Tendong Lho Rum Faat is an ancient festival celebrated by the Lepcha people in Sikkim. This festival marks the auspicious occasion when ancestors of the Lepcha tribe were saved by the holy Tendong Hill from a great deluge lasting 40 days and 40 nights.
Although the festival is celebrated across Sikkim, the prime venue happens to be Namchi, the home to this sacred hill in the South of Sikkim. The main highlight of the festival is the trek commencing from Ravangla up to Tendong Hill, drawing a great number of trekkers and adventure enthusiasts too.
Date of Tendong Lho Rum Faat
This year the Tendong Lho Rum Faat festival will be celebrated across Sikkim on 8 August, Monday. The celebrations usually span over three days.
History of Tendong Lho Rum Faat
According to Lepcha mythology, during the time of earth’s creation when the Himalayan Range was just in its initial stage of formation, a great volcanic eruption destroyed Naho and Nather Pokh, the sources of Rivers Teesta and Rangeet, causing continuous rains for 40 days. There was a huge loss of life and property owing to floods caused by incessant rains.
The destruction of the Lepcha tribe, who were considered to be the prime inhabitants of the earth at that time was nearly imminent. As the lower region started to flood, causing loss of life and property, the Tendong Hill rose like a horn from the head of a deity and people started climbing it to save themselves from the havoc.
From that day onwards, the Lepcha tribe considered the Tendong Hillas a holy place and started worshipping it. The English translation of Tendong Hill is the hill of the raised horn.
The Lepcha tribe still celebrates this occasion to commemorate the almighty who saved their ancestors and pay respect to the hill.
Celebration of Tendong Lho Rum Faat
The primary highlight of the Tendong Lho Rum Faat festival is the trek starting from Ravangla to Tendong hill. Thus, people who love to trek and are fans of an adrenaline rush throng the mountain region during this festival.
Apart from that, the Lepcha people make a model of the ‘Holy Mountain’ using nine stones on the façade of their homes and worship it. They dance and sing wearing a mask to get the blessings of the almighty.
A fiesta of immense grandeur is also organized where locals and tourists get to take part in activities like cultural performances and also taste the flavours of scrumptious local dishes.
The Tendong Lho Rum Faat festival provides a great opportunity to know and relish the Sikkim culture.
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