Mundhum
Encyclopedia
Mundhum is the ancient religious scripture and folk literature of the Kirat
people of Nepal
, central to Kirat Mundhum, the ancient, indigenous religion of Nepal
. Mundhum means "the power of great strength" in the Kiranti languages
. The Mundhum covers many aspects of the Kirant culture, customs and traditions that have existed before Vedic civilisation in South Asia
.
Mundhum is organised into two parts — Thungsap and Peysap. The Mundhum extends beyond religion, serving as a guide for culture, ritual and social values. Mundhum is written in ancient Kiranti languages and versions vary among the various Kirat tribes, serving as each tribe's distinctive culture and framing their social identity and unity in relation to other tribes and peoples.
was introduced. It was an epic
composed and recited in the form of songs by Sambas, religious poets and bards. The Kirat priests in the beginning were called the Sambas where Sam means song and Ba means the one (male) who knows the Sam.
, the beginning of mankind
, the cause and effect of the sins, the creation of evil spirit
s, such as the evil spirits of envy, jealousy and anger and the cause and effect of death in childhood.
The Yehang Mundhum contains the story of the first leader of mankind who made laws for the sake of improvement of human beings from the stage of animal life to the enlightened life and ways to control them by giving philosophy on spiritualism. In this book, the leader has made rules for marriage, arbitration, purification and religion. The story of destruction of human beings by deluge and the cause of existence of many languages among the Kirat people, the social customs of seasonal worship to the worship of God, the rules of purification on child birth and death are mentioned in the Lepmuhang Mundhum.
Mundhum is a spiritual, rhythmic and shamanic
form of scripture. Mundhum rituals and teachings are only used and performed by very special a Kirat religious master or shamanic guru of Kirant. Mundhum is written in very ancient native Kirat language and tones. To study Mundhum, person must study a native Kirat language
such as Bantawa
(Rai
), Camling (Rai), Sunuwar language and Limbu
. Mundhum almost cover everything like origin of earth, air, water, fire and life, medicine, god, all ritual birth, marriage, death.
Kirant
Kirat or Kirati are indigenous ethnic groups of the Himalayas extending eastward from Nepal into India, Burma and beyond. They migrated to their present locations via Assam, Burma, Tibet and Yunnan in ancient times...
people of Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, central to Kirat Mundhum, the ancient, indigenous religion of Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. Mundhum means "the power of great strength" in the Kiranti languages
Kiranti languages
The Mahakiranti or Maha-Kiranti languages are a proposed intermediate level of classification of the Tibeto-Burman languages. They are the languages most closely related to the Kiranti languages proper, which are spoken by the ethnic Kirat...
. The Mundhum covers many aspects of the Kirant culture, customs and traditions that have existed before Vedic civilisation in South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
.
Mundhum is organised into two parts — Thungsap and Peysap. The Mundhum extends beyond religion, serving as a guide for culture, ritual and social values. Mundhum is written in ancient Kiranti languages and versions vary among the various Kirat tribes, serving as each tribe's distinctive culture and framing their social identity and unity in relation to other tribes and peoples.
Thungsap Mundhum
The Thungsap Mundhum was collected, preserved and passed on by word of mouth and folklore until the art of writingWriting
Writing is the representation of language in a textual medium through the use of a set of signs or symbols . It is distinguished from illustration, such as cave drawing and painting, and non-symbolic preservation of language via non-textual media, such as magnetic tape audio.Writing most likely...
was introduced. It was an epic
Epic poetry
An epic is a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation. Oral poetry may qualify as an epic, and Albert Lord and Milman Parry have argued that classical epics were fundamentally an oral poetic form...
composed and recited in the form of songs by Sambas, religious poets and bards. The Kirat priests in the beginning were called the Sambas where Sam means song and Ba means the one (male) who knows the Sam.
Peysap Mundhum
The Peysap Mundhum is a written book about religion. It is divided into four parts — the Soksok Mundhum, Yehang Mundhum, Sapji Mundhum and Sap Mundhum. The Soksok Mundhum contains the stories of creation of the universeUniverse
The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...
, the beginning of mankind
Mankind
Mankind may refer to:* The human species* Mankind , a 15th century morality play* Mankind , a 1998 massively multiplayer online real-time strategy game* Mankind , an album by Factory 81...
, the cause and effect of the sins, the creation of evil spirit
Spirit
The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...
s, such as the evil spirits of envy, jealousy and anger and the cause and effect of death in childhood.
The Yehang Mundhum contains the story of the first leader of mankind who made laws for the sake of improvement of human beings from the stage of animal life to the enlightened life and ways to control them by giving philosophy on spiritualism. In this book, the leader has made rules for marriage, arbitration, purification and religion. The story of destruction of human beings by deluge and the cause of existence of many languages among the Kirat people, the social customs of seasonal worship to the worship of God, the rules of purification on child birth and death are mentioned in the Lepmuhang Mundhum.
Mundhum is a spiritual, rhythmic and shamanic
Shamanism
Shamanism is an anthropological term referencing a range of beliefs and practices regarding communication with the spiritual world. To quote Eliade: "A first definition of this complex phenomenon, and perhaps the least hazardous, will be: shamanism = technique of ecstasy." Shamanism encompasses the...
form of scripture. Mundhum rituals and teachings are only used and performed by very special a Kirat religious master or shamanic guru of Kirant. Mundhum is written in very ancient native Kirat language and tones. To study Mundhum, person must study a native Kirat language
Kiranti languages
The Mahakiranti or Maha-Kiranti languages are a proposed intermediate level of classification of the Tibeto-Burman languages. They are the languages most closely related to the Kiranti languages proper, which are spoken by the ethnic Kirat...
such as Bantawa
Bantawa language
The Bantawa language is an endangered language group. It is a Tibeto-Burman language, Eastern Kiranti languages family, spoken in the eastern Himalayan hills of eastern Nepal by Rai ethnic groups. Bantawa speaking Population estimates vary between 20,000-60,000, though 35,000 speakers may be a...
(Rai
Rai (ethnic group)
The Rai are one of Nepal's most ancient indigenous ethnolinguistic groups. They were Raya meaning king. Once someone was recognized as a ruler then Hindus awarded the title Raja, Rai, Raya, Malla etc. When the king Pritivi Narayan Shah couldn't defeat Kirant king , he somehow took them in...
), Camling (Rai), Sunuwar language and Limbu
Limbu
-Limbu people:*Limbu people a Tibeto-Mongoloid ethnic group in Asia, an indigenous ethnic group of Nepal.*Limbu language*Limbu script*Kirati nation.-Limbu History:*Limbuwan*History of Limbuwan*Limbuwan Gorkha War*Limbuwan-Gorkha Treaty of 1774...
. Mundhum almost cover everything like origin of earth, air, water, fire and life, medicine, god, all ritual birth, marriage, death.