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Losoong / Namsoong
Festival
Losoong: Losoong marks the end of the harvest season and also the end of the tenth month of the Tibetan Year. Taking cue from a good harvest and praying for even better prospects for the next crop, the festival is marked by Chaam dancing's at the monasteries at Palace
(Tsu-La-Khang), Phodong and Rumtek.
The dances symbolize the exorcizing of the evil spirits of the year and the welcoming of the good spirit of the New Year. It is best observed in rural
Sikkim. Archery competitions and festivities mark the event. Men become gods during the dances and don attires with mystical symbols.
Traditionally, couple of minutes before the beginning of new year Bongthing, a lepch priest and Mun perform rituals by offering "Chi Fut" (alcoholic beverages) and at midnight the effigy of the demon king Laso Mung Punu is burnt. This process of celebration is called
LASO MUNTgYUT MAARLAVO TYANGONG SONAP in Lepcha.
At the time of creation the ITBU DEYBU RUM, the creator had created
Fodongthing (male) having eight Nungyoung and Nuzongnyue (female) having nine Nungyoung (outlet of human body) from a handful of snow of
Chyu Kongchen (Mt. Khangchendzonga) who are believe to be the earliest ancestors of Lepcha in
Ney Mayel Lyang. They were bestowed with full supernatural power and asked to live as brother and sister by; administrating of oath.
There is a existing practice ,in Lepcha "FO" (Yeast), "Chifut" and "Chibop" purposefully prepared for " Mut Faat" are not allowed to be seen or touched by females in fear of the
Nunglenyu. The chicken offered to Nunglenyu during Ute Mut Faat has to be eaten only by males and if left over, should have to be thrown away instead of being eaten by females.
So Numshimnyu and Numbomthing were brought up and inhabited in Mayel Lyang (the hidden paradise) as the second earliest ancestors of
Lepchas. Laso Mung Punu alongwith six other who were thrown away grew older and turned into demon and started taking revenge on
Numshirnnyu and Numbomthing, who they felt was discrimination done against them by their parents.
Laso Mung Punu who was the eldest among the discarded babies led the troubling activities.
The Lepchas had no alternative but to pray and seek help from Itbu Rum to save themselves from the demon. The folk tales of Talom ; Purtam of Daramden in West Sikkirn is also associated with this story in which section of Lepchas . built a ladder of earthen ware to go to Rum Lyang (heaven) to get rid of the demons.
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