Eastern Nepal · Ilam
Chasok Tangnam
चासोक तङनाम
Chasok Tangnam is the harvest festival of the Limbu (Yakthung) people, held on the full moon of Mangsir. Families offer the first grain of the new harvest to Yuma Sammang and other deities, priests recite the Mundhum, and communities gather to eat, dance and visit one another.
In the Limbu year, the rice and millet harvest is not complete until the first of it has been offered back. Chasok Tangnam falls on the full moon of Mangsir, in the Limbu calendar the month of Senchengla, usually in late November or December. On this day families offer new grain and other first fruits of the harvest to Yuma Sammang, the ancestral goddess of the Limbu, and to other deities and ancestors.
The rituals are led by Limbu priests, such as the phedangma, who recite passages of the Mundhum, the oral scripture that holds Limbu history, law and ritual. The words are chanted, not read, and some passages are long. Offerings are made in homes and at community gatherings, and blessings are shared with relatives.
Then the celebration begins: food made from the new harvest, tongba and other drinks, and dances such as the chyabrung drum dance and the dhan nach, the paddy dance of slow, linked circles. In Ilam, Taplejung, Panchthar, Tehrathum and Dhankuta, and in Limbu communities in cities, people gather in traditional dress. The same full moon is also Udhauli for other Kirat communities.
Tips
- Ask our guide to find out where community gatherings are held that year; they are usually in villages and community halls rather than fixed sites.
- Watch quietly during the Mundhum recitation and offerings, and ask before photographing priests or rituals.
- Accept food and drink with your right hand; it is fine to decline tongba politely if you do not drink.
Questions
When is Chasok Tangnam?
Chasok Tangnam falls on the full moon of the Nepali month of Mangsir, which is usually in late November or December. The date changes each year with the lunar calendar. Check current dates before you travel, as local gatherings may be held on the day or nearby weekends.
Who celebrates Chasok Tangnam?
Chasok Tangnam is celebrated by the Limbu (Yakthung) people, a Kirat community of eastern Nepal and of Sikkim and Darjeeling in India. In Nepal it is most visible in Limbu districts such as Taplejung, Panchthar, Ilam, Tehrathum and Dhankuta.
Can tourists attend Chasok Tangnam?
Yes, visitors are generally welcome at community gatherings when they come with a local guide or host and behave as guests. Rituals in family homes are private unless you are invited. Dress modestly, ask before taking photographs and follow your hosts' lead.
What happens at Chasok Tangnam?
Families and priests offer the first grain and fruits of the harvest to Yuma Sammang and other deities while passages of the Mundhum are recited. Afterwards, people share food made from the new harvest, drink tongba, visit relatives and dance, including the chyabrung drum dance and the dhan nach.