05/10/2022
In the 16th century, Raja Jagat Singh ruled over the kingdom of Kullu. The Raja learned of a peasant Durgadatta who possessed many beautiful pearls. The Raja thought he should have these treasured pearls, even though the only pearls Durgadatta had were pearls of Knowledge. But the Raja ordered Durgadatta to hand over his pearls or be hanged. Knowing of his inevitable fate at the hands of the king, Durgadatta threw himself on the fire and cursed the king.
Doomed by his fate, the Raja sought solace and searched out advice from a Brahmin. The Holy man told him that in order to eradicate the curse, he must retrieve the deity of Ragunath from Ram's kingdom. Desperate, the king sent a Brahmin to Ayodya. Later the Brahmin stole the deity and set out on his journey back to Kullu. The people of Ayodya, finding their beloved Ragunath missing, set out in search of the Kullu Brahmin. On the banks of the Saryu river, they approached the Brahmin and asked him why he had taken Ragunath ji. The Brahmin recounted the story of the Kullu king. The people of Ayodya attempted to lift Ragunath, but their deity became incredibly heavy when headed back towards Ayodya, and became very light when headed to Kullu. On reaching Kullu Ragunath was installed as the reigning deity of the Kullu kingdom. After installing the deity of Ragunath, Raja Jagat Singh drank the Charan-Amrit of the deity and the curse was lifted.