Nepal. How to preserve the beliefs of ancestors?

Abstract

This article deals with traditional beliefs of the Limbu, a small Nepalese ethnic group, practically unexplored in Russian Asian and African studies. These beliefs composed a multi-level complex of shamanistic ideas and animistic views, deeply rooted in ancient times. They relied on the oral tradition embodied in the mundhum corpus of sacred texts. Myths run through the intense and eventful ritual life of Limbu. It included agricultural rites, life cycle rituals, and specific local mangenna and tongsing rituals. Traditionally Limbu did not build temples for rituals, arranging instead altars from natural materials. For the long period of time shamans have been the keepers of myths, transmitted the oral tradition of mundhum and performed various rituals. According to their functions, there were three types of shamans: fedangma, samba and yeba (bijuva). Since the beginning of the XX century the beliefs of Limbu have undergone a number of transformations mostly due to political and socio-cultural reasons. In this process no small share had Sanskritization - the spread of the Hindu religious tradition. The religious foundations and ritual practices have undergone significant changes under the influence of Hinduism. Shamans were replaced by Brahmin priests-pujaris. There appeared religious reformers and new teachings, combining traditional beliefs with Hindu ideas, oral texts received written fixation, Limbu started to be erect religious buildings as well.