‘NAAMTHO-NAAMTHAAR’
THE LEPCHA MANUSCRIPTS
The Lepcha manuscripts are called ‘Naamtho-Naamthaar’ in Lepcha. Here ‘Naam’ means a year and ‘tho’ means registration of records. ‘Aakep’, a companion word in Lepcha, is often used in the Lepcha language to beautify their expression; therefore, the word, ‘Naamthaar’, is derived from two syllabic sounds, ‘Naam’, again, meaning a year and ‘thaar’ means to cut a bamboo cylinder or wood slantingly, to sharpen and beautify it. Metaphoricllly, ‘Naamtho-Naamthaar’ can be defined as a record and refined literary tradition of the Lepchas. Some of the ‘Naamtho-Naamthaar’ are holy to the Lepchas.
Most scholars and linguists who have done some research work on the Lepcha manuscripts, ‘Naamtho-Naamthaar’, harp the same tune that ‘Naamtho-Naamthaar’ are but translation work from the Tibetan Buddhist text books into Lepcha. Yes, there are many Tibetan Buddhist text books which are translated into Lepcha but we must also know and understand that there are also ‘Naamtho-Naamthaar’, Lepcha manuscripts, that are purely based on the Lepcha subjects, topics and issues. These kind of Lepcha manuscripts are mainly found in Damsang Lyang i. e today’s Kalimpong Sub-Division, West Bengal. Lieutenant General G. B. Mainwaring has very aptly remarked that the Lepcha manuscsripts existed before the arrival of the Tibetans into the Lepcha land and the Tibetans collected and destroyed the manuscripts of the Lepchas; and translated into Lepcha parts of their own mythological works, in his famous book, A Grammar of the Rong (Lepcha) Language, as it exits in the Dorjeling and Sikkim Hills, Calcutta, 1876.
The Lepcha manuscripts, Naamtho-Naamthaar, can be divided into two main categories and they are:
1. Lepcha manuscripts purely based on the original Lepcha subjects, topics and isssues.
2. Lepcha manuscripts purely based on the translation work from Tibetan Buddhist text books into Lepcha.
LEPCHA MANUSCRIPTS PURELY BASED ON THE
ORIGINAL LEPCHA SUBJECTS, TOPICS AND ISSUES
The Lepchas firmly believe that it was Mun Salong, a Lepcha scholar, adventurer and ‘Boongthing’, a great Lepcha priest, who invented the Lepcha alphabets and scripts and compiled the ‘Lazaong’. What is Lazaong? Lazaong, literally, means a
syllabic scheme. ‘Lazaong’ is strictly based on the fundamental principles of the traditional Lepcha language structure and not based upon the Latin Grammar as is the case with numerous other languages of the world. It can also be described as the ‘Power of Words’.
‘Lazaong’ has the following features and characteristics:
a. It is the Lepcha alphabetical primer.
b. It is a book of syllabic scheme of forming mono-syllabic words; a work book having each syllable pronounced with distinct and correct stress, sound, tune, voice and uniformity. It is a book of ‘tongue twister’ also.
c. It is a Lepcha primer of phonetics pertaining to speech sound and their production and phonetic spelling of words.
d. It is a book of Lepcha glossary, lexicons and a list of words in alphabetical order.
e. ‘Lazaong’ is a book of Lepchas’ weapon of speech; it gives fluency, force and rhythm in Lepcha speech.
From the letter ‘K’ alone, the Lepchas produce 540 (five hundred and forty) different sounds and words which can be perfectly used in sentences to express one’s thoughts. If we carry on with other Consonants, Conjuct Consonants, Vowels, Diacritic marks, signs and symbols, it will give us 6,660 (Six thousand six hundred and sixty) words from this ‘Lazaong’ alone and which can be used in the Lepcha language. ‘Lazaong’ is very systematic, scientific and exhaustive.
‘Lazaong’ is the most wonderful, invaluable, unique and rare, ‘Naamtho-Naamthaar’ of the Lepchas. To master the Lepcha language and literature, ‘Lazaong’ is a must.
‘Lazaong’ is found both in the manuscript and printed forms today. The Lepcha children study ‘Lazaong’ in their Lepcha Night Schools and homes in the remote Lepcha villages in the Darjeeling Hills. ‘Lazaong’ is a compulsory elementary book for them.
Another original Lepcha manuscript which may be of some interest to you is called ‘Nyung Yung Mun’ or ‘Nyoolik Nyoosong Mun’. It deals with the origin of Lepcha ‘Mun’, priestess, and the origin of ‘Chyee’ Lepcha fermented beer.
Mother Nature. The Indigenous Lepchas are basically nature lovers and worshippers, therefore, they are in possession of the following books:
a) Chyoo Rum Faat- Prayers and offerings to Kingtsoomzaongboo i.e. Mt. Kanchanjanga, their Guardian Deity and other important mountains found in the Sikkim Himalayas.
b) Lyang Rum Faat- Prayers and offerings to mother earth and soil.
c) Tungrong Hlo Rum Faat- Prayers and offerings to Mt. Tungrong now known as Mt. Tendong.
d) Sakyoo Rum Faat- Prayers and offerings to ‘Mayel Kyong’ and the seven immortal Lepcha couples who live in this paradise somewhere at the head of ‘Faokraam-Takraam’ now called Dzongu in north Sikkim.
e) Muk Zek Ding Rum Faat- Prayers and offerings to Mother Nature. It deals with ecology, environment and surroundings. It also speaks about the sun, air, rain, water, mountains, soil, earth, fishes, reptiles, insects, bees and birds, trees, bushes, shrubs, wild edible vegetables, flowers, fruits and roots etc. that are found in Mayel Lyang.
f) Tungbong Faat- It deals with birth, naming and weaning ceremonies.
g) Nyoo Thing Laom From - It deals with burial and death ceremonies.
There are other Lepcha manuscripts based on Lepcha subjects and topics which it is not possible for me to include in this short article.
TRANSLATION WORK FROM TIBETAN BUDDHIST TEXT
BOOKS INTO LEPCHA
To attract the simple Lepchas and convert them into Lamaism, the Tibetan Buddhist text books were translated into Lepcha in the 17th Century. These Lepcha manuscripts are to be found in the Van Manen Collection, Kern Institute of Leiden University, Neitherland, in hundreds, some are kept in School of Oriental and African Studies, London, British Library, Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Sikkim, and other lesser known institutions.
Translation work from Tibetan Buddhist Text Books into Lepcha
Largest number of these Lepcha manuscripts are in possession with the Lepcha traditionalists in the Darjeeling Hills, West Bengal. The Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association, Headquarters Kalimpong, on request from the National Mission for Manuscripts, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, collected and catalogued 227 (two hundred and twenty seven) Lepcha manuscripts from the vicinity of Kalimpong town alone and sent the data sheet on 31 May 2007 to the National Mission for manuscripts. Both categories of Lepcha manuscripts were included in these data sheet.
Characteristics of the Lepcha Manuscripts:
i) Names of the original writers, authors or translators and dates are absent in the old and ancient Naamtho-Naamthar.
ii) These Lepcha manuscripts have been copied and recopied generation after generation.The names of copiers and dates are also absent in the old Lepcha manuscripts. Did you know that there existed professional copy writers of the Lepcha manuscripts?
iii) Since the end of 19th Century, some of the professional copy writers, scribers of Naamtho-Naamthaar, have started giving and writing their names and dates and the names of the persons who hired, commissioned them to copy the books at the end of the manuscripts.
iv) Even in the 21 Century, the Lepcha traditionalists and enthusiasts continue to copy Naamtho-Naamthaar in the old fashion although we have the Lepcha font.
Some of the well known professional Lepcha manuscript copy writers found in the Kalimpong Sub-Division Are:
a) Mr. Mansing Lepcha - Lower Byong
b) Mr. O. T. Namchu Lepcha - Mayel Kyong, Mani Gumba
c) Mr. Samden Lepcha - Prektaam
d) Mr. Sampoo Lepcha - Prektam
e) Mr. Chhyodup Lepcha - Prektaam
f) Mr. Dup Shuzong Lepcha - Lower Bom
g) Mr. Palden Lepcha - 8th Mile
h) Mr. L. T. Lepcha - Ngasey
i) Mr. P.T. Lepcha - Ngasey
v) The Lepcha manuscripts, Naamtho-Naamthaar, are not like pieces of artefacts lying unused at a corner of a museum. They are read, listened and used during various Lepcha ceremonies and functions from cradle to grave. Lepcha children, youths and old people, male and female, sit together, read together, listen together, discuss together on the merits of Naamtho-Naamthaar. There is no restriction and discrimination among the Lepcha men and women, boys and girls to read and study the Lepcha holy books. Today the Lepcha children are very much encouraged to read and study Naamtho-Naamthaar in their Lepcha Night Schools in remote Lepcha villages in the Darjeeling Hills, West Bengal. Naamtho-Naamthaar is the base of Lepcha literature.
‘Chhyo Naamtho-Naamthaar Aabaong Saam Sa Saknyim’ meaning the Lepcha Manuscripts Study Day is observed on Chha Sam, Ra Love, (October 16) each year. On the day, Naamtho-Naamthaar are displayed on a decorated bamboo platform with flowers and fruits. The Lepchas, men and women, boys and girls, sitting together read, listen, and discuss on the Lepcha manuscripts with interest, respect and devotion. ‘Naamtho-Naamthaar’ is alive and well in the Lepcha world.
vi) 99.9% of the old Lepcha manuscripts are in the possession of individual Lepcha traditionalists living in remote Lepcha villages especially in the Kalimpong Sub-Division, Sokhyam (Darjeeling Sub-Division), Seethong (Kurseong Sub-Division), West Bhutan and Illam in Nepal.
LEPCHA PRINTED BOOKS
St. Mathew’s Gospel was translated into Lepcha and published in 1845. This was the earliest printed book in Lepcha. Sadly, not a single copy of it can be found today in the world. The Baptist Mission Press, Calcutta, published ‘The Book of Genesis and part of Exodus’ in Lepcha in 1849 and it was printed by J. Thomas. This was the beginning of an era in Lepcha printed book production. Translation of the Bible from English to Lepcha was, once again, carried out to convert the simple Lepchas into Christianity. The Lepcha Bible and hyms are, it is sad, no longer used in the churches; it is dead.
Ecological Linguistic, Washington D. C., USA, to keep the record straight, pioneered the Lepcha font (computer), ironically, thinking that the Lepcha language was an extinct language; it was written and stated so in their manual to the Lepcha font. A copy of the Lepcha font was very kindly presented to the writer of this article, free of cost, by the Ecological Linguistic, Washington D. C., USA in 1995. There were a couple of minor shortcomings in the Lepcha font which the Mani Printing Press, Kalimpong, with the help of Lepcha language experts were able to correct and rectify them.
Today, thanks to the Ecological Linguistics, Washington D.C., USA, Lepcha text books, magazines, prose, poetry, drama, novel, folklore etc. are being published using this Lepcha font in Kalimpong. ‘Naamtho-Naamthaar’ are also being published in the printed form using this font in Kalimpong for wider circulation and readership.
Some of the ‘Naamtho-Naamthaar’ were also translated from Lepcha to English by the Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association, Headquarters Kalimpong, way back in early 1990s but these translated books in English still remain unpublished.
The Lepcha manuscripts, Naamtho-Naamthaar, in hundreds, were taken away and are lying unused in Europe and else where in the world. The die hard Lepcha traditionalists, today, guard their Naamtho-Naamthaar with zealously and are very reluctant to part with the information on their Lepcha manuscript. They really feel insecure and fear that their remaining ancient Lepcha books, Naamtho-Naamthaar, may be taken away from them and lost forever if shown to others. Access to the Lepcha manuscripts, Naamtho-Naamthaar, is not simple and easy in the Lepcha world today.
One of the oldest and richest languages of world, the Lepcha language also boast of having seven different rhythmic tones and skills in reading Lepcha religious books. They are as follows:
1. POMIC-POTONG NYUMJYO:- As the name suggests Pomic-Potong Nyumjyo rhythmic tone in reading Lepcha religious book is derived from the sound of bamboos. In the morning and evening, when the wind blows, bamboos swing to and fro and rub each other, and as a result, a rhythmic sound, tone is produced. Imitating the sound, the Lepcha of the old introduced Pomic-Potong Nyumjyo in reading Lepcha religious books.
2. FODONG-NAZAONG NYUMJYO:- The Fodong-Nazaong Nyumjyo is the second rhythmic tone in reading Lepcha folklore, it is a lamentation of the first Lepcha primogenitors, Fodong Thing, the male, and Nazaong Nyoo, the female. This tone is sad, and melancholy. It draws the attention and minds of the Lepcha towards a peaceful path.
3. LAKOK-LANYEN NYUMJYO
4. KOYING-DUREN NYUMJYO
5. LAFO-LADONG NYUMJYO
These three different rhythmic reading tones are adopted from the chirping sounds of a male ‘Cicada’. There are no less than fifteen varieties of Cicada found in the Sikkim and Darjeeling Hills and have their own peculiar rhythmic tones. They start to chirp form the first week of March to the last week of December. These chirping tones were adopted by the Lepchas in reading books in Mayel Lyang.
6. NYULIK-MUNDONG NYUMJYO:- It is believed that this Nyulic-Mundong Nyumjyo was first given to the Lepcha priest and priestess by God Himself. This tone is peculiar and unique in the Lepcha world. Initially, it starts in a slow rhythm but as the reading progresses it gains such momentum that a reader begins to pant and gets exhausted at the end. This rhythmic tone is so attractive that it iscommands an immediate attention from the audience. Few knowledgeable Lepchas only know this admirable rhythmic tone in the Lepcha world.
7. SHIMVONMU UNG TUKSOT NYUMJYO:- This is the seventh and last rhythmic tone in reading Lepcha Books. It is taken, derived from the constant bubbling or running, flowing sounds of small rivulets, streams. This rhythmic tone is more or less known and used by all the Lepchas in reading books. Although the tone is not so attractive, it is easy to read and can be clearly understood by all.
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