Limbu (Yakthung) · Soreng
Chasok Tangnam
Nov–Dec, full moon of Mangsir (Senchengla in the Limbu calendar)
Photo: Sohel Firdos · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Chasok Tangnam is the Limbu harvest festival, held on the full moon of Mangsir, when the first grain of the year is offered to the goddess Yuma Sammang and other deities. In Soreng district, where about one person in seven speaks Limbu at home, it is celebrated in villages and community gatherings.
Wikipedia describes Chasok Tangnam as a festival of the Limbu people falling on the full moon of Senchengla, the Limbu name for the month of Mangsir in the Nepali calendar, usually in late November or December. Its heart is an offering of the first harvest to Yuma Sammang, the mother goddess of the Limbu, and to other deities, before the new grain is eaten, followed by visits between families and neighbours.
Soreng district has one of the strongest Limbu presences in Sikkim. The 2011 census found Limbu to be the first language of about 14 percent of people in what is now the district, second only to Nepali, and villages around Soreng and Daramdin are home to many Limbu families. Celebrations range from household rituals led by a Limbu priest to community programmes organised by local Limbu associations, with prayers, cultural performances and shared food.
Venues and programmes are set locally each year, and much of the festival happens in homes, not on a public stage. If you are staying in a Limbu homestay around Soreng or Daramdin in late November or December, ask your hosts whether they are marking Chasok Tangnam and whether guests may watch. Dates follow the lunar calendar, so check current status before you travel.
If you go
Tips for the day
- Ask your homestay hosts before your trip whether Chasok Tangnam falls during your stay and whether guests may join.
- Dress modestly, follow the lead of your hosts and ask before photographing rituals, priests or elders.
- Late November and December are also orange season in Soreng, so combine the festival with a farm visit.
Questions travellers ask
Questions about Chasok Tangnam
When is Chasok Tangnam celebrated?
On the full moon of the Nepali month of Mangsir, called Senchengla in the Limbu calendar, which usually falls in late November or December. The exact date changes each year with the lunar calendar. Ask us or your homestay hosts for the confirmed date, and check current status before you travel.
What happens at Chasok Tangnam?
The first harvest of the year is offered to Yuma Sammang, the Limbu mother goddess, and other deities, usually with prayers led by a Limbu priest, before the new grain is eaten. Families then visit each other and share food. Community programmes may add cultural performances and speeches.
Can tourists attend Chasok Tangnam in Soreng?
Visitors are often welcome at community programmes, and homestay guests may be invited to watch family rituals. It is a religious occasion, so ask first, follow your hosts' lead and accept if a ritual is private. Venues and timings are set locally each year.
Why is Soreng a good place to experience Limbu culture?
Soreng district has one of Sikkim's largest Limbu communities: about 14 percent of residents named Limbu as their first language in the 2011 census, second only to Nepali. Villages around Soreng and Daramdin have Limbu homestays where you can learn about food, festivals and the Mundhum oral tradition.
Go for it
Where it happens and how to get there
town
Soreng1,315M
Soreng
A farming district town with a sunrise hill above the bazaar
Price your own route
Tell us dates, people and budget. We send a day-by-day plan with every cost shown. StartNot sure where to start?
We match districts to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. StartAsk the Gangtok desk
An itemised quote within one working day. No payment to start. StartGet my price
Tell us your dates and your budget
Who is travelling, when, and roughly what you want to spend. The Gangtok desk replies within one working day with a day-by-day plan and an itemised price.
- No payment to start
- Permits handled through registered partners
- Every hotel, car and fee listed