Abstract This chapter provides a broad historical, cultural, and sociopolitical background on the goddess Haḍimbā, her community, and the region. It begins by describing a typical bus journey from Delhi to Manali, which introduces the reader to the area experientially and reproduces the point of view of visiting tourists and scholars alike. This is followed by a description of the “devtā system,” the indigenous religious tradition of this area, which is known as the Land of the Gods (Dev Bhūmi). There is an overview of the available sources for our knowledge about the Kullu Valley’s past and a brief history of its ruling dynasty. The chapter ends with a description of the recent introduction of modernity, capitalism, and tourism to the region and of how these have affected the local economy, sociopolitics, and religion, as well as the goddess Haḍimbā and her cult.