FROM BON TO BUDDHISM - Social and Cultural Changes of the Tamangs A Thesis submitted to the University of North Bengal For the Award of Doctor of Philosophy in History By Sudash Lama Guide Dr. Anita Bagchi Department of History University of North Bengal Rajarammohunpur Dist. Darjeeling West Bengal -734013 December, 2013 DECLARATION I declare that the thesis entitled “From Bon to Buddhism - Social and Cultural Changes of the Tamangs” has been prepared by me under the guidance of Dr. Anita Bagchi, Associate Professor of Department of History, University of North Bengal. No part of this thesis has formed the basis for the award of any degree or fellowship previously. Sudash Lama Department of History, University of North Bengal Rajarammohunpur, Dist. Darjeeling – 734013 West Bengal Date: 27/12/2013 CERTIFICATE I certify that Sudash Lama has prepared the thesis entitled “From Bon to Buddhism - Social and Cultural Changes of the Tamangs”, for the award of Ph.D degree of the University of North Bengal, under my guidance. He has carried out the work at Department of History, University of North Bengal. Dr. Anita Bagchi Department of History, University of North Bengal Rajarammohunpur, Dist. Darjeeling – 734013 West Bengal Date: 27/12/2013 PREFACE Since the childhood grown up as a member of the Tamang community, the present scholars have had the opportunity to observe the ambience of the Tamang cultural tradition from within. From very tender age being influenced by Tamang culture and religion, folk-tales, songs and especially distinctive lifestyle which stirred enormous imagination as well as a lot of curiosity to explore the primitive culture in total of the same. This led to the formulation of this thesis. The present thesis may, therefore be considered as the inevitable outcome of the very desire which was rooted in the imaginary world of the writer. This burgeon may be considered as an outcome of empirical, exploration and participatory observation of the culture of the Tamangs with a critical point of view. The Tamangs are a primitive community settled in different parts of Nepal and India. The social-economic and religio-cultural setting has great meaning to this community from time primordial. The wave of transformation due to cultural milieu of Tibet and Nepal and later on Nepal and India is distinctly manifested in their life style and cultural pattern to which they have been newly accustomed. The Sub-Himalayan tracts offered diverse ecology, environment and human settlement of various culture and religion which slowly but steadily made impact on Tamang community. Tamangs are very well known for its kinship affinity, common dialect, distinct cultural system, backward economy, customary laws and conventional social practices. The Tamangs used to solve problems mainly social with the help of the village Pancha (Tamba, Ganba, and Lama) which is an influential institution to maintain social order within the community. v Such system helps to maintain geographical as well as social isolation from the rest of the civilized society. It resembles though not wholly the panchayats of rural life. Furthermore, Tamang society within the community in particular and national in general is facing problems of segmentation in social integration, communal harmony, and cultural intrusion. The present cram of culture is not only important for policy making but also has great academic value. With a view, a comprehensive and honest endeavor has been made in presenting the research findings on the topic ‘From Bon to Buddhism, Social and Cultural Changes of the Tamangs’ in India and Nepal context. However, the study of Tamang has been made by many scholars in India, Nepal and abroad in various aspects but so far the study of cultural and religious change is concerned, present study may be an addition with different dimension. The Tamangs have no written script other than Tibetan and devnagri. The major social institutions of the Tamang and impact of other culturs have been discussed in their transformative character. The findings of the study are based on the information gathered from primary and secondary sources and the outcome of previous scholars, government records and other additional secondary available sources have been taken into account as a base line data for the analysis of the cultural changes. For the systematic presentation of research findings the whole thesis is divided into seven chapters. The first chapter deals with the introduction of the problem, the second chapter is about the history of Tamang, the origin stories, the third chapter manifests location and vi ethnography, the forth chapter social and economic structure of Tamang, the fifth chapter is culture and religion, and sixth chapter deals with the bon to Buddhism, transformation in religion and culture and lastly chapter consists of summary and conclusion. The thesis is certainly a beautiful study of different cultural aspects of Tamang. The analytical examination of transformation in religion and culture as well as some assimilated and acculturate rituals and festivals are points of highlights. The present thesis has been arranged scientifically to make more intelligible with the kind support and direct help of some resource person, friends and departments. My first and foremost thanks go to “Lord Buddha” (Sangey), the blessings of whom made possible my study on the Tamang community. My sincere thanks are due to total Tamang populations which constitute the part of my study for supplying real intensive and reliable information relating to my research problem. My huge thanks and heartiest gratitude go to Dr. Anita Bagchi my research supervisor whose thoughts, inspiration and guidance makes it possible to give a complete shape to this thesis. I sincerely like to convey my thanks to Head of Department of History, Dr. Bijoy Kumar Sarkar and my teachers, Prof. Icchamuddin Sarkar, Prof. Ananda Gopal Ghosh, Prof. Ratna Roy Sanyal and to my colleagues Dr. Dahlia Bhattachraya, Sankar Kumar Das, Varun Kumar Roy and also to my office staff Mr. Manoj Ray, and Gopal Das. I also like to extend my heartiest thanks to All India Tamang Buddhist Association and its members, I also like to express my thanks to my brothers Bikash Lama and Suraj Lama, I also like to thanks to Dawa Moktan, for his views on Tamang and Buddhism. My student Reshmi Beck vii is also claimant of my sincere thanks for her support. My thanks go to Dr. Padam Nepal, North Point College, and Dr. Ramesh Dural, dept. of Political Science, NBU. I also like to thanks all the Tamba, Ganba and Lama who help me in this study and also motivated me a lot. I also like to convey my thanks and appreciation of the co operation of the library staff, of the North Bengal University Central Library, Anthropological Society of India, West Bengal, and Seminar Library, Department of History, North Bengal University and also to founder of the ‘Dooars Sangrahalaya’, Sri. Kajiman Goley. My thanks also go to staff of Tibetology, Dewrali, Gangtok, monks of Dali Gumpha, Ghom-jorbanglow Gumpha, Salugara Gumpha, and Tamang of Ramechap, Nepal. My sincere most thanks are due to my worshipful parents who told me about the occupations, challenges, life style, folk tales, rituals practices and customs of Tamang from very childhood days. Last by no means least I extend my sincere love to my wife Mrs. Deepti Lama, for whom I have really no words of appreciation for the cooperation she rendered by taking up all the liabilities of the family and faced smilingly every problem and hardship. I like to share my love and affection to my sons Mr. Norden Lama and Praveen Lama and also to my little daughter Dohna. viii CONTENTS List of Tables ix List of Figures x - xi Glossary xii - xvi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1 – 19 CHAPTER 2: HISTORY OF THE TAMANG: ITS ORIGIN 20 – 44 2.1. Mongoloids and the Sub-Himalayan History 2.2. The Nomenclature 2.3. Debates on the History of Origin, Habitation and Migration CHAPTER 3: LOCATION AND ETHNOGRAPHY 45 – 78 3.1. Location 3.1.1. Tamang Demographics in Nepal 3.1.2. Tamang Demographics in India 3.1.2.a. Sikkim 3.1.2.b. Darjeeling Hills 3.1.2.c. Other Parts of India 3.2. Ethnography 3.2.1. Physical Characteristics 3.2.2. Language 3.2. 3. Tamang Tribes and Clans 3.2.4. Social Rites and Customs 3.3.4.a. Thapsang Thui: The Birth Ritual 3.3.4.b. Pasni (Kan Kwaba) 3.3.4.c. Chhewar or Tonsure ceremony (Tapchey) 3.3.4.d. Syama Pinba (Dress Giving Ceremony) 3.3.4.e. Marriage (Biwaha) 3.3.4.e.i. Magi Biwaha (Arranged Marriage) 3.3.4.e.ii. Prem Biwaha/Chori Biwaha (Love and Elope Marriage) 3.3.4.e.iii. Chopwa Biwaha/Balsing Biwaha (Forced Marriage) 3.3.4.e.iv. Jari Biwaha (Compensatory marriage) 3.3.4.e.v. Bidwa Biwaha (Widow Remarriage) 3.3.4.e.vi. Antarjatiya Biwaha (Inter-Caste Marriage) 3.3.4.f. Divorce or Parpachuke 3.3.4.g. Ghewa: Death Ritual CHAPTER 4: SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC STRUCTURE OF TAMANG SOCIETY 79 – 121 4.1. Introduction 4.2. The Concept of Bara Tamang and Atthara Jat 4.3. The Concept of Swangey Bhai (Sagik) 4.4. Lifestyle 4.5. Dress and Ornamentation 4.6. Food Habits 4.7. Handicraft and Painting 4.8. Folk Dances and Musical Instruments 4.8.1. Folk Dances 4.8.1.a. Damphu Naach 4.8.1.b. Chomlu Naach 4.8.1.c. Mhendomaya 4.8.2. Ritualistic Dance 4.8.2.a. Bakcham Naach 4.8.2.b. Mhanichepa 4.8.2.c. Tormamharsho 4.8.2. d. Jungwa naach 4.8.3. Folk Musical Instruments 4.8.3.a.