Mediums, Objects, and the Problem of Presence in the Western Himalayas

In some religious contexts, mainly Protestant Christianity, anthropologists often contend with the problem of presence that preoccupies believers–the simultaneous presence and absence of God. However, in the Hinduism of the Western Himalayas the problem of presence is quite different. The royal deities in this region are profoundly present, embodied in mediums and palanquins. Thus, followers of these deities are not puzzled by the concept of an absent god. Instead, they need to navigate in a world where gods are very tangible, in ways that can cause discomfort and anxiety. In this article I demonstrate the different roles of mediums and palanquins in the religious experience, and how palanquins are considered more reliable manifestations of the deities. I suggest that this is due to the need of the locals to maintain some degree of distance from the spirit mediumship in order to avoid excess presence of the deities.