Samdup Taso

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Samdup Taso (b. 1928; d. 29 October 2011, aged 83) was the last shaman to lead the indigenous Lepcha people of Sikkim (now part of India) in prayers to the mountain deity of Kanchenjunga, the world's third-highest mountain peak. [1]

Lepcha people people

The Lepcha are also called the Rongkup meaning the children of God and the Rong, Mútuncí Róngkup Rumkup, and Rongpa, are among the indigenous peoples of Sikkim, India and number between 30,000 and 50,000. Many Lepcha are also found in western and southwestern Bhutan, Tibet, Darjeeling, the Mechi Zone of eastern Nepal, and in the hills of West Bengal. The Lepcha people are composed of four main distinct communities: the Renjóngmú of Sikkim; the Dámsángmú of Kalimpong, Kurseong, and Mirik; the ʔilámmú of Ilam District, Nepal; and the Promú of Samtse and Chukha in southwestern Bhutan.

Sikkim State in North-east India

Sikkim is a state in northeastern India. It borders Tibet in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Nepal in the west, and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also located close to India's Siliguri Corridor near Bangladesh. Sikkim is the least populous and second smallest among the Indian states. A part of the Eastern Himalaya, Sikkim is notable for its biodiversity, including alpine and subtropical climates, as well as being a host to Kangchenjunga, the highest peak in India and third highest on Earth. Sikkim's capital and largest city is Gangtok. Almost 35% of the state is covered by the Khangchendzonga National Park.

India Country in South Asia

India, also known as the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh largest country by area and with more than 1.3 billion people, it is the second most populous country and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast, it shares land borders with Pakistan to the west; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the northeast; and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. In the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives, while its Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Thailand and Indonesia.

Taso was an hereditary priest (the "Bongthing"), who would lead prayers culminating in special rituals during the month of "Kursong" (February–March).

Taso did not nominate a successor, and left the native villagers in the remote Dzongu region of north Sikkim without a 'Khangchendzonga Bongthings' (priest), thus ending an 800-year ritual. [2]

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References

  1. ↑ Samdup Taso, The Daily Telegraph, 9 November 2011, accessed 16 November 2011
  2. ↑ Samdup Taso death leaves Khangchendzonga without a priest, iSikkim, 7 November 2011, accessed 16 November 2011
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