Buoyed by "religious tourism" and by the rise of a conservative Hindu population compelled by sites that speak to the existence of an all-India Hindu culture, the Chota Char Dham has become an important destination for pilgrims from throughout South Asia and the diaspora, particularly Bengalis, Marwaris, Oriyas, Marathis, Gujaratis, Delhites and people from Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
The Afro-Ecuadorian village of Piquiucho in northern Ecuador's Valle del Chota is a three-hour drive from Quito, the nation's capital.
He became chief following the death of Old Tassel, during the troubled period following the destruction of the traditional capital at Chota.