Darjeeling: The ‘Bonbo’ Festival (shamanistic festival initiated by Late Subash Ghising) was organised on a grand scale by the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) on Thursday.
Though the Hill party preferred to steer clear of any political intention behind this festival, political observers feel it is to justify the demand of inclusion of all left out Gorkha sub-communities (10 and the Dhimal community) in the Scheduled Tribe list, thereby indirectly adding more muscle to the 6th Schedule demand.
Interestingly, the ‘Bonbo’ festival had made an appearance with Subash Ghising’s demand for the 6th Schedule status in the Darjeeling Hills. The 6th Schedule is a special provision of the Indian Constitution which safeguards and protects tribal rights. With the ouster of the GNLF party from the Hills in 2007 by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), curtains had been drawn on the annual festival commemorated on the day of Rakhi Purnima. The festival was resurrected in 2022 with the return of the GNLF.
“The Shamanistic traditions portrayed in the Bonbo festival showcases our age old unique pagan traditions and culture. We have to take it forward as it carries out a separate and unique tribal identity. This is why the British had declared the entire Gorkha population as Hill tribes,” stated Y Lama, GNLF leader. In 1931, there was a gazette notification declaring the entire Gorkha population as Hill Tribes. In 1954, they were delisted. Based on the 1931 notification, late Subash Ghising, president, GNLF raised the demand for inclusion of all the left out Gorkha sub-communities in the ST list and inclusion of the Darjeeling Hills in the 6th Schedule.
However, Mann Ghising, the GNLF president, preferred to steer clear of the demand in order to prevent the raking up of differences with other Hill Opposition parties. Recently an alliance had been forged between Hill Opposition parties to fight the rural polls. The 6th Schedule demand is not supported by many political outfits with the present percentage of the tribal population existing in the Hills.
“The festival is to make Gen Y aware of our true tradition and culture. This has to be taken forward and not allowed to die down. It has nothing to do with the 6th Schedule demand,” claimed Mann Ghising.
Dressed in traditional finery, the Shamans held a rally from the Darjeeling Railway Station that culminated at the Darjeeling Chowrasta where the Shamans performed rituals. Jhakris, Fedambas, Bijwas, Bumthings, Sambas, Matas and Khangdomas (Shamans of different hill communities) danced to the beats of Madal, Chyabrung, Domphu and Dhyangro (traditional hand drums carried by the Shamans).