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This paper focuses on the study of divinatory possession cults observed in the Himachal Pradesh State (north-western India), with particular reference to the Himalayan valleys of the Kulu district. It explores the relationship between tradition and innovation in the practice of such cults, which are performed in a context characterized by the fast and ongoing socio-cultural changes generated by the remarkable economic growth that has been affecting the entire State of Himachal Pradesh in the last few years. Furthermore, the paper explores the links between these divinatory possession cults and shamanic practices. To investigate the connections between the religious and ritual domain and socioeconomic changes on the one hand, and the link between divinatory possession cults and shamanism on the other, can bring significant contributions to a field of research that has been given very little attention so far, especially by Italian scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]