Soskhaa Tos, Performance and Economy in Kirat Nachhiring Rai

Abstract

This research work is based on Soskhaa Tos, a ritual performed by Kirat Nachhiring Rai. Soskhaa Tos is celebrated in the Nepali month of Fagun. On this occasion, Kirat Nachhiring Rai worship the land, nature for the better growth of crops and prepare themselves accordingly and also they worship their manes at the same time for their benediction bestowing upon the clan. This research attempts to show the performative and the economic significance of Soskhaa Tosrelated with the pragmatic aspects of the clan. Ritual and economy have interdependent relationship with each-other so, both of them impact each- other. For the economic growth, production of agricultural products plays vital role and the production is impossible without the land and the skills to cultivate. Land is the main source of survival. Worshipping the land and nature means worshiping the components of environment. The community perform the ritual to worship the nature and the performance brings the ritual into its existence. So, environment is worshipped in this ritual, Soskhaa Tos. For the development of the country, economy plays the main role and economic development is not possible forgetting the environment and ritual. The medium is performance that gives life to the ritual,Soskhaa Tos.I have brought the performance theory by Richard Schechner and Victor Turner to analyze the ritual from the perspective of performance and Michel Callon's Performativity theory in economics is used to support the idea of relation between ritual and economy. As this reresearch talks about the economy, I have also brought the idea of Japanese economist Hiwaki Kensei's idea of culture and economics about sustainable development. Interviews with Mr. Bhupadhoj Thomoros, Mr. Tek Nachhiring and Mr. Balu Kubir Nachhiring who are working in the field of Kirat culture, were done several times. I have taken reference from different books and watched online video on Soskhaa Tos and the ritual is analyzed from the perspective of economy. For the development of the country economy plays the main role and economic development is not possible forgetting the ritual and environment - is the conclusion of this re-research. Key Words: Soskhaa Tos, Ritual, Nachhiring, Clan, Manes, Worship, Performance, Environment, Crops, Economy, Pragmatic Life