The Kirat Paddy Dance of Limbuwan

The Agricultural dance of Limbuwan is called the Ya-Rakma or Paddy dance or Dhannach in the Nepali language. Ya means paddy and rakma means to trample. So Ya-Rakma means to trample paddy with a view to separate the grains or paddy from its ears.

Introduction of Paddy Dance

In the early times, people cultivated land and sowed crops and when the crops became ready for harvest, they cut them down into bundles and trampled the ears of the crops or threshed the hay and dried the paddy plants with their arms and brought the corn home. When they knew that one man was needed for threshing one bundle of crops, they experimented in threshing ten bundles of crops by ten men at the same time. When they were successful in threshing corn in a better and a quicker way, at that time, an old man Shorokpa proposed them to work in the field in a dancing manner. He first of all introduced the system of planting paddy in a dry field. He arranged a dozen young boys to stand in a line at one corner of a prepared flat field holding cross sticks making opposite angles of about 20 degrees in their hands. He then asked a dozen young girls to stand behind the boys with a bag of corn seed to be dropped into the holes made by the young boys. Now, when the old man started singing and marching before them, the whole line of boys and girls
marched after him singing, making holes and dropping seeds into the holes according to the rhythm of the song. In such manner, the young boys and girls were also encouraged to work in the fields.
When the paddy became ready for harvest, the old man instructed them to cut and dry the paddy in the sun for some days. He then, instructed them to hold their hands side by side and tread over the hay three times and raise their left feet together. He again instructed them to trample the hay three times and raise their right feet together. Thus, they turned back and forth together for four or five times and threshed the entire bundle of paddy with their feet. Later on, the same system of threshing paddy with their feet became the famous Paddy-dance or Ya-rakma. After the death of that old man, people named this Paddy-dance the, “(Ku)Shorokpa-dance.”
As the Ke-Lang, the Paddy-dance differs from district to district. There are all together ten districts in Limbuwan, so there are at least ten different kinds of Paddy-Dance. The famous dances are known by the name of Panchtharey, Tamrangey, Siridhakpey, Phedappey, Chhotharey, Chaobisey, Athabrey, Lapchey and Tambarkholey.
This agricultural dance is practised in the winter season when the paddy becomes ready for harvest. A small round flat land in some part of the paddy field is chosen, the sods are removed, washed, plastered with cow-dung and made smooth and clear. Then paddy with its hay will be heaped in one corner of the prepared floor. After some days when it is time for threshing, the owner of the paddy field invites men and women to work and dance.
During the day time, they thresh the bundles of paddy with their arms and deposit the hay with the remaining paddy in one corner of the floor. At night when the dancers assemble, the workers spread some amount of hay in the middle of the floor and allow them to dance over the hay. They dance in a circle holding one another's hand. The workers will keep on changing the old hay for the new one as the dance continues.

THE AGRARIAN LAW OF THE KIRAT LIMBUS

1. After the clearing of a forest, one day should be observed as the day of worship to God for His blessing. No one should work in the new field. Any person violating this rule will suffer a heavy loss when he goes to work in the fields.
2. The Kirat system of the counting year begins from the month of February, so the first roar of Thunder in that month should be regarded as the sign of the beginning of rainy season, No cultivator, therefore, should work for four days in the field. They should sacrifice birds and animals to God and pray to Him for His blessings for the timely rain and sun for the good production or harvest in their fields.
3. When the first storm blows, no cultivator should work in the field for four days. They should fast and pray to God for the good protection of their lives and crops from the bad storms.
4. The first rainfall in the year should also be observed for four days. No cultivator should work in the field. They should fast and pray to God for His good guidance in giving rain according to their needs of the cultivation.
5. A special day of worship should be observed for the hailstorm; because the accumulation of the hailstorm makes the field very damp and if a cultivator works in such a condition his crops will not be fruitful. All the cultivators should pray to God for the protection of their crops from the damages of hailstorm.
6. The first fog which covers the ground should also be observed for one day. No cultivator should work on that day.
7. The first thunderbolt should also be observed; a failure to do so will result in great damages. God should be prayed for His protection from the harmful thunderbolt.
8. When a man buys a slave or a horse, he should not work in the fields on that day. If he does not observe it, then either his slave's or his horse's leg will be broken.
9. The day of marriage should be observed. No one should work in the field on that day. They should join the marriage party and bless the new couple for their long lives and good prosperity in their new house.
10. When there is a birth of a child, one day should be observed for fastings and prayers should be offered to God for his safety. No one should work in the fields on that day.
11. When a domestic animal bears a calf or kid or pig, one day should be observed and no work should be done in the fields.
Thus, with these rules and regulations, the descendents of the Ten Limbus ruled their districts for many years. Their trade connections with India were at Rungpur and Dinajpur of North Bengal and those with Tibet were at Sigarchi and Pharijong. Their exports included Chirayta, Majito, Musk hide and Medicine herbs.

Likewise, they imported salt, coral beads, kerosene oil, glass ornaments and woolen clothes.

Source: Kirat Itihas By Imansing Chemjong.

SAMYOK-LUNG THIM (Confession and Reception)

When the members of the representatives of the Ten Limbus or Ten Districts Assembly, the priest should recite the Mundhum saying that in the beginning, the Kirat family used to be called the Devas or the Enlightened family. When they were living in a place called Muna Temple, they multiplied and increased to such a great number that their leader ordered them that their number should be put into census. He further ordered them that; every member of their family should bring forth a stone for the counting of their numbers and out of the deposition of the stones they brought, and a memorial tower would be built. Accordingly, the task of census was completed and in commemoration of the census, they built a high tower. But the heap of stones was so big that the construction of that tower reached a height so high in the sky that its top could not be seen from the ground, neither could the bottom of the tower could be seen from its top. But the construction work went on.
But all of a sudden their language got confused. Nobody understood the language of each other. They got annoyed and began to quarrel with one another. The tower fell and most of them perished under the debris of the falling tower. The survivors also could not live in peace. They went on fighting. So one of the leaders, Papa Hang by name separated his group from the rest and brought them towards the east. His group reached the Himalayan terai in six months.
After the death of Papo Hang, Nam dyu and Nam di Hang became the leaders. These two leaders called a meeting of their people and said, "You belong to the Deva family, but on account of the quarrel between brothers, you had to be separated from them and you have come to such a far away country. Now, you should not fight any longer. You should unite together and go on increasing number of your family like countless numbers of sand and pebbles or the numerous stars of the sky. You should prosper and grow like samyok grass which grows everywhere on earth. If any member of your family appears to be lost, let ten more members be increased. If anyone of you have to be separated from your fold for the cause of some bad conduct or ill behavior among yourselves, let him be given a chance for repentance, confession and your acceptance in your fold again. You should receive them by making the culprits touch Samyok grass and stone three times and confess their misdeeds before the assembly because it is better to have a larger number than a smaller and union is better than separation. If any one of you, therefore, is found doing mischief in the villages, he should be punished according to the law by keeping him aloof from his family fold for many days. If he repents and confesses his fault before the assembly then a meeting should be held. A long stone should be erected; the man's name should be inscribed on it; a handful of green samyok grass should be kept at the top of the erected stone along with a coin worth one rupee. At the bottom of the erected stone, a sum of rupees thirty as a fine for his misdeeds should be kept. The culprit should be made to stand by the side of the stone and the samyok grass in front of the assembly.

The Priest (addressing the gentlemen present):
"Listen yea gentlemen! This man of such and such name, son of such and such person, a resident of such and such village, has committed such and such crime in this village and therefore, he has been kept under custody for so many days. Now, he wants to repent and confess his fault before you gentlemen, in front of this stone and samyok grass erected in his name. He has deposited thirty rupees as a general fine for his mischief. Will you then pardon him? (In a loud voice)

KIRAT CULTURE, The Chokphung Thim

Adoption of Nationality
If a person desired to be a member of Kirat race by giving up his old relatives and expressed his sincere desire of being so, then he should choose a faithful man of a certain caste of the Kirat race. He should then talk to that particular man and express his view of wanting to be a member of his own blood and request him to accept him as one of the members of his family. Having heard the sincere desire of that man, if that particular man of the Kirat race wishes to accept him as his own brother of the same blood, then he should inform the same news to all the Ten Limbus, who would send their representatives to their assembly. The assembly would be held in the house of that particular man who makes every arrangement for the meeting. An arrangement of a feast in honour of the conversion of such person should also be made. The tribal priest should attend the function.
When all the representatives from ten different districts have assembled, the man who has come from different class but now would want to be a Kirati, having washed and worn a new costume should sit by the side of his would be father or brother with folded hands, just in front of the assembly.
The Priest addresses the assembly and says in a loud voice, "Listen yea gentlemen! In the olden days our forefathers had blessed us saying, you children will be increased and multiplied more than the stars of the sky and more than the sand of the sea. They will grow and prosper like, ’samyok’ grass which remains green throughout the whole year in every part of the earth. If a member of your children disappears, let ten more members grow in number. If anyone of your members is separated from the rest, let him be allowed to rejoin his group. If any member of any other nationality or race or tribe or family or cast or creed desires to join your family, let him be accepted among your children as members of the same fold. Because, it is better to gain than to lose; it is better to be more than few in number; it is better to increase children than to decrease."
"Therefore, today also, in accordance with the old system of the adoption of nationality of the Ten Limbus, this man of such and such name of such and such nationality or race or tribe or caste or family of such and such country or district or village is requesting you, that, he is going to make such and such person of such and such name and nationality or race or tribe or caste or family of such and such country or district or village? Will you accept this new member in your community?"
The Assembly (replies in a loud voice) :
“Yes! yes! We will agree to this decision. We will accept this new man in our community and treat him as one of us. We all follow the customs and rules adopted by our forefathers.”
“Therefore, from today onwards, this new man of such and such name and nationality or race or tribe or caste or family of such and such country or district or village, though a stranger to us, has become a member of the family of such and such man of such and such caste or tribe or race of Limbu nationality of such and such country or district or village. Now, this man has become a member of the Limbu community of such and such clan of Kirat nationality of such and such village of such and such district of the Limbuwan State of the Kirat country. Henceforth, this new man will not be counted as stranger. He should be called a relative of such and such man of Limbu caste of the great Kirat nation of such and such village of such and such district of Kirat land. We have accepted him in our Limbu community.”
The Priest: (addressing to the newly converted person)
"If it is so, then you, though belonged to such and such caste or tribe or race or nationality of such and such village or district or country have been accepted in Limbu community of such and such clan of such and such family of such and such village or district or country by the gentlemen present here today."
"Therefore, from today, you have become a member of the Limbu community and a relative of such and such person. You have become his blood brother. You should not think ill of your blood brother. You no longer belong to your old caste or race or tribe."
The Priest then orders him to bow down before all the members of the assembly. The newly adopted brother also bows down to his new father or brother and his families. Depending on the age factor, he bows before the people who are elder to him.
The assembly then keeps the record of the decision of such conversion under the signature of the gentlemen present as witnesses. They resolved and fixed a certain amount of fine to those who talk ill against such converted person.

THE REPUBLICAN SYSTEM OF THE KIRAT GOVERNMENT

The Administrative Policy
1. That, no chief is liable to take any initiative in the matter of external affairs of the federal government without the consultation of the Ten Limbus.
2. In order to make the country stronger by strengthening manpower, the Ten Limbus decided to convert any caste or creed of their subject into the Limbu race and to treat them equally as their own brothers. This rule of conversion is called the Chokphung Thim.
3. When the Ten Limbus conquer any land either in Tibet or in India, all the war prisoners of such conquered land should be deported to Limbuwan and should be converted into the Limbu race according to the Limbu rule of Chokphung Thim.
4. The land, thus vacated by deportation should be occupied by the children of the Ten Limbus.
5. If a member of a Limbu family commits an offense which separates from the rest of his family, then he should be accepted again in his family by performing a function of purification of Samyok Lung Thim.
6. The children of a Limbu either from a Tibetan woman or an Indian woman should be reckoned as the legal issue and should be allowed to inherit his father's property, provided the children of such connection be recognized by a body of meeting represented by members of the Ten Limbus.
7. The sons of a Limbu family when reach the age of 12 years must learn the art of archery.
8. Every house of a Limbu must give one of his sons to serve the State as a soldier when he reaches the age of 18. His name should be enlisted as Thoksuba.
9. When the number of Thoksubas in a village reaches 300, it must have a Thokpeba or a leader to command the Thoksubas.
10. There should be one Thoktumba to command over five Thokpebas. They should always be ready for any kind of emergency.
11. A Thoktumba is liable to get a big plot of land from the king for the maintenance of all the military officers and soldiers.
12. The Thoktumba should keep a piece of land for his requirement and distribute the rest to his junior officers and soldiers.
13. The Thoktumba is empowered to keep or remove any officer or soldier from such military service.
14. One tenth part of the income of a land should be paid to the king as land revenue.
15. A Hang-Chumlung or King Council should be composed of the Hang, the Tumyang, the Thoktumba and two elderly men known as Pasing and Padang to represent the layman.
16. A murderer should be given a death penalty.
17. A thief's hand should be dipped into boiling water.
18. A mischievous person should be asked to confess his fault before the place of worship.
19. A man who breaks his blood relation should be enslaved and sold.
20. A man who breaks his mother's relation should be expelled from the village and kept in a cave.

Birth of the proud name Limbu

After the partition of this Kirat Land of Limbuwan into ten districts, the representatives of the Ten Leaders of Shan Mokwan people again assembled in a meeting at their holy place Ambe pojoma, discussed and decided to name their nationality. Accordingly, they resolved and changed the Name of Shan Mokwan into Yakha-Thumba or Limbu. The Ten Leaders or Chiefs became Ten Limbus and the word Yakhathumba was retained as the new name for the race. Thus, the Ten Limbus became the administrators of the entire Yakhathumba race. They further resolved to convert all the old Kirat people into this new race of Yakhathumbas.66 Thus, the old Kirat people adopted this new name and became Yakhathumbas. Later on, when the Ten Limbus lost their power of administration, all the Yakhathumbas began to call themselves Limbus.
The Ten Limbus ruled their districts according to the law they made in their assembly, the centre place of which was at Ambepo joma of the Pheden fort of Panchthar district, of which Ye-Nga-So Papo Hang was the King. Yakhathumba means more stronger people than Yakha Kirat people.

Emergence of the name “Limbuwan”

After the final resolution for the revolution, the leaders of Shan Monkwan people challenged their rulers in the battle field. The eight Kirat chiefs raised their troops and ordered them to massacre all the people of the villages occupied by the children of Shan Mokwan people and annihilate them. Thus, they declared war with the Shan Mokwan people of their own land. A great war broke out and the Shan Mokwan people also fought very bravely. In every village, the Shan Mokwan people gained victory over their kings and drove them away from their lands. Some of the kings were slain in the battle and some left their native place and fled away to other countries. The Shan Mokwan people then seized the country as their own.
After their victory, then assembled at their holy place, consulted and fixed the boundaries of the conquered land. They fixed the northern boundary in Tibet; the southern boundary in the Indian plain at Jalal Garh near Purnea; the eastern boundary at river Teesta and the western boundary at river Dudkoshi. They further held a meeting at the holy place of Ambe pojoma, discussed, consulted and decided to name the Kirat land by the name of, “Limbuwan.” They further discussed whether the Kirat land of Limbuwan should be ruled by one or more elected kings of the children of Shan-Mokwan people. They decided that since the land was conquered by the unity of the children of Ten Leaders of Shan-Mokwan people, the Ten Chiefs be elected from among the children of the Ten separate Leaders. They also decided to divide the conquered land into ten districts with each Chief as the ruler of his district.
Thus, according to the resolution of their meeting, they elected Ten Chiefs or Hangs, divided the Kirat land of Limbuwan into ten districts and placed each Chief or Hang in each district in the following manner. Each of the Chiefs or Hangs also built his fort and fixed the boundaries of his district.
They divided the land in the following ways:
1. Samlupi Samba Hang was elected King of Tambar district who built the Tambar fort. He ruled his district occupied by Phenduwa, Patlungwa, Potangwa, Tawa, Bantawa, Paksongwa, Labung, Samsingbung, and other tribes.
2. Sisiyen Shering Hang was elected King of Mewa and Maiwa districts. Formerly the Maiwa state was a separate district, but after the war it was combined with the Mewa district. The king of this district built his fort at Meringden and these districts were occupied with people belonging to the Shering Chongbang, Libang, Fago, Nugo, Nalbo, Tholong, Samba and other tribes.
3. Thoktokso Angbo Hang was elected King of Athrai district. Formerly this district was a part of Phedap district. But because it was a very big district, it was made separate from Phedap district and placed under a separate King. He built his fort at Poma Jong and ruled Angbo Hang, Kondongwa, Ingnamphen, Yokshoba, Sendang, Poma, Loktam and Iwa and other tribes.
4. Thindolung Khokya Hang was elected King of the Yangwarok district. He built his fort at Hastapur and ruled Mabo, Thebe, Loksom, Setling, Tamling, Saling, Kambang and other tribes.
5. Yengaso Papo Hang was elected King of Panchthar district. He built his fort at Yashok and Pheden. This district was occupied with people belonging to the Tumbapo, Tumrok, Angdembe, Shermali, Songbangphe, Kurungbang, Nembang, Thegim, Makhim, Lauti, Miyong and other tribes. He fixed his southern boundary at river Samba wa and not as the present Na wa.
6. Shengsengum Phedap Hang was elected King of Phedap district, who built his fort at Poklabang and ruled Pongyangu, Ningleku, Songbangphe, Pangen Hang, Kawepung, Phombo, Chongbang and other tribes.
7. Mung Tai Chi Emey Hang was elected King of Elam(Ilam) Phakphok or CharKhola district who ruled Rong or Lapcha, Lingdom, Loktam, Photro, Patrey, Songmi, Rongong, Kabo, Taknel, Mechi, Guling, Sangpheng, Sangut, Yongyahang and other tribes. He built his fort at Angdang and Ilam.
8. Soiyak Lado Hang was elected King of Chaubis or Bodhey district who ruled over Chemjong, Songyok, Vaji or Waji, Tharu, Dhimal, Koche and other tribes. He built his fort at Shanguri and fixed his northern and southern boundaries in Samba wa and Jalal Garh near Purnea.
9. Tappeso Perung Hang was elected King of Terah Thum district. This district was also included in Phedap district in former days. But after the third revolution of the Kirat People, this district was separated and placed under a separate King who
built his fort at Thala and ruled Tumbangphe, Sodemba, Teyungba, Phedop, Kobyak and other tribes.
10. Taklung Khewa Hang was elected King of the Chhethar district. The western boundary of this district in those days extended till the river Dud Koshi. He built his Chamling Chimling fort at Khotang and ruled Maden, Tumba, Chongbang, Tegla, Mangyak, Anglabang, Chamling and other Khambongba Kirat tribes.