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INTRODUCTION
This is Malana or, as the village is popularly known in the Kullu valley, the republic of Malana. The village, which consists of a 1000 tribals, has an immaculate system of self-governance with its own lower and higher court, President and Prime Minister. They are a unique tribe with unique customs who live in a world of self-created autonomy amidst the greater Himalayas and claim a Greek descent.
CLIMATE
Due to its location in the Himalayan region, the village has extreme climate. Summers are the best months to visit the place as it is accessible during that time. The best time to go is early May to August. This is when the summer festival takes place.
SOCIETY AND CULTURE
For centuries the people of Malana have spent their lives in houses built of wooden frames, filled with stone and mud. The ceilings have remained low with rounded domes, held up by rows of pillars on which have elaborate and exquisite carvings. The imagery and architecture remain one of ancient European style and so do their facial features, which are very unusual for high altitude dwellers-no flat noses, no rounded features, no deep set eyes. Instead they appear to have striking chiseled jaw lines, high cheekbones and long prominent noses. Features with an uncanny similarity to those of their claimed ancestors, the Greeks.
The name of the village, Malana, in Kulluvi means 'to join'. Yet the village does not seem to imbibe the meaning of its own name. The people do not mingle with others outside the periphery of their village. Not only is there a rigid caste structure within the village, in every nook and corner are visible signboards with clear warnings for tourists: Do not touch. Visitors are forbidden to touch either the people or any of their possessions-wood, stone, crops or houses inside the village. Violation of this could lead to a fine of up to 1000 rupees or even imprisonment in a closed room, guarded by 12 locked doors. The boards reiterate a hostility towards outsiders, even towards people from other tribes of the Kullu valley. Mingling with visitors is an offence and is totally discouraged. Money given out at shops is not taken directly from hand and will be accepted only after it is kept down. More than a feeling of apparent superiority, the deeper truth is that this isolation has helped them protect and preserve the purity of their folklore, customs, language and their exclusive Greek identity.
GREEK HERITAGE
In the main square of the village there is an edifice, which has stood the test of time. It is the sacred temple of Jamlu, the main deity of Malana. The temple's centuries old doors and columns are exquisitely decorated with horns and exclusive silver jewellery. The temple walls bear etchings of battle scenes-elephants, horses and warriors in full armor which is surprising for a tribe as isolated and secluded as this. According to anthropologists, the carvings represent the clash of Greek and Indian swords, a clash that must have resounded in the mountains some 300 years before Christ. It was then that Alexander, the king of Macedonia, invaded India through the Hindukush range of mountains with the greatest army the world had seen. In the plains, he had a fight with King Porous and he left soon after, but some battle weary soldiers stayed behind in the mountains, above the river Beas. In Malana this is common knowledge that has been passed down the centuries through word of mouth. But after all the ravages of time the Malana people, besides showing glimpses of their ancestors, present an amalgamation of various ways of living-mountains and tribal, which are visible in their unique social system and customs.
MARRIAGE
The people of Malana marry inside the 11 clans of the village only. Never has a Malana person married outside the village. Although they are wary of strangers, amongst themselves they co-exist and cohabit without restrain. There is no restriction to the number of marriages men or women want to have. All the middle-aged people have been married at least 10 to 15 times. Marriage is a simple affair and those wishing to be married or remarried assemble in the main village square. The men, with fire torches in their hands, will look for a bride who consents to the union. In case of a dispute over the father of the child, the decision of the woman holds.
DISPUTE REDRESSAL
For other disputes they have an unmatched form of participatory court, a concept that was first introduced in the world by the Greeks, and is also the only one of its kind in the country. It is divided into a lower and a higher court, the lower court consists of 11 to 14 members, with the Kander who looks after the Gods property, the Pujari (priest) of the temple and the Gur, the voice of God, holding the highest positions. All the members of the court have to come to a unanimous decision. In case there is no consensus, then the case is decided by injecting two sheep of equal weight with a poisonous herb, Zaharmora. Each sheep represents one party, the sheep, which dies first, is declared as belonging to the guilty party. For the execution of punishments and the protection of the village, there are men selected by the court, marked through distinct black caps with white stripes.
LANGUAGE
The villagers speak in a dialect, which is unintelligible to everyone except themselves. Linguists say that the words are similar in sound to Greek words and, if that is not enough, there is a trumpet-like instrument called Gourna- a name similar to a musical instrument still in use in Greece.
FAIRS AND FESTIVALS
Harlala mask dance festival is celebrated in the month of February-phalgun. It is an occasion when everyone takes a bath and a group of people wearing nothing but cannabis leaves and demon-like masks dance around the houses spreading cow dung, which provides insulation from the cold as well. Another interesting aspect of the festival is the procession for Emperor Akbar.
WHERE TO STAY
There are a few basic guesthouses in the village, which provide simple meals as well. There is a place for camping, but that is at a distance from the village.
HOW TO REACH
Malana is connected to the Kullu valley by three mountain passes. It can be reached from Parbati Valley, Manikaran after a 10-hour trek over the 3180-meter high Rashol Pass, or via Nagar over the 3600-meter high beautiful Chanderkhani Pass, which is a two-day trek. The easiest and shortest way to reach Malana is from the village Jari connected to Kullu valley. It is an easy and picturesque walk of six hours to Malana, which is only 12 km from here. Beautiful waterfalls and the Malana nallah stream are an incentive.
The nearest Airport is at Buntar, 13 km away from Jari.
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