2nd October 2025, Kathmandu
In Nepal’s Bagmati Province, members of the Tamang community observe Menang Festival instead of Dashain, which is widely celebrated by Hindu communities across the country.
Tamang Community Menang Festival
According to cultural researcher Buddhi Tamang, this unique festival embodies the Tamang people’s indigenous Bon and Buddhist traditions, deeply tied to nature, agriculture, and harmony.
The Meaning and Roots of Menang
The word “Menang” originates from the Tamang language, symbolizing the Ashoj month, a time of harvest, gratitude, and purification. Unlike Dashain, which centers around goddess worship and tika rituals, Menang focuses on land offerings, communal feasts, and environmental balance.
The Tamang calendar begins with Lhosar (New Year) in Magh, marking a period of renewal, learning, and ancestral homage. During Menang, Tamang families perform Bhumipati Puja (Landlord Worship), expressing respect for earth, water, and natural elements, the pillars of their traditional livelihood.
Ritual Practices During Menang
The Menang Festival begins from Saptami and continues till Navami, featuring sacred rituals, Bhimsen worship, and communal animal sacrifices. On Ashtami, devotees honor Bhimsen as a guardian deity introduced during the Malla era.
On Navami, Tamang communities organize feasts (Bhoj) using traditional dishes chiura (beaten rice), local wine, meat, and fruits, all served on banana leaves, a symbol of purity and sustainability.
Every family prepares equal portions for members, including those living abroad, newborns, and elders. Food offerings to absent family members are kept for up to three months as a token of remembrance and unity.
No Tika Tradition: Peace Over Power
Unlike in Dashain, Tika and Jamara rituals are not practiced in the Tamang culture. Instead, the white tika symbolizes peace, clarity, and inner balance.
Cultural expert Buddhi Tamang explains,
“Red tika represents anger and blood, but peace is the foundation of creation. A calm and pure mind can build harmony. That’s why Tamangs and Buddhists prefer white tika.”
This perspective reflects the peace-loving philosophy of Buddhists, Rai, Limbu, and Kirat communities, who emphasize compassion and coexistence over aggression.
Land and Nature: The Core of Tamang Philosophy
For the Tamang people, Menang is not only a religious festival but also an agrarian ritual deeply linked with land, harvest, and environmental stewardship. The Bhumipati (Landlord deity) is worshiped atop village hills to ensure fertility, peace, and protection from natural calamities.
These rituals reinforce the Tamang worldview where humans and nature coexist, and festivals serve as reminders of ecological respect and sustainable living.
Symbolism of Navadurga and Inner Cleansing
While Dashain worships Navadurga (Nine Goddesses) to overcome nine vices: anger, pride, greed, jealousy, ignorance, and more the Menang philosophy promotes inner cleansing through peace and collective prayer.
From Navami to Vijaya Dashami, both festivals symbolize the victory of good over evil, whether internal or external. Through feasting, rituals, and family gatherings, these events foster unity, gratitude, and emotional healing within the community.
A Festival of Cultural Identity and Unity
Despite modernization, the Menang Festival continues to thrive as a symbol of Tamang identity. It represents cultural independence, ecological consciousness, and social harmony.
Cultural expert Buddhi Tamang adds that during Nepal’s unification era, many indigenous celebrations were merged with Hindu practices, leading to overlaps. However, festivals like Menang still preserve the authentic spiritual essence of Nepal’s ethnic communities.
Through land worship, community feasts, and ancestral rituals, Menang unites Tamangs under a shared vision of peace, discipline, and sustainability, a reminder that true victory comes from harmony, not dominance.
Conclusion
The Menang Festival of the Tamang community stands as a living heritage of Nepal’s cultural diversity. It celebrates nature, gratitude, and togetherness, diverging from the hierarchical symbolism of Dashain.
As Buddhi Tamang highlights, peace (white tika) triumphs over anger (red tika), a powerful message for a modern world seeking balance.
In essence, Menang is more than a festival it is a philosophy of life, a celebration of coexistence, and a reminder that peace is the path to creation.
For more: Tamang Community Menang Festival