Why Our Ancestors Worshipped Nature as God or Goddess

A Journey Through Himalayan Wisdom and Forgotten Faith

In the modern world of science, machines, and apps, it’s easy to forget that for most of human history, people didn’t look at nature as a resource—they looked at it as a divine presence. Our ancestors lived alongside nature rather than just in it. They believed that the rivers had souls, the trees had memories, the mountains had moods, and the wind carried the voice of gods.

We can say that our ancestors worshipped Gods and Goddesses in the form of nature—and in many places, people still do. This shows that they were more aware of the importance of nature than many of today’s educated individuals.

🏞️ Nature: The First Temple, Before Stone and Script

Before there were temples with idols and towers, there were forests, caves, rivers, and peaks. And that’s where people first experienced something beyond human—a force that protected, nourished, and humbled them.

In Vedic and Puranic texts, we find early references to Pancha Bhoota—the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, space)—all treated as divine forces. Early spiritual practices were based on the worship of the Sun (Surya Dev), Rain (Indra), Wind (Vayu), and Earth (Prithvi Mata). This wasn’t mythology. It was a reflection of reality experienced through awe and respect.

🏔️ Himachal’s Sacred Peaks: Where Mountains Speak and Goddesses Live

Across Himachal Pradesh, sacredness isn’t locked inside temples—it’s spread across peaks, valleys, and lakes. In Outer Seraj and many other places, you’ll find:

Sacred Kali Temples of Himachal Pradesh

• Jalori Kali on the famous Jalori Pass
  
• Labhri Kali (Lambhari Kali) above Sajwad village
  
• Nohnu Kali on the hill behind Gugra
  
• Chud Kali near Buchhair village
  
• Raktisar Kali at the origin of the Sainj river
  
• Shikari Mata on the highest forested peak
  
• Bhau Kali known for her fierce but protective presence
  

These are not ordinary shrines. Most don’t have roofs, priests, or gates. They have stones arranged with devotion, sacred symbols, and the wind as the priest.

Because it is believed that each site possesses the same sacred power, people worship Goddess Kali at all of these locations for the same divine purpose. Though worshipped at different locations, the Shakti (divine power) is the same everywhere.

The Goddess Was Already There

One of the most spiritual ideas in Himachali culture is that gods were found in nature rather than being imposed on it. When shepherds or villagers reached a lonely peak or spring and felt something divine, they said, “There is already something sacred here. Let’s honor it.”

That’s how Joginis and Kali shrines were established—not through planning but through experience. Some shrines are marked by unusual stones, shaped by time and weather. People believe the stone chooses the place, not the other way around. Simple offerings like wildflowers are enough—faith does not need wealth.

🐐 Shepherds and Forest Spirits: The Everyday Devotees

In Himachal, shepherds (pals) are guardians of sacred landscapes. They migrate with herds and pray at Joginis before entering highlands. They light incense near Kali stones, aware that Banshira Devta owns the forest. These acts are built on relationship, not ritual tourism.

Many sacred sites are known today because shepherds preserved their memory—passed from father to son, in seasonal journeys. They are the silent priests of Himachal’s sacred ecology.

In many places across Himachal, you’ll still find stone idols near wells, forests, and rivers, worshipped to this day.

🔆 From Outer Seraj to the Entire Himalaya: The Spirit is One

This sacredness extends far beyond Outer Seraj:

• Shrikhand Mahadev: Believed to be Shiva’s abode, reached after days of trekking through snow.
• Manimahesh Kailash: Where Shiva’s image appears in a lake.
• Kinner Kailash: One of the five holy Kailash peaks.
• Rewalsar, Parashar, Dal Lake: Holy lakes believed to hold goddess energy.

In these places, people don’t just go to see god—they go to meet god, through the sacred journey in raw nature.

Faith in Simplicity: Sacred Stones, Not Expensive Temples

In modern religion, temples are often grand. But in Himachal, a stone platform is enough. At Kali Labhri, locals walk barefoot for kilometers just to offer a flower. Sacredness comes from faith, not from architecture.

When a stone is moved from its place, locals say, “She chose it. Not us.” This belief preserves the essence of these traditions.

⚠️ The Disrespect of Modern Tourism and Ignorance

Modern visitors often treat sacred sites like trekking spots. They:

• Leave plastic waste
• Play loud music
• Walk over sacred stones unknowingly
• Make reels at Jogini sites without understanding their meaning

Even some locals are forgetting ancestral stories, replacing reverence with tourism profits. This is not just environmental harm—it’s spiritual loss.

🌱 Reclaiming Our Connection: What We Can Do

• Educate tourists through signs and guides
• Involve youth in preserving sacred sites
• Promote eco-spiritual tourism
• Document and share local stories and rituals
• Respect forests and rivers as living sacred spaces

We must revive the idea that protecting nature is protecting divinity—and harming nature is a spiritual crime.

🕉️ Final Thought: The Goddess is Still Watching

Our ancestors didn’t pray to stone—they prayed to spirit. They saw god in clouds, wind, rivers, and fire. Even today, that divine presence is still here:

• In the lonely trail to Shrikhand
• In the wind at Jalori
• In the reflection at Manimahesh
• Near a silent forest spring

May we not forget what they knew. May we walk with the same respect, reverence, and humility as they once did.