Udhauli Parva is an annual festival celebrated by the Kirat community to express their gratitude towards nature for providing them with a bountiful harvest.
According to the Mundhum, the holy book of Kirats, there are two phases in one year that are Ubhauli and Udhauli. And the Udhauli is a combination of the words Udho and Auli, which means downward. It falls on the month of Mangsir on the full moon night, when people from the hills migrate to the lower regions to avoid the harsh winters of the Himalayas. These communities remain in the lowlands until Ubhauli arrives in the summer when they return to their homes. This is also known as “Sakela” where the Kirati people perform “Bhumi Puja” for the harvest of the land.
Udhauli Parva is based on the Kirat mythology of a sun god (Paruhang) falling in love with the earth god (Sumnima). Paruhang proposed to Sumnima with a beautiful comb, which she accepted. After that the heavens and the earth were joined in marriage and lived happily until one day, Paruhang vanished without a trace. She became depressed and looked for her husband everywhere but couldn’t find him. One day while searching for food in the forest to feed her children, she found a creeper plant that would give her power, happiness, strength, and the urge to speak the truth if she ate it. As a result, she transformed the plant into a Buti (traditional talisman) that people could wear, assisting many people in finding peace and happiness in their lives. After several days, Paruhang returned home and briefed Sumnina that he had been meditating in the Himalayas, promising her that he would not leave again and expressing his love for his beloved wife and children. By hearing this, Sumnina danced for joy. This dance is now known as the “Sakela'' dance and is performed at the festival. Nowadays, young girls and boys perform this dance to find love, similar to the love story of Paruhang and Sumnima.
The festival begins with Chula puja (a fireplace exclusively kept for the kul) performed by Kirati Rai priest Nakchhong. After Chula puja, Nakchhong performs a sacrificial rite (usually with chicken) over a sacred site known as “Sakela Thaan”, which is usually located under a sacred tree. The Nakchhong marks the end of puja by starting the dance himself or herself. After this, the celebratory Sakela Naach begins. It is performed by dancing harmoniously in a circle to the beat of Dhol/Drum, Jhyamta/Cymbals, Baja, etc. There are male and female leaders in each circle known as Silimangpa and Silimangma respectively. All the dancers follow the lead of the lead dancer which is called Sili.
The Kirati women wear ethnic guneu,called chhit ko guneu, ordaining their traditional jewelers like shir phol, sirbandi, chimpti, jun clip, phuli, bulaki, tilahari, pote, chandrahar, etc. Similarly, the men dress in traditional attire like Daura Surwal with pheta (white cloth turban) on their heads, some adorned with feathers, and traditional weapons such as khukuri and bow and arrow.
The Kirati people celebrate this joyous and happy festival by welcoming all of their friends and families and serving a variety of delicious dishes and drinks.
Penned By: Utsav Pun
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