Pang Lhabsol-A Lepcha's take

The two rong festivals taken up by the denjongpas are “Pang Lhabsol” and “Kagyet dances”. When coaxing the native Lepchas to accept them within their fold , Khye Bhumsa , the far sighted and intelligent ancestor of the kings of Sikkim had accepted the conditions laid down by Thekong Tek among which were the CHYU  RUM FAAT and gave it a glorious name “Pang Lhabsol”. Pang Lhabsol means “come to witness the thanksgiving”.

To start off the ceremony and the function of the “Pang Lhabsol” the traditional royal Bongthing comes from Dzongu for the propiation of the Gyapdut (Yabdu) who is supposed to come up from the plains. Yabdu is considered as the deity who gaurds the southern gate of the Kingdom. The worship (by a local bongthing) is undertaken from a high hill above the Golma forest near Sevoke Kalijhora (Suvok) overlooking the plains of the Zo lashi. –REN ARTHUR FONING (LEPCHAS MY VANISHING TRIBE)

The worship of Yabdu and Dzonga (the supreme guardian deity of Sikkim) together make up the “pang Lhabsol” as we know today. The Pang toed Chaam introduced by the third Chogyal Chyagdor Namgyal (early 18^th century)performed during the Pang Lhabsol festival involves the invocation of the two main deities mentioned above. Earlier this Chaam used to be done at the grounds of the “Tshuk La Khang” but after its discontinuance it has been taken up by the Karma Kagyu Monastery of Ralong, South Sikkim.

An observation of the Lepcha festival of the Chyu Rum Faat or the worship of the great Lepcha protector mountain KONGCHEN KUNGLHO reveals that the general idea behind the “Pang Lhabsol” is but almost similar to the Lepcha worship. The Pang Lhabsol is said to have its origins to the first invocation done by Lhatsun Chempo who entered this area through the western side. But yet again it took the third Chogyal to institutionalize this festival and introduce the Pangtoed Chaam. Here too it maybe noticed that the invocation is for protection very similar to the lines of the Chyu Rum Faat.

Chyagdor Namgyal (the third Chogyal) had fled the state to Lhasa with one Yukthing Tishey during the intrigue initiated by his half sister Pendi Wangmoo. It is mentioned that he underwent rigorous religious training in Lhasa and also became the royal astrologer to the Dalai Lama. He was also granted Magisterial rights to some estates there. So when he returned the occupying Bhutanese forces (up to Mangbru) retreated (no plausible reason cited so far) across the Singtam but the Kingdom lost the region Kalimpong (Dumsong) for ever. There are other sources that claim Gyelpa Achog (Punu Gaybu Achyok) of Dumsong had a major hand in this retreat. The general Public morale of a Kingdom whose king had fled the nation leaving the Lepcha (Rongkups) citizens to fend for themselves deserved a new rejuvenating event which re-laid the lost nationalism in the souls of the recently defeated citizens. Thus was born the only “true Sikkimese” festival of Pang Lhabsol- a festival that inculcated local religious elements and Buddhist elements that appealed to both the Rongs and the Lhopos.