Les Sept Frères Rongtsan au Ladakh. Mythe, territoire et possession

Abstract

Called “local gods” (yul lha), the Seven Rongtsan brothers are found in different places all over Ladakh, but always linked in some way to royal estates. Every year, on fixed festival days, they manifest themselves through a medium—a layman or a monk—in an outdoor séance. They offer advice and deliver prophecies about calamities, weather and the forthcoming harvest. This paper examines the various accounts related to their introduction to Ladakh, and gives a description of each of the Seven Brothers, detailing their temper and attributes. Lastly, it explores the close relations they maintained with rulers, referred to as kings, through the centuries.