Death Ceremony of the Sikkimese Bhutia/Denjongpas:

Copy right @ S.G. Dokhampa/Arithang (Sunny Dokhampa) 

Sikkimese Bhutia or Denjongpa has a series of formalities or ceremonies to be performed for a deceased.

On the occurrence of a death the body is not disturbed in any way, until the ‘Phowa’is performed by an accomplished Lama. It is believed that any movement of the death body might eject the soul, which would then wander about in an irregular manner and get seized by some demon. When a member dies the family members often shake the death body with emotion to wake her/him up in vain. Such act might eject the soul and if the soul is seized by a demon it is difficult for the Phowa lama to direct the soul to right path. Hench, precaution is always taken by the family members in such a situation.

Following are the series of ritual and rites as per the custom and practice of the Sikkimese Buddhism.

1. Dhungkay Tangshe:

Immediately on death a white scarf or cloth is therefore thrown over the face of the corpse and sent for Phowa lama. At the same time, family members depute two persons with the ring of the deceased as ‘Dhim’ to nearby monastery to request the Konngyer lama to blow conch shell to announce the death, while the ring is hand over to him to be offered in the Altar. The person deputed to do this work should not enter in other’s house en route to the Monastery or they should halt for taking a rest as per tradition.

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2. Pho Tapshe:

On the arrival of Phowa Lama all the weeping relatives are excluded from the death chamber, so as to secure solemn silence and door & windows closed, and commence to perform Phowa service to extract the Soul and transfer it to the Paradise of Lord ‘Amitabha’. In Phowa ritual, lama advises the spirit to quit the body, its old associations and attachment to property and family. Thereafter, he seizes with the forefinger and thumb a few hairs of the crown of deceased’s head, and plucking it forcibly is supposed to give vent to the spirit through the roots of these hairs to find its way to “Dewachengi Shingkham” or western Paradise of Buddha ‘Amitabha’. This ceremony lasts about an hour and the people outside the house should not make noises for it disturbs the ritual.
In death caused by accident or otherwise, the body of deceased is not forthcoming; Phowa is performed spiritually by High Lama while engaged in deep meditation.

Supposed, if a child dies less than eleven years, no major ritual is performed except for a one day prayer and one need not follow other formalities in the name of deceased child. The body is then immediately put in a box and deposited under a rock shelter covered with stone wall or buried in a pit.  The only important ritual is to perform “Chutor’ by a single lama at the bank of a river. The ritual mainly includes offering of milky water with rice dough with chanting Mantras for hundred and eight times to the malignant spirits so that child’s next life would be free from early death. It is said that when the age of child attains twelve years then only entitled for a cremation of its body.

3. Tsee or Death Horoscope:

As soon as Phowa ritual is over, one person is deputed to approach a Tseepa (Astrologer) with a khada and a token cash for obtaining a death Horoscope (Tsee) in order to ascertain birth years (Lota) of those persons who should not approach and touch the corpse, and the necessary particulars as to the date and mode of cremation/the necessary worship to be done for the welfare of the departed soul and surviving relatives as well.

4. Kupur Dradik or death body preparation:

On obtaining the death horoscope the persons other than restricted by horoscope cleans the body with lukewarm water and ingredients are rubbed over the entire holes of the body to check from decomposing. A charm paper called ‘Tadrol’ is also pasted against the Chest. At the same time, ‘Thuesol’ is performed by a lama to purify it. Death body is then clad in the prescribed colour of the cloth and folded in a sitting posture in a wooden box while left over space in the box is filled with the juniper plants. A standard size of the box is prescribed to have 12”/12” inches at its top and 24”/ 24” inches at its bottom with a height of 03 feet in a pyramidal shape. The external wrapping cloths are to be used as per the colour indication made in the death Horoscope. After completion of these formalities the body is then placed in the corner of the Shrine room. Offerings are made on its table as per the direction of the lama.

5. Shicho or Death ceremony.

Meanwhile some relatives arrange to bring not less than 08 lamas from the nearby monastery in order to perform the actual Death Ceremony, which may continue for five to six days. However, cremation is done on the auspicious day within the period mentioned above as prescribed by the Astrologer.

A.     Sur: ‘Sur’ made from wheat flour mixed with prescribed ingredients is burnt at each meal time for the death body to smell it to quench his/her hunger.

B.  Yangkhu: At the same time, in another room three lamas to be engaged to perform a ‘Yangkhu Puja’ to retain the fortune, which as per belief is that the fortune of the house declines with the death of a family member. Lamas performing Yangkhu Puja are also assigned the task to perform the remedial rites prescribed in the Death Horoscope (Tsee). One family member should be attached with the lamas for arranging the articles required for these rituals without fail. The Yangkhu lamas perform all the rituals pre and post cremation of the body. If any prescribed ritual is missed out then the family members would meet up with bad consequences.

C.     Ongkur: Ongkur is an initiation of all the important Buddhist tutelary Deities, which is a main part of the death ceremony. It is always considered by the Sikkimese Buddhist that once you have taken the refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha should receive Ong and Lung (Initiation & Oral Transmission of Religious mantras) from a High Rinpoche as a part of duty being a Buddhist. One must go to watch the ritual dance when the monastery performs in its annual ceremony called ‘Gutor’. It is believed that one who never followed the vows as above may wander in the psychic zone in irregular manner immediately after his/her death. In that situation the ‘Ongkur’ proves to be the main devises to guide his path, according to the lamas. ‘Ongkur Choga’ is repeated every day until the effigy ceremony is done to insure proper visualization of the tutelary Deities by the deceased. 

D.     Mani Kueshe: In Sikkimese death ritual, a system of Mani chanting is very unique. One lama among the group is assigned to take the lead role in Mani chanting in which the lamas asks all the relatives to join in the prayer by way of blowing a conch shell in the evening daily. This prayer is believed to bring a soothing peace to the departed soul and gives maximum chances to the Soul to get deliverance from the Bhardo State.\

E.    Thodoe or Thoedrol: In a Sikkimese death ceremony another important part is to read out the ‘Thodoe’, a text which guides the spirit’s passage through the psychic zones that filled with awesome illusions that of the multi coloured-lights, the fearsome Ogres or imposters which beset the way intervening between death and a new birth. In this situation, the ‘Thodoe’ gives full directions to the deceased how to avoid these pitfalls, the Imposters and the misguiding Ogres on the way and how to choose the right path of lights which appear in turn by turn while groping in the ‘Bhardo’ Zone. The lamas read out the above text throughout the whole night in turn wise basis and the process continued till the ceremony gets over.

F.  Ngoten: Ngoten means A Token for prayer in the name of deceased, which comprises of some cash and Khada accompanied with a former letter to High ranking Rinpoches of the monasteries.

6. ‘Mechoe’ or Funeral rites:

On the funeral day, all the family members gathered at the shrine room and give farewell to the departed soul by making three times prostration and offering the khadas. An elderly expert does the ‘Ngazhi’, in which he advises the death body to detach himself from all clinging desires to find a way out to the right path as shown by his root lama. At the same time he announces the names of the blood relatives who would bear the expenses for performing “Shapto/Tongchoe” on termination of every weekend at different monasteries until the 49^th day ceremony. According to the time and the direction prescribed by the Astrologer the death body is then removed from the house and placed in the courtyard ready to be carried away to a nearby crematorium. Before body is moved through the main door a ‘Gochap’ made of split bamboo is placed and then removed.  For carrying the death body two green bamboo poles are used and it is always covered with red cloth upon which the death body is tied. Finally, a ‘RIGNGA’ (a religious crown with the images of five Dhyani Buddhas) is placed on top of the box while lower portion is decorated with Khadas or traditional scarves.On the other hand, the death bodies of high ranking lamas and noble families are covered with ‘Khangzang’ decorated with colourful ribbons, which symbolizes ‘Zangdokpalri’ of Guru’s Heaven. But these days it has become a common phenomenon. Thereafter, the well wishers and the villagers offer Khadas to death body as a symbolic farewell.

In the villages the death body is taken to nearby monastery en route to the crematorium for the blessing where it is placed before the main door of the monastery for sometime while lamas chant little prayer for the departed soul in the Shrine hall. One family member offers the ‘Lhakhang Chanjay’ or a khada with token cash in the main Altar and offers the token cashes (Kuyon) to the lamas of the monastery. Thereafter, they processed further heading towards the crematorium. The main rite performed at the crematorium is called- “Jinsek” which is identical with the ‘Hom’ of the Hindus. In this rite, butter oil and other miscellaneous ingredients reserved for the purpose are thrown in the fire from time to time by the lamas while chanting the Mantras and carried out until mid day. 

7. Ku-rue Phyakshe:

After three nights from the cremation date, the bones of the departed soul are collected by the relatives with the help of a lama, who performs ‘Thuesol’ on its collection. As per tradition, it is imperative from the relative side to verify a sign or mark preferably foot-prints of human/animal in the ashes to ascertain its next form of birth. Thereafter a person with Lota (birth year) as indicated by the Astrologer sweeps the ashes with the tool as mentioned in the horoscope. The bones are grounded into powder, mixed with clay and made into miniature stupa called ‘Tshatsha’. These are purified with ‘Thuesol’ by a lama and thereafter deposited in a dry place preferably under a Rock shelter. Some people mix the bone powder with flour dough and feed them to the fishes in the River. Both ways are applicable.

8. Ku-Tein or Effigy:

Cremation of the corpse does not terminate the death rites of the departed Soul. After the return from the crematorium the lamas erect a ‘Ku-tein’ or an effigy to continue the ceremony, until ‘Shedok’ or Devil chasing rites are done. The effigy is prepared with personal cloths of the deceased and for the face of the effigy a printed paper called –‘Tshenjang or Jhangbu’ is inserted. This merely represents the Soul of the deceased. The face paper, on the conclusion of the full series of services, is ceremoniously burnt in the flame of a butter lamp after the devil chasing is done. This terminates the first part of the rites. The ashes of the face paper is mixed with clay and converted into a miniature Stupa called ‘Tshatsha”, which is often placed underneath of the roof of the house.

9. Shedok or Devil Chasing Rites:

This rite is called ‘Shedok or Zande Kha-gyur’ the expulsion of the killer Demon. It is always done at the end of the actual death rite in order to expel the demon that caused the death from the house and from the locality. ‘Zande’ object is made with a dough figure of a fearsome demon riding on dough imitation of a Tiger. Then around these figures strew morsels of every kind of eatables, grains, fruits, spices, including raw meat and spirits; also put few coins. In addition to these, weapons inclusive of sword, axe, Yak’s tail & lasso are placed in the front. When the preparations are completed the lamas waits until the sun sets into horizon for the demons that can only moves in the darkness, the ceremony begins. The devil is chased away by Head Lama entering every room of the household by throwing hot pebbles which have been toasted in the fire, muttering his charms. At the same time, a troop of the household members and the neighbours equipped with weapons, yell- “Ya! Ho! Ho!” to frighten the killer demon.

It is not the soul of the deceased that chased away as some people have conceived; But the Demon who caused the death is chased away from the house or from the locality to check further undesirable incidents. It is said that the highly accomplished lama has power to rescue the Soul from the Killer Demon’s lasso and thereby put him or her to the right track that leads to Salvation. 

10. Duentsi and Shapto (weekly pujas in the house as well as in the monasteries)

The ‘Death-Day’ is always observed as ‘Duentsi’ or weekly commemoration of the death of the deceased with a small prayer and lamps in the evening until 49^th day. However, ‘Sur’ is offered on daily basis by the family in the corner of the courtyard or on the terrace, till the 49^th day ceremony. ‘Shapto’ is a day-long prayer performed in different monasteries on the termination of each week till the 49^th day. The ceremony has two kinds a simple Shapto which can be performed at nominal expenses or Tongchoe or one Thousand sets of offering which is relatively more expensive. Traditionally, this part of ceremony is always borne by the sons and the daughters of the deceased, which gives relief in expenditure to the main house holder.

11.   Kinay Zoshe or making of images in the name of the deceased:

According to the indication made in the death horoscope, the images of the Deities are made in the name of the deceased by requesting a Traditional Artist. The ‘Kinay’ or the Images are made to suppress the posibilities of taking a bad life form in their next birth.

12. Gyadhar or 108 prayer flags: 

In the name of the deceased, the family erects 108 prayer flags in mountain ridges or nearby a stream within 49^th day’s ceremony to lessen the sins of the departed soul and aspire for a better life in his next birth.

13. Zhipchu She-gu or 49^th Day:

It is believed that the deceased has chances to wander until the 49^th Day and therefore the family members put their utmost effort to do prayer in every monastery after termination of the each week. The last week day is celebrated as “Zhipchu Shegu’ or 49^th Day. In which all the lamas are invited who were present in the death ceremony and held a day long prayer with ‘Tshog and Choeme’. All the relatives and the villagers gather once again at deceased house to participate in the ceremony.

14. Lomchoe or death anniversary:

This is performed on the same date to commemorate the event of death, which is called ‘Lomchoe’ with a daylong prayer. Some people repeat this event of death for two consecutive years calling them ‘Drumchoe/Dhongdue’ in the 2^nd year and third year as ‘Gongdzok’. The way of performing the ceremony is similar to the 49^th day rites. Thus completes a ceremonial course in the name of a departed family.

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