Performative Elements in Parusewa Mundum of Puma Communityː A Study of Ritual Representation

Abstract

This research is the study of the performative elements in the main ritual enactment Parusewa (PR) Mundum of the Puma (PR) community living the Eastern parts of Nepal. Parusewa Mundum ritual is the most important ritual performance of Puma community enacted annually in the time of Dongdapa(PR) by Dowa(PR) in the belief of the rejuvenation of the souls of the members of community and renewal of the power of Holy Mundum (PR) by the means of the spiritual journey through various performances. This ritual Mundum enactment is ritually organized, and has all the features of performances like occasion or stage of performance, certain and limited time span, formal beginning, middle, ending and culturally approved actors and co- actors. This research has examined the necessary elements that qualify a cultural event as a performance and has enlisted some of the major functions of the Parusewa Mundum ritual performance for the community that has the codes and conduct based on the oral tradition of the Mundum professed, chanted and performed by the cultural shamans bridging the community to the supernatural world of Sumnima(P)- Paruhong(P) and the ancestral gods. Parusewa Mundum ritual performance is animistic one as it asserts the bond of community to the nature and the ancestors. The Kirati gods being performed are basically connected to the nature and ancestors. In the defining part of the Parusewa, Dowa goes to trance-like state establishing the communion between the community and the supreme God-Goddess Sumnima- Paruhong. This ritual performance does not only bolster the communal bond among the members of the community rather it also helps establishing the communal identity and existence asserting the identity by the means of visual performance and resisting the written mainstream culture by the enactment of the oral culture based on the Holy Mundum.