Kirant Mundhum
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Kirant Mundhum (also Kiranti Mundhum) is the religion of the Kirant peoples of Nepal.[1] The practice is also known as "Kirant Veda"[2], "Kirat Veda" [3], or "Kirat-Ko Veda"[4] (or "Kirat Koved"[5].) According to some scholars such as Tom Woodhatch, it is a blend of Animism,Ancestor worshipping and Saivite Hinduism.[6] It is practiced by about 3.6% of the Nepali population[7]. Before it was recognized as a religion on the Nepali census, 36% of the Kiranti population followed the Kirant religion, but when it was recognized it increased to 73.9%, creating a 157% increase in the Nepali Kirantis[8].
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[edit] Mundhum or Veda
Mundhum or Veda (also known as Peylan) is the religious scripture and folk literature of the Kirat people of Nepal, central to Kirat Mundhum. Mundhum means "the power of great strength" in the Kiranti languages.[9] The Mundhum covers many aspects of the Kirant culture, customs and traditions that have existed before Vedic civilisation in South Asia. [10][11][12][13]
Mundhum is organised into two parts — Thungsap and Peysap.[14] The Mundhum extends beyond religion, serving as a guide for culture, ritual and social values. Mundhum is written in ancient Kiranti languages and versions vary amongst the various Kirat tribes, serving as each tribe's distinctive culture and framing their social identity and unity in relation to other tribes and peoples.[15]
The Mundhum is divided into two parts. The first is called the Thungsap Mundhum and the second is called the Peysap Mundhum. The Thungsap Mundhum is the original part and was originally passed down orally prior to the art of writing. It is referred to as the oral Mundhum in books. It was an epic recited in songs by the learned Sambas or poets. The Kirat priests in the beginning were called the Sambas where, Sam means song and, Ba means the one who (male) knows the Song or Sam. The Peysap Mundhum is a written book about religion. It is divided into four parts. They are the Soksok Mundhum, Yehang Mundhum, Sapji Mundhum and Sap Mundhum. The Soksok Mundhum contains the stories of creation of the universe, the beginning of mankind, the cause and effect of the sins, the creation of evil spirits, such as the evil spirits of Envy, Jealousy and Anger and the cause and effect of death in childhood.
[edit] Thungsap Mundhum
The Thungsap Mundhum was collected, preserved and passed on by word of mouth and folklore until the art of writing was introduced.[14] It was an epic composed and recited in the form of songs by Sambas, or religious poets and bards. The Kirat priests in the beginning were called the Sambas where Sam means song and Ba means the one (male) who knows the Sam.[14]
[edit] Peysap Mundhum
The Peysap Mundhum is a written book about religion. It is divided into four parts — the Soksok Mundhum, Yehang Mundhum, Sapji Mundhum and Sap Mundhum.[14] The Soksok Mundhum contains the stories of creation of the universe, the beginning of mankind, the cause and effect of the sins, the creation of evil spirits, such as the evil spirits of envy, jealousy and anger and the cause and effect of death in childhood.
The Yehang Mundhum contains the story of the first leader of mankind who made laws for the sake of improvement of human beings from the stage of animal life to the enlightened life and ways to control them by giving philosophy on spiritualism. In this book, the leader has made rules for marriage, arbitration, purification and religion.[14] The story of destruction of human beings by deluge and the cause of existence of many languages among the Kirat people, the social customs of seasonal worship to the worship of God, the rules of purification on child birth and death are mentioned in the Lepmuhang Mundhum.[14]
As the Kirat people in the beginning were rationalistic idolaters, they neither had temples, altars nor images, conceiving that none of these was necessary, but that the God resided in light and fire.[14] Hence, they worshiped spirits whom they believe to be the residents of fire and the sun. So according to Sapji Mundhum, the spirits are of two classes: the Good Spirit and the Bad Spirit.
- The Good Spirit
- The Bad Spirit
- The Inspiring Spirit
- The Tantric Feat in Kirat Mundhum
- The Spirit of Envy and Jealousy[14]
Mundhum is a spiritual, rhythmic and shamanic form of scripture. Mundhum rituals and teachings are only used and performed by a Kirat religious master or shamanic guru of Kirant.
The Yehang Mundhum contains the story of the first leader of mankind who made laws for the sake of improvement of human beings from the stage of animal life to the enlightened life and ways to control them by giving philosophy on spiritualism. In this book, the leader has made rules for marriage, arbitration, purification and religion. The story of destruction of human beings by deluge and the cause of existence of many languages among the Kirat people, the social customs of seasonal worship to the worship of God, the rules of purification on child birth and death are mentioned in the Lepmuhang Mundhum.
[edit] Practices
Kirats believe in Shamanism and their rituals are mostly related to worshiping of mother nature and ancestor. Almost all sacred rituals are performed by nakchong, the kirat priest.
Their supreme deity "Tagera Nyingmaphuma" is personified as Lord Shiva.[16]
[edit] Festivals
Sakela is the main festival of Kirat which is celebrated twice a year distinguished by two names Ubhauli and Udhauli. Sakela Ubhauli is celebrated during Baisakh Purnima (full moon day in the month of Baishak) and Sakela Udhauli is celebrated during the full moon day in the month of Mangshir. Sakela celebration is the prayer to Goddess of Nature for good crops and protection from natural calamities
Tihar is another festival that was added first in the Veda. It is also known as Deepavali and Lakshmi Puja.[17] During this festival
Shravan is another festival.
[edit] References
- ^ final layout pdf.p65
- ^ P. 56 Kiratese at a Glance By Gopal Man Tandukar
- ^ P. xxv A Grammar of Limbu By George van Driem
- ^ Problems of Modern Indian Literature by Statistical Pub. Society: distributor, K. P. Bagchi
- ^ P. 323 Kiratas in Ancient India By G. P. Singh, Dhaneswar Kalita, V Sudarsen, M A Kalam
- ^ P. 535 Nepal By Tom Woodhatch
- ^ http://www.cbs.gov.np/Nepal%20in%20figure/nepal%20in%20figures%202006.pdf
- ^ final layout pdf.p65
- ^ Hardman, Charlotte E. (December 2000). in John Gledhill, Barbara Bender, and Bruce Kapferer (eds.): Other Worlds: Notions of Self and Emotion among the Lohorung Rai. Berg Publishers, 104–. ISBN 9781859731505.
- ^ Dor Bahadur Bista (1991). Fatalism and Development: Nepal's Struggle for Modernization. Orient Longman, 15-17. ISBN 8125001883.
- ^ Cemjoṅga, Īmāna Siṃha (2003). History and Culture of the Kirat People. Kirat Yakthung Chumlung, 2-7. ISBN 9993380911.
- ^ Cultures & people of Darjeeling
- ^ Gurung, Harka B. (2003). Trident and Thunderbolt: Cultural Dynamics in Nepalese Politics. Nepal: Social Science Baha. ISBN 9993343447. OCLC 57068666.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Cemjoṅga, Īmāna Siṃha (2003). History and Culture of the Kirat People. Kirat Yakthung Chumlung. ISBN 9993380911.
- ^ Monika Bock, Aparna Rao. Culture, Creation, and Procreation: Concepts of Kinship in South Asian Practice. Page 65. 2000, Berghahn Books.
- ^ P. 107 Politics of Culture:A study of three Kirata communities in the Eastern Himalayas by T.B. Subba
- ^ P. 108 Politics of Culture:A study of three Kirata communities in the Eastern Himalayas by T.B. Subba
