Koinch Chhengu (सुनुवार चेँगु )

The most important Puja is the’ Chhengu’ performed during the months of November-December or March-April, invoking the several Sunuwar deities, and the spirits of the dead ancestors who are believed to be cam pint in a monastery(Gumba) immediately after death and have to be guided to their permanent abode of the dead ancestors. During this Puja unmarried boy and girl are made to prepare rice from paddy. Wooden mortar and pestle are used for such purpose and are kept absolutely out of the reach of others. The rice is then cooked in water and at the first sign of boiling the dry uncooked rice into the boiling rice. The cooked rice is then kneaded with hands and 108 cones (Tormas) are prepared out of it.

The worship begins with preparations of altars (thans), offering of ‘ Syanbu’ specially prepared from millet and chanting of incantations invoking the gods accompanied by beating assisted by the Natso. Lamps are then lit along with burning of incense. The puja continues through out the night with occasional breaks during which the p0inbo and Natso are fed and or offered drinks. During the Puja the Poinbo invokes and invites the ‘Khalo’ or the spirit of the departed relative enters the body of Poinbo and communicates through him with the family members. The priest then guides the sprits to the distant and invisible abode where the spirits of the early ancestors reside. A bird’ Chirinamdi’ is modeled out of cooked rice and placed on top of the largest ‘torma;, with a bow and arrow in hand the Poinbo while guiding the sprit towards its heavenly abode feigns moving through hunting grounds and shouts ‘ Cheehib shastany'(let us kill the bird) and shoots the bird-and action reminiscent of the Sunuwar ‘ hunting profession or the bygone days. Details of the right path, various deities the departed soul may encounter, and the obstacles it may have to surmount are vividly described by the Poinbo during the course of the ceremony, which ends when the departed soul is presumed to have been successfully guided to the ancestral heavenly abode. If’ Chhengu puja cannot be arranged, then the gods and the spirits of the dead ancestors are propitiated through another puja Pidar which is performed by the Natsos.