DZONGU THE HOLY LAND OF THE LEPCHAS

Faokraam - Takraam (Dzongu),
the Lepchas’ Holy Land in North Sikkim

1. All are well aware that the Lepchas are the original, indigenous people of Sikkim, Darjeeling District, lllam (Nepal), and south-west Bhutan.

2. Faokraam-Takraam (Dzongu) is holy to them all. The indigenous Lepchas’ origin, their language, literature, ancient religion, rituals, ceremonies, custom, tradition, culture and civilization are directly associated with Faokraam-Takraam (Dzongu).

a. ‘Faokraam-Takraam’ - The original Lepcha nameof Dzongu is ‘Faokraam-Takraam’:

i. Here ‘Faok’ in Lepcha means ‘through or channel’
ii. ‘raam’ means ‘a source’
iii. ‘Tak’ means ‘to nestle’
iv. ‘raam’ again means ‘a source’

The Lepcha language is basically mono-styllabic one. Metaphorically, ‘Faokraam-Takraam’ means ‘the source of Lepcha origin and life’. The Lepcha priests, Boongthing, and priestesses, ‘Mun’, use the name, ‘Faokraam-Takraam’, indicating to Dzongu in their prayers, invocations and ovations. ‘Dzongu’, the second name, is incorrectly pronounced as ‘Dzongu’. In fact it is ‘Dzongbu’ meaning the land of plenty, abundance and prosperity. The most important letter ‘b’ in the word is errorneously replaced by the letter, ‘g’.

b. ‘Kingtsoomzaongboo Chyoo’ - It is the Lepcha name for Mt Kanchanjanga meaning the great mountain with an auspicious bright forehead. It is the ‘Guardian Deity’ of the Lepcha. ‘Fudongthing’, the first Lepcha man and ‘Nazaong Nyoo’, the first Lepcha women, the Lepcha firmly believe, were created by Itboo-Deboo Rum, the Creator, from the pure virgin snow of Mt Kanchanjanga and placed them in Dzongu to prosper and spread. The present day Lepcha living all over the world are their directdescendants, children and off-springs. Mt Kanchanjanga is holy to the Lepcha. The Lepcha perform ‘Chyoo Rum Faat’ meaning prayers, ovations and offerings to the Sikkim Himalayas when the fresh snow fall is being experienced in the high mountains in the months of October-November each year.

c. River ‘Ronggyaong’ - ‘Ronggyaong’, the main river in Dzongu, is pronounced as ‘Ronggyaong’ in Lepcha. Ronggyaong is one of the most holy rivers of the Lepcha people. Here ‘Rong’ means Lepchas and ‘Gyaong’ means prayers. Literally it means ‘the river where the Lepchas pray’ in Lepcha. The confluence of Ronggyaong and Rong Nyoo (Teesta) at Naamprikdaang is holy to the Lepchas. A ‘Pildon Mun’, a born Lepcha priestess, guides a departed soul to his/her ‘Poomju’, the final resting place after death, along the river ‘Ronggyaong’
.
d. Posingdaamg - Now it is errorneously called ‘Passingdang’. Here ‘Po’ means bamboo, ‘sing’ means twigs and ‘daang’ means low land. While a ‘Pildon Mun’ takes and guides a departed soul to Poomju, the souls is asked to stand on the bamboo twigs at this low land. The bamboo twigs obviously do not break indicating the person in question is certainly dead; therefore, the name of the place ‘Posingdaang’ in Lepcha. This method of checking whether a person is dead or not by a Pildon Mun is called ‘Shree-Shrong Kintaoh’ in Lepcha. ‘Moormi Long’ meaning a stone statue in Lepcha, now incorrectly pronounced as ‘Maani Long’, is found near the confluence of Ronggyaong and Rong Nyoo.

3. Most places’ names in Dzongu ralate to the Lepcha myths and legends that really took place long long time ago these are holy to them.

a. Nyebraok Tungbo- The Lepchas believe that form this ‘Nyebryaok Tungbo’ varieties of cereal and vegetable seeds will be made available to the Lepcha during a great natural of man made calamities in future.

b. Sabum Daom - A treasure box. The Lepchas belive that they will be protected and will survive a great deluge in the future through ‘ Sabun Daom’. It is a treasure box of Lepcha literature and wealth also.

c. Rong Veng Taksaot - Rong Veng Waterfall. Here ‘Rong means Lepchas’, ‘Veng’ means a door or passage, and ‘Taksaot’ means waterfall. Lepcha souls before entering into ‘Poomju’, the final resting place of departed souls, are purified in this Rong Veng Taksaot.

d. Aazaor Da - The first Lepcha ‘Boongthing’ male priest, was consecrated in this lake. ‘Aazaor’ in Lepcha means crystal clear and ‘Da’ means lake. Hence the name, ‘Aazaor Boongthing’ for the first consecrated Lepcha male priest.

e. Lingmoo Choat - A sandy bank on the river ‘Ronggyaong’. It is here that the footprints of departed souls are checked to indicate that he/she is actually dead.

The above places, watefall, lake, sandy bank, serials a to e, are found at Pantong, Dzongu, North Sikkim.

f. Nyoolik-Nyoosong- It is situated in the middle of Sakyong. This is the original and holy place where the first Lepcha priestess, ‘Nyoolik-Nyoosong’, was conserated.

g.Taarbong-Naarip Purtaam - The place where the first Lepcha Marriage ceremony was solmanized between Taarbong, bride groom, and Naarip Naom, bride.

h. Rong Zeng Purtaam- The place where the first Lepcha Marriage Customary Laws were made.

i. Chimoo-Yongmoo Pobong - Planting of bamboos to commemorate the establishment of Lepcha Marriage Customary Laws in the Lepcha world. The sacred bamboo groove still stands.

The above holy sites (serials f to i) are found in Sakyong, Dzongu, North Sikkim

j. Lingthyen - It is improperly called ‘Lingthyem’. ‘Ling’ means a place or land and ‘thyen’ means to laugh. The place where Laso Mung Pano laughed aloud to scare off the Lepchas.

k. Flyong - The place or land where Laso Mung Pano ran with fear.

l. Leek - The place where Laso Mung Pano cried out in loud voice.
4. Lep- ‘Lep’ in Lepcha means a ‘door, passage or gateway to Poomju’. Pomju is the final resting place of the departed souls with their ancestors. Two main ‘Lep’ are found at the confluence of ‘Faokraamroong Oong’ and ‘Pasam Oong’. They are:

a. Chehem Maarkoo Lep-for women
b. Syom Maarkoo Lep-for men

5. Taarkaol Taam ae Taam - means a valley of deliverance. It is the place were the legendary ‘Laso Mung Pano’ was finally slained. A site of victory of the Lepchas over evil. This is the place where the ten Lepcha clans, Rong Kati, originated. Taarkaol Taam ae Taam is in Tholoong area, Dzongu, North Sikkim. It is a holy place for the Lepchas.

6. Maayel Kyong- Here ‘Maa’ means hidden, ‘yel’ means eternal and ‘kyong’ means a village in Lepcha; therefore, ‘Maayel Kyong’ literally means a ‘hidden and erernal Lepcha Village’. The indigenous Lepcha people firmly believe that seven immortal Lepcha couples live in Maayel Kyong. It is a paradise on earth. It is believed by the Lepchas that ‘Maayel Kyong’ is situated at the head of Faokraam Takraam i.e. Dzongu. The Lepcha offer their prayers, ovations and salutations to Maayel Kyong in the form of ‘Sakyoo Rum Faat’ each year in November-December after harvesting for peace, prosperity and good health. It is also predicted in the Lepcha myth that these seven immortal Lepcha couples of Maayel Kyong will rescue and save the Lepcha during a great man made or natural disaster that will take place in Maayel Lyang, today’s Sikkim, Darjeeling District, Illam and south west Bhutan Hills. ‘Maayel Kyong’ and the seven immortal Lepcha couples are sacred to the Lepcha people.

7. The original name of the Lepcha land comprising of today’s Sikkim, Darjeeling District, Illam (Nepal) and south west Bhutan, no wonder, was ‘Nye Maayel Lyaang’, literally meaning, the holy, hiden, enternal land.

8. There are other Lepcha holy mountains, lakes, caves, places in Dzongu which it is not possible to list here in this booklet. ‘Faokraam Takraam’ i.e. Dzongu is absolutely and naturally holy to the original and indigenous Lepcha tribes living all over the world. The life-cycle of the indigenous Lepcha tribes, their origin, birth, life, death, their souls returning to ‘Poomju’, the final resting place, culture, custom, tradition and civilization begins in Dzongu and ends in Dzongu.


9. Faokraam-Takraam or Dzongu, North Sikkim, is holy to the Lepcha. The Lepchas origin, source, their language, literature, ancient religion, custom, tradition, culture, civilization are directly related and associated with their Dzongu, North Sikkim. The original indigenous Lepchas, the Number one Citizens of India, have not been given the right to visit, offer their prayers and ovations to their Gods, Goddesses, Deities in the land of their origin and source, Dzongu. Though it very clearly indicates that Faokraam-Takraam or Dzongu, Sikkim, is an entegral part of India.


Rong Raamo Vam
Rum Lyaang mo, Dzongoo Lyaang aarey
Sukden Lepcha
Damsang
Rum lyaang mo,2
Dzongoo lyaang aarey,
Rum lyaang mo,
Eet Rum rem tsum lyaang mo.

Punjaok aaphaong kaa,
Koorsaong rip boor baa,
Kaongchyen Choo plong kaa,
Aadoom sanaong tuk baa,
Dzongoo lyaang aarey,
Eet Rum tsum lyaang mo.

Rongnyoo Ronggyaong rem,
Nyungru maat ngak baa,
Daanaok aarey bek kaa,
Mee tukpit aom baa,
Dzongoo lyaang aarey,
Eet Rum saa kamaor mo,2

Nye Maayel Lyaang saa,
Lee kakyaot ching baa,
Rongkup kaayoo saa,
‘Chyoo, Da, Lep’ ching baa,
Dzongoo lyaang aarey,
Nyoothing saa,
Poomju Nye Lyaang mo.






Dear Mutanchi Rumkups,
Khamrimo!

It is a blatant fact that education and knowledge is the only road to success. This as we all know has long been denied to our children, where majority of our people live in remote villages in between the slopes of mountains and ridges which are barely invitable.
Under the initiative of the Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association, the people have themselves struggled to open up 40 Lepcha Night Schools in different parts of the District of Darjeeling where Government Schools are not available and even if so they do not have the standard and the quality. It is also to your knowledge that the Girls and Boys Hostel in Bom, Kalimpong, District of Darjeeling, gives refuge to our various children from different villages coming for higher education in the town.
Lack of resources in these schools and need for a library in the hostel, is the crux to this letter. Our enthusiastic children walk several hours to reach these one room schools, where Lepcha and English are taught to the children. We need your help in contributions of any kind.
Things that you can do to help are as follows:-
1. By sending any old books that are not in use in your house which is suitable for a student, be it in Lepcha or English on subjects like Science, Mathematics etc., old magazines, story books; novels or for that matter even a month old read newspapers, this includes all positive readable materials.
2. By forwarding this letter to any of your friends or families who may have books which are not in their use.
3. By sending Rs. 5/- or Rs. 50/-(Any amount) in an envelope with your address, contact number, where every details will be accounted in a register. This will be used exclusively for the various expenses in reaching the books to different villages and for other educational purposes.
4. By giving suggestions in letters to carry out the dream of educating, each and every one of our child, by multiplying these Night Schools and improving their infrastructure.
5. By giving suggestion and career guidance to our children residing in the Boys and Girls Hostel in Bom, Kalimpong.
Your contributions will be highly appreciated if left in the following address:-
Lepcha Boys and Girls Hostel, Below Kumudini Homes, Lower Bom, Kalimpong-734301 District Darjeeling, West Bengal.
If it is convenient for you, the undersigned, when informed, will send our co-ordinators at your residence or office for the collection.
Let us help ourselves. There is no future for us without our children. Please remember that your books will be read a thousand times by a thousand knowledge hungry children who are deprived of it in the remote villages. We have always wanted to make a difference in the lives of our people. Here is an opportunity for you to do so. This might seem little to you but it will have an everlasting victory in all the things that we have been denied in our Nye Mayel Renjyaong Lyang.
Aachuley!

Azuk Tamsangmoo Lepcha, Ph. No 980033650.
Email:azukval@gmail. com

Our Coordinators:
1. Lazen Lepcha, Ph. No. 9932745041 2. Neema Lepcha, Ph. No. 9832478327 3. John Lepcha, Ph. No. 9932859674
P.S.: Your Old and discarded clothes will also be accepted, for distribution to our children in the remote villages.