Nwaangi (Chhonam) न्वांगी/ छोनाम 

 

Nwaangi festival is observed by Chepangs on the early september. According to Nepali calendar, the festival starts from 22nd Of Bhadra and lasts for a week or so. This festival is observed to offer newly harvested food to the spirits of the family (Pitri). The newly harvested food products will be elligible to be eaten only after some offerings have been made to Pitri. Chepangs do not usually eat any newly harvested food products before completing the Nwaangi rituals. Nwaangi is performed by faith healers (Dhaami- Male Healer/ Dhamini- Female Healer) in their own home. People visit traditional healer's home to observe this ritual. 

 

The festival is observed until late night and generally takes place in the house of a chepang Shaman called Paande. During the ceremony, the paande beats the drum and goes in to trance time and again. Similarly, the Paande also displays the power by eating fire, water or jump from the top of a tree etc. By the end of the ceremony, the Paande provides blessings and ties a sacred thread to those who participate in the festival.  

 

What items are required for this ritual? 

 

·         New mat (Chepang: lhaau) made from hay straws. 

·         Newly harvested ghaaiya rice  

·         Saandan's Leaf 

·         Titepaati 

·         Pukundro plant's Leaf 

·         Furwaa (A kind of architecture made from wood) 

·         A paathi of locally grown new grain 

·         Yam Root 

·         Locally grown fruits 

·         Rudraaksh Garland (Maala) 

·         Ritthaa Maala 

·         Ghongraa Maala 

·         Local alcohol 

·         Goat/ Pig or Chicken to kill if already promised (Bhaaakal)

 

 

Saaune Sakranti

Saaune Sakrati is the first festival of the year for the Chepangs. The festival is generally celeberated as a part of making offering to the dead spirits. People make a three staged offering ritual. The first stage offering consists of blood of a slaughtered bird or animal and uncooked rice. The second stage offering consists of uncooked meat and uncooked rice. And the third stage offering consists of cooked meat and cooked rice. The container named (Bohoto or Dunaa) is made of a single leaf of Bhalaayo tree held by stitching the leaf upside down. Such offering containers are placed in a junction of 4 roads. (Source: Interview)

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Namrung 

Namrung is possibly one of the oldest ritual of the Chepang people. It is a secret ritual that is done to honor the god of Hunting. This puja is on the verge of extinct as the government has made the hunting illegal in all parts of the country. 

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"Until a few years ago, have been the most important god for all Chepang. Namrung is the god of Hunting, and the only supernatural being belonging to the ethnic group who is known and revered by all pande and Chepang in general. Up until hunting was banned by a royal edict, the Chepang, who were considered to be the best hunters in the country, would beat through the jungles and forest almost every day armed with bows and arrows in their search for wild animals. Each expedition had to be guided by a pande who, before the hunt started, would make
offerings to Namrung, and ask him to send out the wild game. Namrung was and still is recognised today as being lord of all wild animals who he can hide at will if for some reason he is angry at humans, or even hunt himself for other divinities living at other cosmic levels." (Riboli, 2000)

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The Feared Myth 

If the Healer does not perform the Nwaangi ritual properly, it is believed that the dead spirit would come out of their grave and make trouble to the villagers. Unlike hindu practice, after the death of a Chepang, the dead body is buried in the ground. It is believed that if the Nwaangi ritual is not practiced properly or if some alterations in the procedure are made, the dead body will come out of its grave as a Tigerthrough the hole that is made through the grave. Hence, those people who had their relatives dead recently, check the grave for possible holes after the Nwaangi ritual is completed. If a hole is seen on the grave, it is feared that the dead spirit has left the grave and shall make troubles in the village. Some people report that they have seen a cat like animal in their homes and kitchen and suspect that animal to be a Tiger that has just released itself from the grave of a dead Chepang.  (Source: Interview)