Deepawali, commonly known as Tihar is the ‘Festival of Lights’ which is celebrated
with lots of pomp and gaiety by the Hindus. This festival has two different mythological
sources for its celebration. It usually falls under Laxmi Puja in the calendar.
The manner and way by which it is celebrated among the Hindus and the animist
Limboos of Himalayan regions is distinctively different, the latter bearing
unique history of their own.
Deepawali, in Hindu mythology relates to the Great Indian Epic,
Ramayana and symbolizes the return of Lord Ram to his native land from a long exile
after victory over Ravana. But the history and mythology relating to Tihar among the Limboos is quite
different and the way it is celebrated is quite distinct in feature. In this
article the genesis of ‘Tihar’ is
discussed in length according to
Limboo history and mythology.
The history and mythology reveals that long before the
coming of the Hindu influence into Limbuwan (encompassing area between Arun
Valley in the West of Nepal to Assam touching Burma in the East, Great Himalayas
in the north to the Tarai areas of the northern plains of India in the south, Sanyal,
1979), there was a Limboo Chieftain named Boli Hang. He was most enlightened king
possessing extra ordinary power of foretelling about one’s life, longevity and
death. He was highly respected, loved and well cared by his chiefs and the citizens
of his country at that time.
It
was the month of Senchrengla (mangsir)
according to the Limboo calendar. One day the king fell seriously ill. While
lying on his bed, he foresaw his own death. He summoned the chiefs and
disclosed them that in the coming dark night of new moon day of senchrengla month, ‘Chema’ (Che: death body and ma:God), the God of Death
would descend to take his life and there
would be no alternative to save him from
such a dreadful night. The chiefs requested him to give them directives to
protect his life from such a dreadful night. Boli Hang told them that there is
only one way by which the ‘Chema’ would
be appeased and allow him to retain his life. He advised them, “Before the
commencement of the night of new moon day of senchrengla, all the chiefs and the subjects should clean and
decorate their houses, take bath, fast, remain pure in body and mind and light
butter-lamps both inside and outside of their houses. When night falls, all of
them should keep praying to the Almighty, Tageraningwa?phuma for the retainment of his life and save him from death. They
should not sleep on that particular night and keep on praying and watch the arrival
of Chema who would appear in the shape of the shadow of a man in the middle of the
night. When the sight of the shadow of a man appears, man-women, old-young and
girls-boys should fold their hands in reverence and pray with full faith and
single voice in unison. If the Chema
would be pleased with such devotion and prayer, the life of Boli Hang would be spared
and increased from the dreadful night. If not, his days for life are numbered
and are bound to go”.
When the chiefs heard such directives from the king,
they felt very much relieved and happy. The chiefs immediately passed this instruction
to the citizens. When time of new moon of senchrengla
came, the chiefs and the subjects
throughout the country bathed, fasted and lighted butter-lamps both outside and
inside of their well decorated houses and started praying to Tageraningwa?phuma for the retention of Boli Hang’s life.
Many people gathered at the kingdom in the gloomy and pensive
mood and kept praying for they love and respected the king. The king was
helplessly lying in his death bed. There was shine of light at the palace with continuous
cry of prayer ‘pha?reo’, meaning help
him to retain his life.
Three days before the new moon day of Senchrengla month, the Chema sent a crow at the palace to bring
the soul of the king. The people gathered at the palace offered him garlands
and feast which impressed him (crow) so much that he agreed not to take the
soul of Boli Hang. But, committed himself to spread the news of Chema’s descend at the palace on the
particular day of new moon day of Senchrengla.
On the next day, Chema, again sent
the dog to get the soul of the king. The dog also received the same treatment
and hospitality from the people. Thus, he too, denied to take the soul of the
king and promised to see if the soul of the king goes out of his body. On the
particular day of the new moon day, again the cow was sent to get the soul of
Boli Hang. She was also warmly received with the garlands as the crow and dog
had had. So she too, decided not to take the soul of the king, Boli Hang but
infact promised to hide the soul of all human being in her hair in case of any
problem faced by them. When every plan of the Chema failed, he decided to come himself to take away the soul of
Boli Hang on the particular day of new moon night of senchrengla.
At midnight, out of blue, the ‘Chema’ appeared in the form of a shadow of a man. The moment his
mangena?ma (sister of Boli Hang) saw
the Chema, she folded her hands and requested, the Chema to take the life of his brother only after fulfilling certain
conditions. Firstly, if the tikphung
(rice grain) put on the forehead of his brother is faded away. Secondly, the
water sprinkled on his body is dried and lastly if flower offered to him is
wilt. Considering the request of his sister, Chema agreed to wait and take away his life after fulfilling three conditions.
Immediately, thereafter, his mangena?ma, (Boli Hang’s sister) prepared
rice grains and put on the forehead of
his brother, mixed water with oil and sprinkled around his body and offered yamsona phung (Gomphrena Globosa) and thapraphung
(Tagetus sp/marigold) flower
to his body. As she knew that the rice grains do not lose their colour quickly,
water mixed with oil does not dry immediately and yamsonaphung and thapraphung
flowers do not wilt very fast.
The Chema waited
until morning but the tikphung (rice
grains) put on the forehead of Boli Hang did not fade, the water sprinkled
around his body did not dry and the flower offered to him did not wilt.
Meanwhile, the chiefs, relatives and subjects gathered at the palace kept on
praying with the lights of butter-lamps and unanimous voice of cry most
faithfully and sincerely for the king’s longevity of life. Some wept while others cried, screamed and
prayed before the Chema and pleaded,
“If the king, Boli Hang passes away, our country would be engulfed in darkness
of confusion, chaos and ignorance.” Observing the profound love of the people for
their king, the Chema assured them
that he would not take away the life of Boli Hang but in fact try to save him
from the death. Thereafter the shadow
disappeared. The king also breathed his last.
Early in the morning of next day the Chema disappeared. Boli Hang once again
came back to his life. Thereafter, consciously
he talked to his chiefs and subjects praising them, “By your sincere prayer of
good faith, I am saved. I have come back to life once again to serve you all”.
He was so pleased and therefore, invited all of them for a grand feast, ordered
them to eat, drink, enjoy and make merriment on that day and observe that day
as the day to rejoice and to spread the news of his coming back from the death.
The chiefs and subjects went house to house singing and dancing and spreading the
news of Boli Hang’s survival, “Saying we came house to house following the
order of Boli Hang.” Even today while playing “Deosuray or Bhailo” they say, “Boli Rajko Hukkumai Hunda Ayeko Hami.”
News of King’s survival from that dreadful night spread like a wild fire
throughout the country. Everyone came to see him. The king summoned the council
and made certain declarations;-
To observe the event of new moon day of senchrengla every year as the Boli Hang
Tongnam illuminating butter-lamps
both outside and inside of their respective houses to mark and remember his rebirth.
To offer garland to the ka:was (crows) three days before as they are the messenger of the Chema,
Khyas (dogs) two days before as they are the seers of human soul and
finally korongbits (cows) on the
particular day as they are the saviors of human soul.
To crush khese? (Walnut: Regia juglans) at
the threshold of the house to prevent the Chema
from entering the house. Khese? signifies the head of Chema in Limboo mythology.
To enjoy and rejoice by visiting one house to another
throughout the country saying, “We did not come without any reason but Boli
Hang (Boli Raja) has ordered us to go from one house to another rejoicing and enjoying.”
He also instructed the girls, especially mangenas (sisters) to put white Tikphungs (Tikas) of rice grains on the
foreheads of their respective brothers and offer garlands in their necks every
year for their longevity and good fortune. According to Limboo mythology, the mangenas are saviors and protectors of yangsingo songwabas (brothers) against the misfortunes, depressions,
frustrations, sickness etc.
Since then the people of Limbuwan regarded Boli Hang
as Tyeongsi (incarnate) considering
his survival from his death as his rebirth. They composed
various songs and sang during annual festival of Boli Hang Tongnam with
the chorus ‘Pha?reo’ (meaning help him to survive) and Tye:ongsiro
(came back to life) some of them started dramatizing “laringeg” and “namlingeg” going house to house spreading the message of
Boli Hang’s survival.
But in 1770s, Nepal emerged as one of the powerful nation
under the regime of Prithivir Narayan Shah. Limbuwan which was independently ruled
over by the Limboo Chieftains called Theeb:ong
Yakthung had to come within the fold of Greater Nepal. This eventually led the
indigenous Limboo culture to get intermingle with Hindu culture of newly emerging
modern Nepal. As a result of this, indigenous Limboo festival, Boli Hang Tongnam too, got clubbed
with Laxmi Puja and words pha?reo and
Tye:ongsiro were metamorphosed to Bhailo and Deosurey. This is how Boli
Hang Tongnam of animist Limboos and Laxmi Puja of Hindus became two
different wines of one bottle, symbolizing cultural harmony today and playing
of Bhailo, deosuray and putting bhaitika have come into joyful practice
amongst the Hindus of Hilly areas and Limboo tribes. But on contrary, we find no
Hindus of the plain areas playing bhailo,
deosuray and putting bhaitika on
the same event of Laxmi Puja. This is one of the distinct features of Boli Hang Tongnam of animist Limboos and
Laxmi Puja of Hindus of hilly areas
which demarcates them of being the different wine of same bottle.
While retrospecting their ancient historical records
and the mythological aspect, the Limboos are found to be more tolerant,
compromising and peace loving in nature. From the example set by them down the
ages of their history and social way of life, one can learn as how, human as a
social being should have mutual respect and understanding for co-existence, social
harmony and emotional integration in this prismatic-sala-model society of the
modern world.
References:
Chemjong,I.S(2003),History
and Culture of Kirat People, Khanchan Printing Press, Bagbagar, Kathmandu (Fourth
Edition) .
Subba,JR,(1999), The Limboos of Eastern Himalayas with special reference to Sikkim, Ambica
Publication, New Delhi.
Gurung,
Gopal,(1985) Hidden Facts in Nepalese Politics, Putali Sadak, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Muringla,
BB (1991), Bolihang (play) of Pa:tila Sapsok (IX-X), Cyber Print,Gangtok.
Report
of the CRESP,(2009),IPR, Government of Sikkim, Kwality stores, Gangtok.
Sanyal,
Charu Chandra,(1979), The Limboo a North Eastern
Himalayan Kirat people,
Dipti Printing and Binding
works, Calcutta.
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