Lepcha Puntaong-Palit Four hole bamboo Flute

Four hole Bamboo flute, this particular instrument is specially meant to replicate the sound of the nature.  The speciality of the tune is to interact with different spirits in the nature.The Lepcha culture, tradition,rituals, rites, customs, and ways of life are inextricably bound with the nature.  Twittering and humming of birds and bees; the sound, cry and chirping of animals and insects; cascading of white water falls; rhythmic swinging of bamboos and trees to and fro in the hills and dales have different meanings to them.  They, thus, find themselves imitating mother nature and seeking out aspirations, hopes and optimism in their   Tradition among the natives of Maayel Lyaang the Lepchas are that, they do not instantly or directly interact with the spirits.  Such invocation and awakening to the spirits are done with prior permission by playing different “Sut”.  ‘Sut’ in Lepchas means ‘tune’ and ‘melody’.  The Lepchas basically have twelve ‘Sut’, tunes, and these haunting Lepchas tunes still echo in the foothills of this region.
The twelve Lepcha ‘Sut’ are:
1.  Hit Sut.  A Lepcha priestess or priest, before commencing her or his actual rites and rituals, she/he, first     and foremost,prays to ‘Rum’, the Creator and Deities in ‘Hit Sut’ and requests them to give the necessary power and strength to accomplish and succeed the task and duty entrusted to her/him.
2.  Pildon Sut. ‘Pildon Mun’, a born Lepcha priestess or priest empowerd to search, guide and take the departed soul, to ‘Poomju’, the final resting place of a departed soul,in the Himalayas used the ‘Pildon Sut’.
3.  Tasey Kinto Sut.  A Lepcha priestess or priest foretells the future using the ‘Tasey Kinto Sut’.
4.  Aapik Sut.  A Lepcha priestess or priest who drives out the evil spirits as well as purifies a member of the family after the death ceremony uses the ‘Aapik Sut’.
5.  Palik Sut.  This tune, Palik Sut, is used by a Lepcha priestess or priest during the naming and weaning ceremony of a child.
6.  Tungsung Sut.  This tune is based on the sound, cry, call and message etc. of wild animals.
7.  Kahaom Sut.  It is based on the haunting sound and cry of birds.
8.  Tungkyook Sut.  It is based on the sound and tune of Kooryoom Fo or the sound and tunes produced when two bamboo poles are rubbed or when the wind pierces through a narrow bamboo holes or splits.
9.  Saryaot Sut.  The spring season tune.
10.  Illam Sut. A typical Lepcha tune pertaining to the Lepchas of Illam, Nepal.
11.  Damsang Sut.  A typical Lepcha tune pertaining to the Lepchas of Damsang, the present day Kalimpong Sub-Division.

LEPCHA DRESS CODE  IN THE PAST

These tunes are played specially before and after different prayers ceremony.  It is generally believed that a Pantaong Palit is a necessity in every ceremony and is part and parcel  of the dress code of the Lepchas.