Chasok Tangnam

Chasok Tangnam is a festival of the Limbu people which falls on a full moon day of the month of Senchengla or the Mangsir month of the Nepali calendar.

Chasok Tangnam
Limbu women with traditional clothing and traditional tongba drink.
Observed by	Limbu people
Observances	Prayers and religious rituals
Date	November–December lunar calendar
Frequency	Annual

People from the Limbu community in eastern Nepal have started celebrating Chasok Tangnam festival. The festival is marked with the first harvest being offered to God Yuma Sammang and other deities and exchanging cordiality with each other. The festival which is also called Nwagi Puja is considered to be the beginning of social, cultural, religious (worship of nature), family, political and overall way of life for the Limbu community. During the celebrations, youths and adults from the Yakthung community, dressed in traditional costumes, have fun performing traditional dances including paddy dance (Dhan Nach) , Chyabrung , Palam, khayali and hakpare. Limbu people from Dharan gathered in Panchkanya forest located next to the place which is considered the capital of the historic Limbuwan kingdom in Vijaypur to collectively celebrate the festival.

Ceremony

During the ceremony, Limbu priest also recites the story of the Limbu ancestors who endeavoured hardships leading the life of hunting and gathering. Then, they were taught by the spirit of Yuma Sammang to plant and harvest various crops. When the crops were harvested Limbus decided to place the little portion of harvest as offerings to their supreme God Tagera Ningwaphumang and the ancestor Goddess Yuma Sammang for the knowledge of agriculture and harvest. It is strongly and widely believed that any harvest eaten without first performing Chasok Worship and without offering to the Gods is cursed with badluck and misfortune.