The "Chhyutt" (छ्युत्त)

“Chhyutt” (छ्युत)

Introduction: Many elements of Tamang culture that we label today as blind superstition has logical explanations behind them. Lack of proper analysis and explanation has consequently led to the extinction of some of those valuable elements from Tamang culture. Historically, the Tamang culture has been a dominating factor and has always remained like a solid rock and unchallenged because of its scientific approach. One of the valuable elements which still hold good and significant in Tamang culture can definitely be the “Chhyutt”. Many of us may consider it superstitious; few may treat it as illogical. Some of us might presume it religious & spiritual and others may even consider it vague & absurd. But the universally accepted truth is that this valuable element has always been an integral part of Tamang culture and has given a distinct identity to Tamang community since time immemorial. Many people are not familiar with this term considered the simplest and the most significant elements of Tamang culture.  This unique act which is performed by Tamang people has already invited various thought and opinion, and in the garb of all the opinion we have tried to discuss and analyze this great philosophy that continues to be an important part of Tamang culture.

Definition of “Chhyutt”: Performing the act of three drops (in case of liquid food) or the act of offering thrice (in case of solid food) carried out mostly at the initiation of eating & drinking or at the initiation and at the end of every worship, ritual, rite and ceremony,  exclusively in Tamang culture. It is performed with the help of index finger of the active hand (either right or the left hand).

Background: For a common man it appears to be a degraded attitude or gesture and an act of savageness. It appears very low and inferior in its form and style. But, it is only the human perception that makes them appear so. There may be differences in the perception among Tamang people but the act of three drops has proved to be essentially a significant element in the life of Tamang people. Like an intelligent human being let us try to understand the logic behind it and then perceive further. The act of three drops is one of the most important spiritual ethos deeply embedded in to Tamang culture and performed in almost every aspects of life.  The worships, the rituals, rites and the ceremonies at Tamang households and outside are always accompanied by this great act.  All the religious and traditional functions therefore do not end without having performed this act. During the process of Tamang evolution, the act carried the values and the philosophy of the ancient religions like the animism, shamanism (the Bonboism) which was later integrated in to Buddhism. Subsequently, it became an important element of worships, rituals, rites and ceremonies over the period of time. The amazing point to note here is that the act has also manifested into the day today life of Tamang people. From the worships, rituals, rites and the ceremonies to every day Tamang life, depicted in the form of human behavior, the act has transformed the spiritual ethos in to cultural ethics of Tamang people. The integration of such an act into religion and then to human behavior cannot be ascertained but by virtue of having faith and belief in both the Bonboism and Buddhism, by default, it became an important element of Tamang culture and has been passed on through generations. Therefore it became a part & parcel of Tamang life.  This unique culture is widely prevalent among Tamang community and has also percolated in to neighboring communities. The study indicates that older Tamang people are the most practitioners than the younger ones. However it has been found that the Tamang youngsters too develop this behavior as they grow older.

Description: The use of this humble act as you can see is intensive in Tamang behavior. For instance, it is astonishing to see the religious teachers carry out this act several times while they perform worships, rituals, rites and ceremonies, especially at the initiation and at the end of the procedures. One can observe the trainee priests moving out hastily many a time during the period. If you have felt it, there are few local terms associated with this act. The term popularly used locally like Monsaunoo (“मनशाउनु“), which can be described as to fulfill other’s wish or to respect the interest of the other people, Ponsaunoo (पनशाउनु), meaning- to get rid-off or the “Chhyutt” in Tamang language is often-heard words of expression around us. A great deal of logical inferences carrying human values can be drawn out of this great act, and they can be transformed into human behavior for the sake of well being. Spiritually, it implies to get rid-off or to make the certain elements like negative agents, disturbed souls, and evil spirits which are believed to be all around us happy or to keep them at bay. However, the questions that normally hunt in our mind are; how does it work out? How can the God & Goddesses and the negative elements be happy just by offering them the food or the drink? Will they really eat or drink? If we browse through the philosophy of existing religions around the world, we may find some of the religions rejecting these ideas categorically or do not believe in this version while many other religions believe and have logical reasoning behind them. In Buddhism, it is a faith and belief found to have been explained in religious book. The philosophy involved in this act can therefore be best explained by the religious teachers. For example, the “Chho”, the offering to God & Goddesses which normally consists of fruits, biscuits, champa (a kind of fried cereal powder), Torma (shapes made out of boiled rice) and sweets, is distributed among the people after having performed this act. The act is still in existence in the religious activities and the practice has become a part of the religious as well as spiritual procedures over the period of time.

From various types of worships, customs, rituals, rites, ceremonies to dining at home the traditional act of offering has been found to be very popular in Tamang society. The act is mostly visible while initiating eating and drinking in everyday life. The food cooked in the picnic spots is served to the people after having performed this act.  During wedding feast (भत् तेर) or the reception in modern context, the practice involved is- on the arrival of bride and the bride-groom, the people are seated in a circle or a line before the recipes are served to them. When the bride and the bride-groom have initiated eating, the announcement is made after the bride and the bride-groom have released their hands. Thereafter the mass will follow. The performance of “Chhyutt” in this case is carried out by the caterers, the bride and the bride-groom and the masses respectively. It is also observed that many people do not take their first bite or first sip without having performed the act, be it at home or picnic spots, get together, formal or non-formal parties, bars, hotels and restaurants. It is a common behavior found among Tamang people everywhere.

Due to urbanization, external influence and displacement the practice of this act may have reduced to some extent, but the popularity still remains intact among Tamang people. The present generation people might not have witnessed or be familiar with the performance of this great act but the older ones have surely seen the act being performed by their grand-fathers, grand-mothers, fathers & mothers at home. An important application of such an act revolves round the system of distribution of food at Tamang homes. The procedure involved is; the children are seated in an arc or in a circle on the floor of the house, either on the mat or on the wooden planks called “Peera”.  The food distributor (usually mother) initially carries out the act on the oven or fire. She offers a pinch of cooked food to the oven or the fire. She might not have been fully aware of the logic behind this act but, she appears to have understood the act as an expression of love, regard, appreciation, pleasure, gratefulness, thankfulness, gratitude, respect and honor. The reason is quite acceptable. The discovery of fire by the homo-sapiens has been a landmark discovery in the history of great human civilizations and consequently, the mankind seems to have accorded great admiration and hold the fire at the highest esteem in life. When one of the food distributors (an aged Tamang women during interaction) was asked about the need of offering cooked food on to the fire or oven. She replied bluntly- आगो पनि भगवान नै हो, आगोले हाम्रो खाना पकाई दिन्छ, र हामिले खाना पाको, तेसैले प्रथम आगोलाइ खिलाउनु पर्छ अनि मात्र हामीले खानु हुन्छ (the fire is also a God, it cooks food for us to eat, and to keep ourselves healthy, therefore Fire God has to be fed first before we eat). Although the act is symbolic, it speaks in volume. It is quite impossible to infer whether she is actually right in her words or not, but when we read the lines minutely there lies great human values associated with it. We also find an ecstasy tagged in it. Having carried out this act, she moves on to carry out the act further. This time she does it three times swiftly outside the oven or fire, in the open air. The presumed logic has been discussed in the following paragraph.  Subsequently, she sets aside a small quantity of food from the utensil in an empty dish or on the same utensil from where the food is being served. In fact the food is set aside for those who are not present. It indicates that she has just completed her first serve to the earning member of the family or head of the family or the people who are not present for eating. The action displays great affection, care and respect to those who are not present for dining. The action also implies one of the significant components of family values commonly expressed by the phrase “sharing is loving”. Thereafter, further distribution of food takes place. It happens from the top to the bottom in a hierarchy. If we happen to be number 7^th or 8^th in sequence we will be almost frustrated. The idea of hierarchy is in existent in Tamang tradition since its inception. For almost all the practical purposes Tamang people follow hierarchy-starting from top to bottom or from the senior-most to the lower ranked members of the family. For instance, if we have to carry out Chhay¹ or Chhyaak² or Dhog² the sequence is maintained. Be it eating, drinking, giving or performing Chhyaak the hierarchy is taken care of. The significance of maintaining hierarchy in Tamang house-holds lies with the fact that even if the head of the family expire, the topmost person in the family hierarchy can conveniently take over the family affairs. Once the distribution is over, everybody is expected to hold on for the green signal before eating or drinking. An important behavior one could notice in the process of distribution is that the distributor will be the last person to complete her dining. The process of dining also compels the diners (family members) to check for the availability of food for the left outs before asking for more, considered to be an essential element of family values. The kind of dining discipline prevalent in Tamang culture has always been appreciated by all and it is considered to be the initial step towards the development of human life. The dining culture seems to have added a unique blend of family and social values necessary for the development of human life. Those who have not grown up in this kind of dining discipline may find it illogical but for those who have experienced through this way have always confessed to have improved or shaped their lives in many fields.

Many other religious practitioners around us can be observed uttering humble words of happiness and gratitude to Gods and Goddesses with folded hands and closed eyes before eating and drinking, a behavior considered a decent and civilized way of life. Comparatively, the traditional Tamang method i.e. the act of three drops to all the Gods & Goddesses, the nature, their ancestors and the negative elements like the evil spirits or the harmful agents is found to be the simplest and the fastest way of doing so. The act of three drops, as envisaged has been studied and necessary information has been gathered from the past and the present sources. The findings have been discussed as above and further explained as;   According to Tamang legend the ancestral souls are moving all around us in the form of various energies and are presumed to be in the state of hunger and thirst. As they are optimistic about us, a pinch of food or a drop of liquid food is expected to fill their appetite or quench their thirst. The first drop therefore expresses a mark of remembrance, happiness and gratitude to our ancestors.  The second drop is an expression of gratitude and happiness to Gods & Goddesses and the nature that have enabled us to live healthy by providing food and drink. The third drop is especially meant for the evil spirits or harmful agents moving all around us. It is carried out to please them or to keep their interest so that no harm is caused to us. As a matter of fact, all the expressions like love, appreciation, remembrance, pleasure, gratitude, respect and honor are beautifully combined in to this humble act of three drops. Despite being symbolic it is an un-disputed integral part of Tamang culture being practiced by Tamang community through generations. However, despite all the discussions and analysis there are many questions floating around on this act of three drops. An attempt has been made to clarify those questions in the following ways:

Is it superstitious? For a layman it appears to be superstitious but for any act or behavior which is governed by ideas, thoughts, and concepts the process is considered to be scientific.

Is it spiritual or religious? The status has changed as it has become the formula to live a good human life. This act of three drops has assumed to be a valuable part of Tamang culture, and it is now more like cultural entity.

Is it shameful?: Not at all, if you can appreciate the logic and develop feelings for the cultural ethics it is a dignified method of saying “Thank you God for the food” and the simplest & the fastest means of expressing appreciations, happiness and gratitude to the nature, Gods & Goddesses, ancestors and please the negative elements.

Is it illogical and absurd? The ideas and thoughts although symbolic in form is cultivated by Tamang ancestors long ago. It is a marvelous job carried out by them which is distinct and un-comparable. The concept has made the Tamang lives very meaningful.

Do Tamang youngsters follow? The study has indicated that younger generations do follow the trend as they grow older. However, due to lack of proper knowledge, awareness, maturity and enhanced socio-economic condition there has been a little bit of hesitancy while carrying out the above act. The difference of attitude has cropped up due to lack of feeling towards the cultural ethics and the enhancement in the living standard, for example the style of eating or drinking in a big copper plate or bowl on the floor has transformed in to eating & drinking on the dining table. This has restricted the performance of Chhyutt to some extent but for many it is not a hindrance.

How far it is scientific? No other culture has looked at a human being with as much depth and understanding as Tamang culture has. No other culture has looked at it as a science and created methods to evolve a person into his ultimate nature. The significance of Tamang culture is that it is a scientific process towards human well-being which has taken thousands of years to set up such a complex scientific mechanism that constantly drives Tamang people towards their well being. That is why it needs to be nurtured not because of emotional reasons but because it is a scientific process.

Conclusion: Spiritual ethos is not about the religion but it is about the systematic practices which sharpen the mind and body in many ways. It is also not a belief system. The Tamang people are going ahead in many fields essentially because the spiritual ethos in our culture has sharpened the intellect in various ways. Therefore an effort has to be made to make them an effective tool for one’s wellbeing. Like many other mankind, Tamang community is blessed with its rich cultural heritage. They have a beautiful ancestral language, a unique blend of Bonbo & Buddhist religion, a scientific social structure, defined traditions, customs & rituals, and art, music & culture. All these are attributed to the diligent effort of our ancestors who have cultivated such a magnificent group of people in this universe. Apart from Buddhism many Tamang people practice the blend of Bonbo & Hindu religion, and there are also a good number of people who are Christians by faith. However, Tamang people are always identified by their remarkable physical built-up, almond shaped eyes, great health and personalities, gorgeousness and as a marvelous human being in the world. In general, they are well known by their God fearing and compassionate nature. In fact they are well recognized by their strong adherence towards the moral norms, values, ethics and the conduct of the society. Readers opinion and views are cordially invited- By TEACF, India.

Chhay¹= A physical expression of regard with the folded handed over the chest and the head downed.

Chhyaak or Dhog²= A physical expression of extreme regard with the knees and the head down on the earth.