'Rhruisal' as a Trope of Cultural Identity: A Performative Reading of Tamang Rituals
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Department of English
Abstract
The present research is a study of cultural identity of Rhruisal as a trope through the lens of performative reading in Tamang rituals. Socio-cultural and natural factors lead it to be as a trope of cultural identity in the Tamang community. Rhruisal is a particular ritual practice of the Tamang life. Rhruisal especially concerns about the cultural practices to be alive in the major domain of the rituals such as birth ritual, marital ritual, and death sacrament and other religious rites. It determines the clans out of Tamang caste too because it carries out multiple meanings to it. Indeed, it is a small piece of bone which is taken out from the part of forehead as a Rhruisal after finishing the cremation of dead body. Tamang people believe that the Rhruisal is known as a remainder of the human body as well as relic. In Tamang tradition, it lies in the central part of the ritualistic nature and plays a vital role when they are in the ritual practices in the society. They believe that during the time of pregnancy, white seed or bone from father and red seed or blood from mother are considered to be transmitted to the fetus in the womb. So, the surname of the child is from his/her father's clan. The daughters' clans also do not transfer to other family relation after marriage because of Rhruisal. It symbolizes to the purification also to their family while making the process of Thapsang (Nwaran) in birth, taking inside of out caste bride in marital life and in death sacrament. In this manner, Rhruisal has a cultural identity in the Tamang society.