ANUPA RAI
GANGTOK, 23 May: Sakewa, an important festival of the Rai community, was celebrated here at the village of Pabyuk-Naitam under Syari constitueny of East Sikkim today. The celebration started off with the traditional rituals of Ubhauli Puja performed in the house of the community faith-healer, Dik Man Rai, after which it moved out to the fields.
Ubhauli Puja is the offering of special prayers to the natural supreme power of Kirateshwar and the Mother Goddess and seeks the blessings of nature to bless the people with a good harvest in the year ahead. This is a traditional observance which marks the start of the sowing season. The festival falls on the 15th day of 5th month of the Vikram Sambhat calendar.
Pabyuk-Naitam had been celebrating Sakewa in this community-event format for the past four years with generous support and contributions from the villagers. This time around as well, the villagers gathered at the field with the same enthusiasm since early morning, giving out the message of unity and remembering their ancestors as they assembled at the three sacred stones [maintained in the hearth and fields by the Rais] to offer prayers.
