Te-ongsi Sirijunga Xin Thebe
Encyclopedia
Te-Ongsi Sirijunga Xin Thebe or Teyongshi Ziri Dzö-nga Xin Thebe was an 18th-century Limbu
scholar, teacher, educationist, historian and philosopher of Limbuwan
and Sikkim
. He was formally known as Sirichongba but his more popular name was and remains Sirijanga.
nickname by claiming to be the incarnation of a legendary 9th-century historical figure called "Sirijanga". It has been widely believed that it was this legendary historical figure who preserved and revived the ancient Kirat scripts
, but many now feel that the Sirijanga legend was most likely created by the 18th-century Sirijanga himself, with the intention of making the Limbu and Lepcha people more ready to believe and follow his teachings.
. Sirijanga revived the old Kirat script, today mistakenly known as Sirijanga. With the use of his newly revived script, he collected, composed and copied huge amounts of Kirat literature pertaining to history and cultural traditions. He travelled extensively through remote regions, attempting to amass sources of Limbu knowledge and culture. Eventually, he began going from village to village, publicising his findings and establishing centres of Kirati learning. In doing all of this, Sirijanga laid the foundation for a Kirat ethnic revival, and contributed significantly to the resistance against Tibetan
Buddhist cultural domination. Sirijanga preached that acquiring broad cultural knowledge and experience was the key to the revival and enrichment of a community. In an attempt to trace the sources of his culture, he at first studied with local Tibetan Buddhist lama
s, who at the time were the only means of connecting to a learned tradition in the region.
Sirijanga was also witness to the influx of the Hindu
-based Khas
culture from the western hill districts of today's Nepal
. As such, along with his preliminary studies under the local lamas, he also practiced reading and writing in contemporary Khas, now known as Nepali
. In order to better understand the dynamics at play in the region and to gather support for his movement, Sirijanga traveled far and wide to establish contact with rulers and powerful personalities. In one of these travels, it seems that he had either contacted or met King Jayaprakash Malla
of Kathmandu. This multi-lingual and multi-cultural exposure to Buddhist and Hindu standards enabled Sirijanga to grasp the fundamentals of both the region's dominant cultures. During Sirijanga's life, the Bhutanese
and Sikkimese
quest for greater control over the eastern Himalaya led to many wars between Limbu and Sikkimese Bhutia
(Bhutia indicating Tibetan origin) authorities. In due time, the lamas of Sikkim were able to extend their monastic centres in the northern areas of the part of Limbuwan that now lies in Nepal. After some time, this cultural encroachment enabled the Bhutia rulers to repeatedly subdue and take control of the entire Kirat territory.
The root of this state of conflict can be seen to lie in the politics of culture and knowledge at play in the region. Sikkimese Tibetan rulers and Buddhist spiritual leaders were able to subjugate the entire far-eastern Kirat region by means of their hold over the established learned traditions and the systematic spiritual culture of Buddhism. It was the realisation of this that led Sirijanga to emphasise the necessity of a peaceful, knowledge-based movement.
Sirijanga's contribution in spreading Kirat-Sirijonga script, Limbu language
, Mundhum and literature is immense. The Postal Services Department, Nepal Philatelic Bureau, Kathmandu has issued a postal ticket in his name in the Personalities Series.
in 1741 after being tied to a tree and shot at with arrows. The Kirat learning centres that he established were thus destroyed and Sirijanga's disciples murdered or brutally suppressed by the Bhutias for defying their insistence to convert the Limbus to Buddhism and also for the growth of the Limbu language and script that Sirijanga had taught. The place where Sirijanga was killed has a become a shrine to all people (irrespective of class, creed, and religion) from Sikkim and Nepal.
Limbu people
The Yakthung or Limbu tribes and clans belong to the Kirati nation or to the Kirat confederation.They are indigenous to the hill and mountainous regions of east Nepal between the Arun and Mechi rivers to as far as Southern Tibet, Bhutan and Sikkim....
scholar, teacher, educationist, historian and philosopher of Limbuwan
Limbuwan
Limbuwan is an area of the Himalaya historically made up of 10 Limbu kingdoms, all now part of Nepal. Limbuwan means "abode of the Limbus" or "Land of the Limbus". Limbus themselves call Limbuwan "Yakthung Laaje" or "the country of the Yakthungs"...
and Sikkim
Sikkim
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
. He was formally known as Sirichongba but his more popular name was and remains Sirijanga.
Life
Sirijanga was born in Sinam-Tellok (Yangwarok area) in Limbuwan in 1704. A Limbu language instruction book reveals Sirijanga's real name as Rupihaang. The Haang part of the name is a common Kirati term indicating a family of high or royal origin. Sirijanga had accepted his LepchaLepcha language
Lepcha language, or Róng language , is a Himalayish language spoken by the Lepcha people in Sikkim and parts of West Bengal, Nepal and Bhutan.-Population:...
nickname by claiming to be the incarnation of a legendary 9th-century historical figure called "Sirijanga". It has been widely believed that it was this legendary historical figure who preserved and revived the ancient Kirat scripts
Limbu script
The Limbu script is used to write the Limbu language. The Limbu script is an abugida derived from the Tibetan script.-History:According to traditional histories, the Limbu script was first invented in the late 9th century by King Sirijonga Haang, then fell out of use, to be reintroduced in the 18th...
, but many now feel that the Sirijanga legend was most likely created by the 18th-century Sirijanga himself, with the intention of making the Limbu and Lepcha people more ready to believe and follow his teachings.
Work
Sirijanga Singthebe researched and taught the Kirat-Sirijonga script, language and religion of the Limbus in various part of Limbuwan and Sikkim, IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Sirijanga revived the old Kirat script, today mistakenly known as Sirijanga. With the use of his newly revived script, he collected, composed and copied huge amounts of Kirat literature pertaining to history and cultural traditions. He travelled extensively through remote regions, attempting to amass sources of Limbu knowledge and culture. Eventually, he began going from village to village, publicising his findings and establishing centres of Kirati learning. In doing all of this, Sirijanga laid the foundation for a Kirat ethnic revival, and contributed significantly to the resistance against Tibetan
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
Buddhist cultural domination. Sirijanga preached that acquiring broad cultural knowledge and experience was the key to the revival and enrichment of a community. In an attempt to trace the sources of his culture, he at first studied with local Tibetan Buddhist lama
Lama
Lama is a title for a Tibetan teacher of the Dharma. The name is similar to the Sanskrit term guru .Historically, the term was used for venerated spiritual masters or heads of monasteries...
s, who at the time were the only means of connecting to a learned tradition in the region.
Sirijanga was also witness to the influx of the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
-based Khas
Khas
Originally the Khas / Khasas or Khasiyas are the mountain dwellers living in the southern shadow of the Himalayan range from Kashmir to Bhutan, but mostly in Nepal, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, North Bengal, Sikkim and Bhutan,...
culture from the western hill districts of today's 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...
. As such, along with his preliminary studies under the local lamas, he also practiced reading and writing in contemporary Khas, now known as Nepali
Nepali language
Nepali or Nepalese is a language in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.It is the official language and de facto lingua franca of Nepal and is also spoken in Bhutan, parts of India and parts of Myanmar...
. In order to better understand the dynamics at play in the region and to gather support for his movement, Sirijanga traveled far and wide to establish contact with rulers and powerful personalities. In one of these travels, it seems that he had either contacted or met King Jayaprakash Malla
Jayaprakash Malla
Jaya Prakash Malla was the last king of Yen or Kantipur which corresponds to present day Kathmandu. He ruled from 1736 to 1746, and then from 1750 until his death in 1768....
of Kathmandu. This multi-lingual and multi-cultural exposure to Buddhist and Hindu standards enabled Sirijanga to grasp the fundamentals of both the region's dominant cultures. During Sirijanga's life, the Bhutanese
Bhutanese
Bhutanese may refer to:* Something of, or related to Bhutan* The official national language of Bhutan, Dzongkha * A person from Bhutan, or of Bhutanese descent...
and Sikkimese
Sikkimese
Sikkimese may refer to:* Of or related to Sikkim* Sikkimese language* Sikkimese people...
quest for greater control over the eastern Himalaya led to many wars between Limbu and Sikkimese Bhutia
Bhutia
The Bhutia are ethnic Tibetans who speak Sikkimese, a Tibetan dialect fairly mutually intelligible to standard Tibetan. In 2001, the Bhutia numbered around 70,300...
(Bhutia indicating Tibetan origin) authorities. In due time, the lamas of Sikkim were able to extend their monastic centres in the northern areas of the part of Limbuwan that now lies in Nepal. After some time, this cultural encroachment enabled the Bhutia rulers to repeatedly subdue and take control of the entire Kirat territory.
The root of this state of conflict can be seen to lie in the politics of culture and knowledge at play in the region. Sikkimese Tibetan rulers and Buddhist spiritual leaders were able to subjugate the entire far-eastern Kirat region by means of their hold over the established learned traditions and the systematic spiritual culture of Buddhism. It was the realisation of this that led Sirijanga to emphasise the necessity of a peaceful, knowledge-based movement.
Sirijanga's contribution in spreading Kirat-Sirijonga script, Limbu language
Limbu language
Limbu is a Tibeto-Burman language spoken in Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, Kashmir and Darjeeling district, West Bengal, India, by the Limbu community. Virtually all Limbus are bilingual in Nepali....
, Mundhum and literature is immense. The Postal Services Department, Nepal Philatelic Bureau, Kathmandu has issued a postal ticket in his name in the Personalities Series.
Death
In present-day terms, Sirijanga's ethnic movement can be said to be one of Kirat empowerment through education. Sirijanga's movement came to represent a significant threat, in particular to the Sikkimese Bhutia rulers and their spiritual gurus. His writings and teachings through the Kirati alphabets and literary texts he collected attracted significant numbers of Limbus and Lepchas, and led to the start of an ethnic awakening. Sirijanga was able to establish centres of Kirat cultural and religious learning in many places throughout the eastern Himalayan hills. The Sikkimese authorities felt threatened. Sirijanga was killed in Martam, Hee-Bermiok in West SikkimWest Sikkim
West Sikkim is a district of theIndian state of Sikkim. Its capital is Geyzing, also known as Gyalshing. The district is a favourite with trekkers due to the high elevations. Other important towns include Pelling and Jorethang.-History:...
in 1741 after being tied to a tree and shot at with arrows. The Kirat learning centres that he established were thus destroyed and Sirijanga's disciples murdered or brutally suppressed by the Bhutias for defying their insistence to convert the Limbus to Buddhism and also for the growth of the Limbu language and script that Sirijanga had taught. The place where Sirijanga was killed has a become a shrine to all people (irrespective of class, creed, and religion) from Sikkim and Nepal.