Sunuwar Koinchbu organises Shyadar Pidar prayers

GANGTOK, 19 May: Shyadar Pidar, one of the more important festivals of the Sunuwar community, was celebrated on Tuesday at Neej Rambyang Mandir complex in South Sikkim with a special function organized by the Sikkim Sunuwar (Mukhia) Koinchbu, informs a press release.
Traditional rituals and prayers were conducted by Naso Kumar Mukhia. The ceremony was also attended by the president of the organisation, Sudip Mukhia, vice-president, Chandra Mukhia, general secretary, Kumar Mukhia and other members.

Shyadar Pidar, also known as ‘Ubhauli Puja’, is offered as to give thanks to nature and seek her blessings for healthy agriculture and general well being in the year ahead.
This prayer is one of the several religious events of the Kirat community and has been celebrated in Sikkim in a universal manner for the past 15-16 years, the release informs. While earlier, members of the Sunuwar community used to celebrate it on the occasion of Chandi Puja with family, remembering the ancestors, the release informs, the festival is a larger event nowadays. Not large enough, however, to the scale that the organization would want.
The release highlights that since the population of the community is rather low in Sikkim, this festival is not a holiday in Sikkim, one of the reasons, it believes, why the participation remains lower than the number of people who would otherwise be interested in attending it.
The organization, while recording its gratitude towards the Chief Minister for having consistently supported efforts of the community, has also expressed hope that in the coming days, the festival will be declared a State Holiday.
The release further claims that the organization has been trying to nurture the unique culture and traditions of the Sunuwars, and alleges that many, who could assist in the process, remain hesitant from stepping forward. The organization has requested members of the community to it in its endeavours and has suggested the elders to induce the same spirit in the youngsters.