The Kullu Valley is known as the Valley of the Gods. Every town, village and hamlet has its own god and every god speaks its desires through the mouth of an illuminated guru.

Sometimes the gods ask for drink; at other times they will want to dance. In such cases the entire population is mobilised and the god is lifted up by bearers and danced through the streets of the village.

We heard of one story where a god was so dissatisfied with his life in a hamlet that he insisted on being transported to a larger town where he resided, along with his guru, for eight years, leaving his hamlet godless and guruless.

We have not yet heard stories in which the guru informs the population that the god requires a certain sum of money put into a certain bank account, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time.

At any rate, once a year there is a reunion of the gods at Kullu. The ornate silver and gold idols are carried by bearer down the mountain sides to dance, cohort and inspire the people into trance and fits of possession. The gods are danced in lines; people sit under them to be cured and a good time is had by all.

Musicians play, dancers dance, the gods get to see their buddies and the possessed are exorcised. The meeting of the gods last for an entire week and it's also a great place to shop for that lemon squeezer or colour T.V. that are so hard to find during other times of the year.