Oral Text (pye); Soul Journey (Pai) and Ancestors- Nature worship among the Gurung of Sikles, Kaski, Nepal

Abstract

This study concentrates on the traditional ritual practices of the Gurungs and their worldview about human and nature. This ethnographic study starts with a lyric to convey oral texts and symbols in different ritual practices among the Gurung community of Sikles village. Sikles is one of the largest villages among the Gurung community of Nepal which is historically, traditionally, and ritually significant and popular among the Gurungs. The Gurungs of Sikles have been practicing their traditional culture, rituals and local customary rule-regulation for centuries which are hugely supported by their oral history and oral myths called Pye tã Lhu tã. My first idea is, in spite of ‘thick’ oral texts and its meaning of different ritual practices among the Gurungs of Sikles, and second, traditional ritual continuity and its value, important and identities of Gurung community. This study endeavours to explore and analyse the Gurungs’ understanding of their own oral history, oral texts and different ritual practices such as soul journey process in Pai ritual, ancestors’ worship and nature worship in this period. The Gurungs practise their belief system with unique social structure traditionally based on their different historical priestly clan groups, Pachyu, Lauhri and Lam among them. Nowadays, traditional lams have been replaced by Tibetan Lamas. Both Pachyu and Lauhri are death, Pai (after funeral) ritual specialists. Pachyu and Lauhri perform these rituals together but have different roles. Pachyu are related to Gurung astrology and tantra-mantra as well. So, Pachyu are astrologers and specialists about this tantra-mantra or shamanic activities. Lauhri are closely related to nature worships. Mhinas are fully authorized for local management and massage relay. The groups are related to nature worships, and village riti-thiti. The village leader called Tdo or Mukhiya has much respected position among the community. He is the representative of the whole village and plays vital role of socio-political decision and institution. ‘Soul journey process’ is a very interesting thing. According to Gurung oral texts, there are three worlds; evil world, living world and ancestors’ world. They believe that no one goes to ancestors world without Pai ritual their soul. If the Gurungs do not perform this Pai ritual the dead’s soul may suffer and be unhappy, traveling these three worlds and giving trouble to their living family. So, main objective of this Pai ritual is to guide the soul from evil world to living world then ancestors’ world. The Pachyus chant slowly but emotionally in the third or last day of the Pai ritual called Sarka syepa. The Pai explains the Gurung concept of plah (soul) and their belief related to the three worlds and how these worlds are interconnected. The dead person’s soul needs to be escorted to the world of ancestors so that the person can live their afterlife happily in ancestors’ land or ‘heaven’. The ritual priests, who own and know the pye, mediate and communicate between the living people, the soul, the evil forces, and the ancestors located in the three worlds. Thus, only the ritual priests, with their knowledge and power, can bring the soul of the dead from the underworld to the world of the living and take to the land of ancestors. This is very insightful how the oral text guides the soul to the ancestor’s land. The Gurungs believe and are devoted to their ancestors, they pray and worship their ancestors as God. Ancestors worship is another important ritual for life among the Gurungs of Sikles. Failu lapa (worship of kul devta), Chhyopa lapa (worship of kul devta), Khema theepa (ancestors’ worship), Mo lapa (dangerous ancestors’ worship) are very popular worship among the Gurungs. All these worships are for good luck and blessings to the family. Pachyu and Lauhri are main actors for these ritual practices. Plah khu lapa is another popular ritual related to a sick person. The ritual is performed for someone who has lost their soul and fallen sick. These ritual practices of ancestor worship show how the Gurungs maintain their social relationships with their deceased family members who have become ancestors. Hence, the Gurung culture emphasizes the continuity of sociality between the dead, the living and the different worlds. The Gurungs believe that nature (all non-human objects, plants and animals) is considered as mother, living subject, and there is intersubjective understanding between human and nature. They believe that people can communicate with plants, animals, water, spirits and all cosmological and physical entities around the village. Without intersubjective understanding and cooperation, the Gurung cannot live meaningful life in the village. Therefore, they have to interact, communicate and understand human through non-human’s perspective too. Nature worship practices for regulating the use and protection of natural resources are shaped by peoples’ religious believes, myths, and past experiences of diseases, disasters, and other hazards. These rituals further illustrate that the Gurungs of Sikles embrace ‘animism’ as their religious belief and practices.