Bumchu Festival [UPSC Notes]

The Bumchu festival was celebrated in Sikkim at the Tashiding monastery. What is the Bumchu festival and why is it celebrated in Sikkim? Know more about this topic in this article. This is an important topic for the IAS exam art and culture segment.

Bumchu Festival

Source: Sikkim Tourism

Image: Bumchu Festival

• Bumchu festival (Bhum means pot, Chum is water) is celebrated at Tashiding Monastery, located in West Sikkim.
• It is celebrated on the 15th day of the first month of the Lunar calendar corresponding to the month of February/March and draws tourists from all over the world.
• The Tashiding holy water vase ritual is an ancient ceremony and the festival’s origin can be traced back to several centuries ago.
• Tashiding monastery is one of the holiest Buddhist pilgrimage sites located near the Rangeet river in Sikkim.
• According to a legend, during the 8th century, Guru Rinpoche or Guru Guru Padmasambhava who brought Buddhism to Tibet visited and blessed the location of the monastery. 
• Later the monastery was established by a Nyingma teacher named Ngadak Sempa Chempo Phunshok Rigzing in the 17th century.

Bumchu Festival Rituals

• Bumchu festival rituals involve a vase in the Tashiding monastery which is considered sacred and there is a legend behind its origin.
• Bumchu means a pot of sacred water in the Tibetan language and each year the vase is opened to share its water with worshippers. The water is said to have healing properties and is believed to grant luck to those who drink it.
• The water level in the vase is a sign of fortunes for the upcoming year. Higher or lower levels of water indicate drought, disease and natural calamities.
• Bumchu festival is one of the famous festivals of Sikkim and pilgrims from inside the country and also from neighbouring countries like Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka visit Sikkim.
• The festival involves complex rituals, dance, traditional music and colourful processions.
• The rituals are carried out by monks and nuns and also offer gifts to gods.
• The Bumchu festival is representative of Sikkim’s unique cultural heritage and a reminder of its spiritual origins.

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