"Bumchu", the Kumbh Mela of Sikkim

S Balakrishnan *

The Bumchu religious festival of Sikkim can as well be termed as the 'kumbh mela' of Sikkim. This year it will be held on the 17th & 18th of March 2022 at Tashiding Monastery, West Sikkim. This brings back a flood of memories of the festival that I was fortunate to attend exactly 38 years ago on March 17, 1984. The monastery sits aloof atop a hill range that seems susceptible to landslides.

Looking back, I can't help admiring my doggedness; because it was within ten months of my arrival in Sikkim. Wanting to experience the rich & colourful social, religious and cultural life of Sikkim, besides its natural beauty, I started exploring Sikkim as soon as I landed; I was also recording it through photography.

Thus I was in West Sikkim's famed Pemayangtse Monastery from Feb 29 to March 04, 1984 for a darshan of the Thulo Thangkha (The Big Religious Scroll) festival and the accompanying 'chham' (religious Lama dance). (A reminiscence of the Tulo Thangkha festival was carried by Sikkim Express on 14.02.2021). I was smart enough to use the visit to collect details about the ensuing Bumchu Festival that was to be held in the next two weeks.

But the scene was not very encouraging – the road to Tashiding was a kutcha, muddy road; no public transport; one had to depend on private share vehicles which were also not that many; besides, most of them had been pre-booked already; where do I stay & eat there? But determined as I was, I boarded the SNT bus from Gangtok at 8.45 AM on 15th March 1984; when I reached Geyzing/Gyalshing at 5 PM, my bones were rattling.

Probably I stayed at Hotel Orchid because I had noted in my scanty travel notes that Hotel Mayalu, also near Gyalsing Bus-stand, was not as good as the former. So I had an entire day to scout for a vehicle.

In the meantime, I had a promise to keep up. I had met an elderly Lamini at the Geyzing Manilakhang (Prayer House) during my previous visit to Pemayangtse to witness Losar festivities. She desired to have noodle packets from Gangtok which I had promised. So I was at the Manilakhang to meet her to hand over the yellow, ribbon worm-like noodle packets and also a copy of a photo that I clicked of her standing along the big prayer wheel.

My actual intention was to drink the Tibetan tea that she offered earlier but which I declined out of modesty. But this time I was determined to taste it along with Tsampa (fried barley/wheat powder). First she offered me Tibetan biscuits which, unfortunately, I had to share with her pet dogs and cats. To my relief she had a kerosene stove with which she quickly made salted & yak buttered Tibetan tea for both of us.

But I almost died of choking of Tsampa when she advised me, a novice to this treat, to take it along with a gulp of tea. During the conversation she told me she was also interested in attending the Bumchu festival but didn't know if she would get a seat in the shared vehicles.

But she was all set for the journey having tied up arrangements for her goats and pets. I could not meet her in the crowded festive atmosphere at Tashiding. (The Lamini story was carried in two parts by Sikkim Express on 26 July & Aug. 02, 2005)

Though I was resolved even to trek the ascending road to Tashiding, I luckily got a seat in a jeep from Legship. It was already jam packed, yet I somehow squeezed myself inside. The local devotees were quizzically staring at me, an alien visitor! I had wisely booked accommodation at the Forest Department's Inspection Bungalow in Tashiding.

It was almost evening when I reached Tashiding, covered with dust from the kutcha road. I dumped my rucksack there and immediately started wandering around enjoying the festive atmosphere. Pious devotees were mumbling sacred mantras with prayer wheel & rosary in the hands and going around the chorten and the monastery.

I noticed devotees from Bhutan in their national dress. A forest officer had come with family and sought my permission to share the accommodation. I said 'no problem; anyhow I will be roaming around most of the time'. I stood in the long queue and received the sacred Bumchu water.

As the day dawned, the mela (fair) got going and I became busy clicking a few shots at the mela ground. The spread was the usual one but what attracted me was the rich costume of the people, their traditional best. A lady with a bulakhi (nose ring) was my star attraction; she was divinely beautiful.

In Tamil, the nose ring is called 'pullakku'; what a similarity! The vendors had spread aluminum utensils, dress & dress material, bangles, beads, ribbons, makeup accessories, traditional Nepali topis, edible items, cheap plastic goods, etc. There was a bioscope man who attracted both young and old towards his dream machine. I did click him but foolishly missed enjoying it.

To this day I regret having missed this rare chance. Modesty must have won over curiosity. I was intrigued by a Lama (?) carving mantras/images in stone slabs that are placed as votive offerings by devotees.

Such a long row of these slabs was an eye catcher there. Wish I had bought or at least stolen one such slab! As I roamed further away, I saw a humble house among a field ripe with golden crop; what a dreamy setting, I thought. I captured some flowering trees as well.

I came across two acquaintances at the Bumchu festival; one was Mr. Nima who ran a clothes shop at the back end of Lal Market. He was with his family at Tashiding. But I had handed over the negative to him without retaining a copy.

The other was Capt. Yongda of Pemayangtse; I first met him at Tsuklakhang, the Palace Monastery, in Gangtok during the Pang Lhabsol festival. Then we met again at Pemayangtse Monastery during Losar festivity, two weeks ago. I snapped him sleeping tired, cocooned in his sleeping bag, his Lama attire hung on a rock.

Bumchu is a sacred pot containing holy water blessed by Lama Ngadag Sempa Chhenpo (one of the three Lamas who crowned the first king of Sikkim) after he had performed the Mane Mantra prayers 5 billion times. He introduced Bhumchhu ceremony in the 17th century with a gift of a precious vase that he had brought from Tibet.

The holy water does not dry up nor spoil and continues to have the fresh smell even after all these years. The sacred vase (Bum) containing the water (chhu) is kept under seal and opened for public darshan once a year on the 15th day of the first month of the lunar-based Tibetan calendar. The water contained in the sacred Bhumpa or vase is measured into 21 'tings' (offering bowls) of equal size.

The level of water and its clear condition is studied to divine the fortunes of Sikkim for the next year. If it is more than 21 tings, it is propitious; if less or murky, it is a bad omen. Accordingly, special pujas will be conducted to ward off danger. Each year, three cups of water is taken out from the vase for distribution by mixing it with fresh river water. This volume is replaced by water from the nearby river.

According to a folklore legend related to Sikkim topography, Tashiding is said to represent the head, one of the four plexus (in human anatomy, plexus is a network of nerves or vessels). So sacred and ancient is Tashiding that it is the parent monastery of Jhang-Ter lineage of Nyingmapa Sect in Sikkim.

The most holy Chhoedten (Stupa/Chorten) in Sikkim is also at Tashiding. It is so sacred that a mere darshan of it cleanses one of all sins; hence it is revered as Thong-Warang-Drol / Thongwa-Rangdot, "Saviour by mere sight". It is said to contain precious relic of Mythical Buddha "Wod-Srung", antecedent to Buddha Shakya Muni.

Wish I had maintained a travel diary, as is my wont with minute details, but somehow I had not maintained it for my West Sikkim visits which is a great mistake and loss. But I had scribbled a rough plan of Tashiding which is a reminder of my mapping skill!

Given a chance, would I prefer a trip to Tashiding during Bumchu? But will the mela retain the same old-world charm? Will the 'dream seller', the bioscope man, be there? As the answer would be a big NO, I would like to retain the fading golden memories of my 1984 epic trip to Tashiding's Bumchu Festival rather than risk disappointment.