BHARATPUR: The Chhepang community is observing the Chhonam (Nwagi) festival of this year today.

Nepal Chepang Association, Bagmati province secretary Laxman Chepang confirmed that they would be celebrating the festival today.

He said the Chepang people from Chitwan, Dhading, Gorkha and Makwanpur will gather in Chyangli of Dhadhing to celebrate the festival en-masse.

The Association is facilitating the celebrations. Those who have not favourable time to join the mass celebration will observe the festival within the family and the community.

The Nepal Chepang Association province secretary who also serves as the ward char of Ichchhakamana rural municipality-6 in Chitwan said it is a religious belief among the Chepang people that the first harvest of the season be first offered to their ancestors before being consumed by themselves Ghaiya (upland rice), taro root, pomelo, sponge guard, grains and other fruits are offered to the Earth and ancestors.

The day is taken as an occasion to east first harvest of the season among the Chepang community. Pancha Bahadur Chepang, the chairman of Ward No. 2 of the rural municipality, Chepang community, who primarily survive on wild root fruits and sinso (common nettle) for at least nine months in the year will take the festival as the day for eating something thing new and delicious.

As he said, the Chepang people celebrate the Chhonam festival during this time of the year as the maize and other fruits they have cultivated on hill slopes ripen at this time.

The Chepangs mainly are found inhabiting on hill slopes. The Chepang shaman called Pande in Chepang dialect sacrifices a cockerel beating on the dhyangro drum as a Chhonam ritual.