Chasok Tangnam is a significant festive ceremony of the Yakthung Limbu community, deeply rooted in their cultural practices and beliefs. This ceremony revolves around the essential rite of offering new food grains and cereals to the deities, symbolizing gratitude for the sustenance provided by the land. It holds immense importance in the agricultural calendar as it is observed before the harvest season, signifying a moment of anticipation and reverence for the bountiful crops that are about to be reaped. Commonly referred to as the pre-harvesting festival, Chasok Tangnam traditionally falls on the full moon day of Mangsir, which corresponds to the eighth month of the Nepali calendar, typically around the end of November in the Gregorian calendar.
According to the folklore surrounding Chasok Tangnam, the origin of this festival is intertwined with a compelling tale that highlights the transformative power of agriculture and communal sharing. Long ago, the Yakthung Limbu people subsisted on uncooked yams, roots, and other basic food resources, lacking cereals and vegetables due to their primitive living conditions. This resulted in various health issues and deficiencies among the community, stemming from under-nutrition and the consumption of uncleansed food items. Witnessing the plight of his people, Tagera Nigwaphu Mang intervened by providing them with seeds of essential crops like rice, millet, and barley during the era of Yethang, the revered ancestor of the Yakthung Limbus.
One of the central figures in this legend, Sibera Yekthumma Sibera Yabhunggrekma, the sister of Yethang, played a pivotal role in cultivating these newly acquired seeds. With sheer determination and ingenuity, she sowed the takmaru, parama, kyabo grains, and guided her kin on the art of cooking using fire, a skill that was previously unknown to them. As a result, the community experienced a dramatic shift in their well-being, overcoming ailments such as vomiting blood, diarrhea, marasmus, goiter, deafness, and blindness. This transformation symbolized a rebirth for the Yakthung Limbus, marking the beginning of a healthier and more prosperous lifestyle.
During the vibrant celebration of Chasok Tangnam, the Yakthung Limbu people pay homage to an array of deities, including Yumasam, Thebasam, Thungthangba, Chokhoba, Miseksam, and Saya Muden, embodying the pantheon of their spiritual beliefs. The festival is not only a personal affair within individual families but also a communal gathering that unites the entire community in shared festivities and rituals. At the heart of the ceremony lies the propitiation of Yuma, the supreme goddess of the Yakthung Limbus, through offerings of the freshly harvested grains and cereals, symbolizing a harmonious relationship between the earthly and divine realms.
The ritualistic duties during Chasok Tangnam are carried out by Phedangma, a revered figure who acts as a conduit between the mortal realm and the spiritual world. Through elaborate ceremonies and prayers, Phedangma expresses the collective gratitude of the community towards the gods and goddesses for the prosperity bestowed upon them throughout the year. He seeks blessings of happiness, prosperity, and longevity for all members of society, intertwining the earthly desires with the divine blessings in a harmonious plea for abundance and well-being. The festival unfolds in a ceremonious and grandiose manner, enveloping the participants in a tapestry of colors, sounds, and rituals that reflect the deep-seated connection between the Yakthung Limbu people and their ancestral traditions.
