Shaligrams

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About Shaligrams

For more than 2,000 years, Hinduism, Buddhism and the shamanic Himalayan religion of Bon have venerated Shaligrams.
These are ancient fossils of ammonites, a class of extinct sea creatures related to modern squids.
Originating from a single remote region in northern Nepal in the Kali Gandaki River Valley of Mustang.
These stones are viewed primarily as manifestations of the Hindu god Vishnu.
Because they are not human-made, but created by the landscape, they are believed to have an intrinsic consciousness of their own.
As a result, Shaligrams are kept in homes and in temples, where they are treated as both living gods and active community members.

Impacts of Climate Change

Climate change, faster glacial melting, and gravel mining in the Kali Gandaki are changing the course of the river, which means fewer Shaligrams are appearing each year.
This is mainly because the Kali Gandaki is fed by meltwater from the Southern Tibetan Plateau.
But with the glacier disappearing, the river is becoming smaller and shifting away from the fossil beds that contain the ammonites needed to become Shaligrams.

Q1) What is a river valley?

A river valley is a geographical landform created by the erosion and deposition of water over time. It refers to the low-lying area that surrounds and is shaped by a river. River valleys are diverse and can vary greatly in size, shape, and characteristics based on factors such as the type of rock, climate, and the river’s flow dynamics

Source: Shaligrams, worshipped by Hindus and Buddhists for over 2,000 years, are becoming rarer because of climate change