Langtuk Chomangkan at Hongkram

We the Karbi people believe the concept of re-incarnation. After the death the soul lives again in a new body in the form of new born baby in the same clan or family. For example, my son is my ‘Po amen’ i.e. re-incarnation of my late father. Therefore, we perform the death ceremony of the deceased elaborately so that the soul can live peacefully . This rite is performed for the eternal peace of the deceased. This ceremony of the Karbis is called ‘Chomangkan’. There are three types of Chomangkan. They are kan-phla-phla ( for common people),Langtuk and Harne (for those who had social and political status). Kan-phla-phla  chomangkan is observed in the compound of one’s own house. Langtuk and Harne Chomangkan are observed in a distant place from the house in an open field. On the site , a pond is dug and two stones, one slender stone (long-eh) and other a broad flat stone (longpak) are installed on the side of it,to represent the dead persons.The slender stone is dressed in a male attire and the broader flat stone with a female attire.

Chomangkan is a family affair, but it is a socio-religious ceremony of Karbis which continues for four days and four nights at a stretch so, people from different villages come to join Chomangkan.These guests from the neighboring villages are given warm reception by the people of the host village(ari asor).Guest from each village or area bring with them a sacred object called ‘Jambili Athon’ besides drums, flutes etc. This jambili athon is a wooden frame consisting of one main stand on the apex of whose a big wooden hornbill bird (Wojaru)is installed.On the four wooden side branches,four small birds(wojaru-atoi) are installed.

          The first day of chomangkan is called ser kehum or ru kehum.on this day duhuidi (drummer) beats the drum and in its different notes of rhythm, the males dance with shield and sword-this dance is called chong cheng nang. Dancing on their way to tipit( the area where the deceased is cremated),they collect and bring the deceased bones ritually to their house.it is then inserted into the effigy of the deceased,which is kept in the house until the end of the funeral.

          The second day of chomangkan in called kanso (small dance) and the third day is called kanpi(big dance).In the Chomangkan dances (nimso kirung) young girls and boys of different villages dance in mirth and merriment. The girls wear their traditoional jir ik a kind of girdle for upper part of the body along with their traditional attire pekok and pini. The young boys wear the feather of hornbill or wojaru ani on their head during the dance.  The fourth and the last day of chomangkan is called arong keton . The bones of the deceased are brought from the tipit on the first day and after performing the rituais,they are burnt in their respective tipit on the last day for whom chomangkan was performed. Before proceeding to tipit the boys of ari asor perform the dance called banjar kekan.

          A professional weeper uchepi sings and laments the life activities of the deceased on all these four days and nights. Dringking of hor (country liquor) and feasting with pork are indulged.(for more picture pls check out my facebook photo album)