Rankey Mela at Namchi

NAMCHI, 17 July: A celebration unique to the South District headquarter town – Rankey Mela - which falls on the first day of the month of Sawan of the Vikram Sambhat calander, was celebrated with much gusto and excitement here at Central Park today.
Rankey Mela, a celebration of monsoons, is also known as Sawaney Sankranti, and is believed to be a ritual observance that prays for good fortune in the form of a fine harvest after the monsoons. Rural folk have traditionally celebrated this day with rural sports, traditional dance and song and attendant rituals.
Like every year, an effigy of ‘Rankey Bhoot,’ the devil that destroys harvests, was lit up last evening at Singithang ground brightening up the Namchi sky. The tradition of burning an effigy of Rankey Bhoot began in Namchi in 1985.
The effigy burning is a grander representation of the original practice in which farmers would light flaming torches and toss them into the fields to the beat of drums and general cacophony in a bid to exorcise the fields of the evil influence that ruins crops. Tradition also has it that entering the fields the next day would give the exorcised demons a chance to return. Since the farmer got a day off, they would spend the day in festivities and games around which the Rankey Mela developed.
The Rankey Mela celebrations featured different rural sporting events which were followed by traditional cultural programs to mark the celebration. The winner of the events was awarded with the prizes by the committee.