Legends of Jatrun Devta

The Anthals, the Papadyas and their Folklore

Robin Koul

robinkoul0307@gmail.com

The hills of Ramban are more than forests, streams and mountains. Almost every village, spring, stone, temple and old pathway carries a story. Passed from one generation to another, these stories form an important part of the cultural memory and folklore of the region.

Paparia is one such village, closely associated with the oral traditions of the Papadya and Anthal communities, the worship of Jatrun Devta and Mata Kali, and a fascinating collection of legends connected with battles, spirits, water sources and sacred places.

According to local tradition, Paparia was once inhabited by the Papadya clan. Later, the Anthals, believed to have come from Chenani, arrived in the area and attempted to establish themselves there. A conflict is said to have followed between the two groups. The Papadyas were eventually defeated and left the region, while some Anthal families settled in places such as Ludwal, Chanderkoot and Swada.

Over generations, this conflict became intertwined with the landscape and folklore. Certain places are still identified with the camps, weapons and events associated with the legendary battle.

The 120 Papadya Warriors:

One of the most striking traditions concerns 120 Papadya warriors who are said to have fought the Anthals. Near the present Jatrun Devta shrine is a place traditionally regarded as the camp of these warriors. A stone at the site is believed to have been used for sharpening swords, and marks are still said to be visible on it. The warriors were remembered for their strength and martial skills. According to local tradition, they tested their swords by striking the thick stems of deodar trees, cutting them with a single blow. The remains of some of these trees are still pointed out by local people.

The story eventually reaches the Kali shrine, where the battle is believed to have taken a dramatic turn.

The Old Woman of the Kali Shrine:

Local folklore says that the Papadya warriors initially appeared to be winning. Some entered the Kali shrine, where an elderly woman had remained after the other women and children had been taken to safety.

The old woman is said to have scattered mustard seeds across the dark floor of the shrine. When the warriors entered, they slipped on the seeds and fell. Taking advantage of the darkness and confusion, she attacked them, and several warriors are believed to have died. The surviving warriors reportedly concluded that many Anthal fighters were hiding inside the temple and withdrew.

Outside, however, the battle continued. According to the tradition, the Papadyas were overpowering the Anthals, who then prayed to Mata Kali for help.

A thick fog is said to have suddenly descended over the battlefield. Visibility became almost impossible. In the confusion, the Anthals managed to retreat, while the Papadya warriors, unable to distinguish friend from enemy, are said to have mistakenly attacked one another. When the fog lifted, many Papadya warriors had perished. The survivors eventually left the region, according to the oral tradition.

The memory of the 120 warriors survives even today. Among the Anthal community, there is a tradition of making 120 representations of heads from corn flour at the place believed to have been the Papadya camp. They are offered in remembrance of the warriors and as a prayer for peace to the souls of those who died.

Bhim Devta and Mata Kali:

On the route to the Papadya site, at a place locally known as Peei Di Keiri, stands a small, broken stone structure believed to be an old shrine of Bhim Devta. Despite its condition, local people continue to worship there, and a community langar is organised on a particular occasion.

Another important shrine is the Mata Kali Temple. Beneath the present structure lies an ancient baoli or water reservoir, around which several old stone sculptures have reportedly been found. The present temple has been renovated and built over the ancient water source.

The shrine is also associated with the legend of a benevolent spirit. According to local elders, when the Anthals settled here, the baoli and an old storage room or granary already existed. The spirit is said to have promised the community that it would provide grain whenever required, provided the people lived according to truth and righteousness.

Families would place an empty vessel in the granary and later find it filled with the quantity of grain they needed.

The arrangement continued until a woman allegedly attempted to deceive the spirit by taking grain meant for seed and hiding it in a tree. When she repeated the act, the spirit is said to have appeared in the form of a snake and chased her.

The broken trust, according to the legend, angered the spirit. Illness spread among people, cattle died and crops withered. Finally, a village priest is said to have confronted the spirit through mantras and spiritual powers and driven it away. Before leaving, the spirit reportedly warned the priest that he would die within eight days. Local tradition says that the prophecy came true.

The Four-Year Ritual:

The memory of this legend survives through a distinctive ritual observed every four years. A sheep is bathed and vermilion is applied to it. Seven varieties of grain are placed in bags and loaded onto the sheep, which is then taken around the shrine four times before the sacrifice.

Local tradition further recalls that, in earlier times, the blood from the sacrifice could be seen mixing with the water of the ancient baoli.

Jatrun Devta and the Seven Water Sources:

At the heart of this sacred landscape stands Jatrun Devta. Local tradition regards Jatrun as the Bhumi Devta, or guardian deity of the land, and the Kul Devta of the Papadya community. After the Papadyas left, the Anthals who settled here are said to have adopted Jatrun Devta as their Bhumi Devta.

The present shrine is a small stone temple containing a stone idol of the deity. During digging and construction around the shrine, several old stone sculptures are recovered. Some remain near the water source, while others are believed to lie buried beneath the soil.

The area was once associated with seven water sources. According to local memory, these springs provided sufficient water for cultivating paddy in the surrounding fields.

One legend connects the springs with the Papadya period. People from nearby Karma village are said to have attempted to divert the water towards their village. An elder then prayed to Baba Jatrun to allow only one source to remain, providing enough water for the local community. According to the story, six of the seven sources dried up, while one continued to flow.

Sunday and Thursday are traditionally considered auspicious days for worship at the shrine.

Above the Jatrun Devta temple is a small shrine dedicated to Sati Mata. A local custom says that devotees leave small pieces of wood there. The wood is believed to burn by itself, leaving only black coal behind.

The sacred connection between the shrines continues through an annual yatra from the Mata Kali Temple to Jatrun Devta. The procession links the two centres of worship and keeps alive the traditional relationship between the deities and the community.

Folklore as a Living Archive:

The legends of Jatrun Devta, the 120 Papadya warriors, the Anthal-Papadya conflict, the old woman of the Kali shrine, the benevolent spirit, the seven water sources and the Sati shrine form a remarkable web of oral tradition.

Not every element of these stories can be historically verified, and some may have acquired supernatural features through generations of retelling. Yet their value does not depend only on historical verification. They reveal how communities remember conflict, explain sacred places, understand their relationship with land and water, honour the dead and preserve their traditions.

The landscape itself becomes an archive, its stones, springs, shrines and rituals preserving fragments of collective memory.

At a time when rapid social change and migration are taking younger generations away from their ancestral places, many such oral traditions are at risk of disappearing. Recording them is therefore not merely an exercise in preserving old stories; it is an effort to preserve the cultural memory of a place.

Jai Jatrun Devta! Jai Ramban!

(The author is a Folklorist based in Ramban)