Sakela is celebrated twice a year; on the first full moon of May and December. According to Nepali calendar, they fall on Baisakh Purnima and Mangsir Purnima and are recognized officially as Unbhouli and Undhouli respectively.[break]
During Ubhouli, Kirantis celebrate the festival before they plant crops, for which they pray for the betterment of their crops and fulfillment of their future plans for prosperous life, whereas during Udhouli, celebrated today by the Kiranti community, they commemorate and worship the ancestors to ask for the permission to have the newly harvested food.
The term Sakela refers to shila, which means rocks in Nepali. Kirantis believe themselves to be nature worshipers; therefore, Sakela is celebrated to offer respect to tin chula (a special oven which is surrounded by three stones), harvest fields and water. Apart from that, it also symbolizes the worshipping Goddesses Paruhang and Sumnima.
Tin Chula, the traditional oven in Kiranti culture, has a great significance. Tin, meaning three in Nepali, symbolizes the three stones used in the oven, each stone carrying a distinct meaning and cultural significance. The first stone indicates the elder ancestors from the father’s side; the second one indicates the deities from mother’s side whereas the third represents the married daughters or sisters.
While celebrating Sakela, Kirantis believe that they need to pacify the three stones of the traditional oven. It is also believed that new crops of the season should not be used before they placate their ancestors or the traditional oven.
Keshab Thoker/the week file photo
There is also a belief in the Kiranti community that they must not be involved in tilling, planting or weeding in their field during this festival. Leaving home during the time of festival is also regarded as a bad omen.
Sakela is known in various forms by different communities of Kirantis. According to their varying dialects, the Koyee and Dumi call it Sakel, Chamling (Rodung) call it Sakela, Bantawas prefer Sakenwa, while Thulungs and Kulungs call it Toshi and Tosh respectively, Sun(u)war/Kõits refer it to as Phalsyandar, and Bunglawas prefer Sakkewa.
Non-Kirantis, however, refer to Sakela as Chandi Puja. Kirantis, on the other hand, do not prefer the term, which bears no linguistic as well as cultural significance in their community.
During this festival, Kirantis sing and dance encircling the Sakela shrine after the major shaman commemorates the ancestors by sprinkling arrack and the small pieces of ginger. People who refrain from singing and dancing on this occasion are believed to have faced some tragedy. Therefore, people are encouraged to participate in the festival. The music and dance is also regarded important as it is believed that doing so will please their deities and ancestors.
During the dance, people are required to follow unique steps one after another, which in the native term is known as sili. Similar to the preference of the name of the festival, silis, too vary according to different communities among the Kirantis. Very often, the nature, the animals within the community’s attitudes and social activities are reflected in their silis. These silis are of fast and slow beats with even drummers and the bronze cymbal players participating in the symphony of the silis.
Though there are differences in celebrating the festival within the Kiranti community, Sakela is important because it brings together all the Kirantis (Rai, Yakkha, Sun(u)war/Kõit). Though segregated in the present context, all of the Kirantis are regarded to have come from the same origin.
In earlier times, the silis were not performed by everyone. The priest would select eight males known as selemi and eight females known as mahasume from the community who would dance to the traditional beat encircling the shrine. But as the time progressed, all of the people in the community started to dance to the steps of sili.
Sili competitions are also conducted to attract younger generations to their native culture and tradition as most Kiranti cultures are on the verge of being extinct. Celebrating Sakela has become a way for the Kirantis to keep their cultural identity intact and preserve this intangible heritage of theirs.
The writer is a PhD student at T.U and can be reached at
raitaramani@yahoo.com
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