Legends of Kudin Devi and Langasan Devi

There are legends about Kudin Devi at Dudam and Langasan Devi at Karganun (tahsil Pachhad). According to the myth she was a daughter of Suraj Parkash, Rajah of Sirmur who was blind and lived in Neri Jagela. When this chief refused to pay tribute to the Mughal emperor, the latter sent a host against him through Dehradun, which was met by the rajah`s army, under the princess herself. The Sirmur forces were annihilated in the battle, and the "Purohit" (Priest) of the princess brought her head to Dudham where he erected a temple, and began to worship her. Another version says that the princess fell in an attack on Delhi and after her death revealed to the "Purohit" (priest) that he would find her at a certain spot, at which, after a search, the Purohit found the image now in the temple. In the recorded history of Sirmur, however, these versions have not been mentioned. It is related there that the princess successfully quelled a local uprising that took place in the absence of her father, Rajah Suraj Parkash. The fair is held on the "Ikadashi" (eleventh day of dark half of the month) before the Diwali on which day the image is placed on a Singhasan or throne. This is also done on each Sunday in the Bikrami month of Har.

Villagers have appointed a priest to perform puja regularly, twice daily. A sum of five rupees is given by the government to meet the expenses of puja. Offerings made by the visitors are distributed among themselves by the local brahmins. Two bighas of revenue-free land stand attached to the shrine. Valuable belongings of the Devi, including ornaments etc., are kept under the care of a "Bhandari" (storekeeper).

At Naog, now in the Punjab territory lived Langasan Devi, the sister of another goddess named Kudin. Her present temple is at Karganun in tahsil Pachhad. A fair is held on the "Ikadashi" (eleventh day of dark half of the month) before the Diwali. It is said that she first appeared at the source of the river Giri, but others say she originated from that river at Karganun. Langasan Devi is believed to have fought in the guise of a man and to have fallen heroically in a battle either with Gurkhas or with Mughal armies or with local rebels of Sirmur. The traditions are not quite clear about her adversaries. In one version, Langasan Devi is believed to be the sister of Kudin Devi, daughter of Rajah Suraj Parkash of Sirmur, the principal heroine of the battle. All the versions, however, tend to point to her participation and fall in a battle. Her body was then brought to Neri village where a temple was constructed and her image housed in it. A similar temple was erected at Karganun for puja purposes but afterwards this village was depopulated and thus all the images were transferred to Neri. However it was resolved at that time, to bring the images of Devi to Karganun once in a year during the Solan fair in the Bikrami month of Asarh and this practice continues.