 Kirati Shamans healing status inBanjhakri Falls Sikkim | |
| Founder | |
|---|---|
| Rulers ofKirat Dynasty | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Nepal •  India •  Bhutan | |
| Nepal: | 924,204 (2021)[1] |
| India | Unknown |
| Bhutan | Unknown |
| Religions | |
| Religious Division of Kiratism (Animism,Shamanism) •Nature worship andAncestor worship •Satyahangma tradition ofMahaguru Phalgunanda | |
Kirat Mundhum, (Nepali: किरात मुन्धुम) also known asKiratism, orKirati Mundhum, is a traditional belief of theKirati ethnic groups ofNepal,Darjeeling andSikkim, majorly practiced by Limbu people| Limbu, Yakkha people| Yakkha]],Sunuwar,Rai,Dhimal andHayu peoples in the north-easternIndian subcontinent.[2] The practice is also known asKirat Veda,[3][4]Kirat-Ko Veda[5] orKirat Ko Ved.[6] According to some scholars, such as Tom Woodhatch, it is a blend ofshamanism,animism (e.g.,ancestor worship ofYuma Sammang/Tagera Ningwaphumang and Paruhang/Sumnima),[7] andShaivism.[8] It is practiced by about 3.17% of theNepali population as of 2021.[9]
It has the religiousscripture and folk literature of theKirat people of Nepal andIndia. All four KiratsKhambu (Rai),Limbu (Subba),Sunuwar (Mukhia) andYakkha (Dewan) have slightly differentreligious texts. Religious texts means the power of great strengthMundhum in theLimbu language,[10] Mewahang call itmuddum, Yakka asmintum, Sunuwar asmukdum among Kulung asridum Bantawa asMundum and Chamling asmudum.[11][12][13] It covers many aspects of the Kirat culture, customs and traditions that existed beforeVedic period in theancient Indian subcontinent.[14][15][16][17]
The religious texts for each tribe consists of customs, habits, rituals, traditions, and myths passed down from the Kirati tribe's ancestors. Religious texts serve, in a way, as customary laws which guide Kirats in their daily lives.[18] Their religious texts also distinguishes each Kiranti tribe from other Kirati and non-Kiratis as well.[18]
Kirants practiceshamanism and their rituals are mostly related to the worship ofMother Nature, ancestors, the Sun, the Moon, wind, fire and the main pillar of the house. Almost all sacred rituals in Rai are performed byNakchhong, Mangpa/Bijuwa/the Rai tribal priest. Similarly, theLimbus have phɛdɑŋmɑ/bɑ, yɛbɑ/mɑ, sɑmbɑ/mɑ[definition needed] to perform rituals accordingly. Rai's supreme deity is Sumnima. Sumnima is a female goddess which is believed to be the Mother Earth (Mother Nature) andParuhang is a male god also known as theSky God. The Limbus's supreme deityTagera Ningwaphuma: tɑgɛrɑ niŋwɑphumɑ is personified asYuma Sammang as female and Theba Sammang as male in earthly form. Some Limbus have their own distinct form of worship known asYuma Sammang is mother goddess of all the Limbus, their follower are Yumaism; they venerate asupreme goddess.
All four Kirants celebrate some similar and different festivals throughout the year. Some common festivals areUdhauli,Ubhauli and New yearYele Sambat (Maghe Sankranti).
Sakela is the main festival of KiratKhambu Rai. In this festival, they worship mother nature and their ancestors, who are believed to be staying in their Chulla. A Chulla is a fireplace of three stones in the garden, with each stone having a unique meaning. This festival is celebrated twice a year and is distinguished by two names Ubhauli and Udhauli.Sakela Ubhauli is celebrated duringBaisakh Purnima (full moon day, which lies in the month ofBaisakh in calendars of the Indian subcontinent) andSakela. Udhauli is celebrated during the full moon day in the month ofMangsir. In Ubhauli they pray for the goodness of their family, good weather for cultivation; in Udhauli they thank mother nature and their ancestors for their blessings and good harvest.
Newars Celebrate Yenna, andIndrajatra and other festivals of the Valley, relating to Yalamaber,Yela,Khopa,Ye.
In both Ubhauli and Udhauli, they sacrifice a rooster and offerginger, rice, homemade alcohol, and tree resin (resin is put in the burning coal for fragrance) as worship, they also conduct a Sakela dance. In this dance, they perform all of their daily life activities such as planting rice, harvesting etc. During the dance the will also copy the behavior of animals and birds which are part of their day-to-day life. The Limbu Kirant celebrates UdhauliChasok Tangnam on the day of Mangshir Purnima and Ubhauli (Yokwa Tongnam) in the month of Baisakh. Other Kirants (Yakkha and Sunuwars) also celebrate in their own way.
Sakela Sili is observed twice a year in the month of Baisakh Purnima and Mangsir Purnima, namely Ubhauli (going up) and Udhauli (coming down), indicating the migration pattern of the birds named Karyangkurung respectively. A Nakchhong performs the sacrificial offering, chula puja and other rituals in the Sakela Than. The dance is then led by a Silimappa and Silimamma and the Kirat community people come together in their traditional attire to form a circle and sing and dance together to the beats and rhythms of drums (Dhol) and cymbals (Jhyamta) enacting their daily life activities as well as mimicking different animals and birds. The sili or the dance moves reflect different aspects of human life and their relationship with nature.
Kiratis worship nature; therefore, Sakela Puja also known as Bhumi Puja is a prayer to Mother Nature. During Ubhauli, Kiratis worship Mother Nature for good crops and protection from natural calamities during the time of cultivation and farming. Likewise, Kiratis offer their gratitude and thanks to Mother Nature during Udhauli (harvesting time) for bestowing them with good crops.[19]
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