Dr.B.Chohan, 18-19.05.2004, Naggar |