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			{{Short description\|One of the main festival of Kirat Khambu Rai people}}
	{{Cleanup\|date=May 2009}}{{Unreferenced\|date=May 2009}}
			{{more citations needed\|date=May 2021}}
⚫	{{Infobox ~~Holiday~~ \|
⚫	\| holiday_name =Sakela
	\| image =Swing of Sakela Sili.jpg
⚫	\| ~~img_size~~ =200px
	\| img_capt =2008 Sakela ] in Tundikhel, ], ].
	\|nickname=Sakewa<br />Sakhewa<br />Sakenwa<br />Sime<br />Bhume<br />Folsyandar<br />Ubhouli<br />Udhouli<br />Chandi(as mispronounced)
	\|observedby=Kirats around the world as well as many non-Kirants
	\|date= ] in ''']''' <br /> ] in ]<br /> ] and ] in ].
⚫	\|observances=Sakela sili, cultural group dance, ~~Religious~~ services, family meetings, ~~relatives~~ meetings
	\|type=], cultural
	\|significance=Worship of ] and mother earth.
	\|relatedto= ], ], ], ], ]}}

		⚫	{{Infobox holiday\|
	'''Sakela''' is the main festival of ] which is celebrated twice a year distinguished by two names ] and ]. Sakela ] is celebrated during ] (full moon day in the month of ]) and Sakela ] is celebrated during the full moon day in the month of ].
		⚫	\| holiday_name = Sakela
			\| image = Khambu_Rai_boy_and_girl_performing_Sakela_Sili_Chawrasta_Darjeeling.jpg
		⚫	\| imagesize = 200px
			\| caption = Khambu Rai boy and girl performing Sakela Sili dance in Chawrasta ]
			\| nickname = {{bulleted list\| Sakewa,Sakenwa:]\|Sakhewa:] \|Sakenwa,Fagulak:] \|Sakelwa:]\|Wass:]\|Tòsī:] \|Tòsh:] \|Tòshu:] \|Yummang,Eksamang:],] \|Segro:] \|Whawmo:]}}
			\| observedby = ] around the world
			\| begins = Sakela Udhauli (full moon day of ] ) and Sakela Ubhauli (full moon day of ])
			\| ends = After 15 days
			\| date2024 = {{ubl\|23 May: Sakela ] \| 15 December: Sakela ]}}
		⚫	\| observances = Sakela sili, cultural group dance, religious services, family meetings, relative meetings
			\| type =
			\| relatedto =
			\| date =
			}}
			] 2012 ] ]]]
			'''Sakela (also Sakewa or Sakenwa)''' ({{Langx\|ne\|साकेला}}) is one of the main festival of ] (Rai people), an ethnic group indigenous to Eastern ] and ], ], and ] regions of ]. Sakela is celebrated twice a year and is distinguished by two names '']'' and '']''. Sakela ''Ubhauli'' is celebrated during ] (full moon day in the month of ]) and Sakela ''Udhauli'' is celebrated during the full moon day in the month of ].<ref name="gaenszle1997changing">{{cite journal \|last= Gaenszle \|first= Martin \|date= 1997\|title= Changing concepts of ethnic identity among the Mewahang Rai \|url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1136649565/ \|journal=Nationalism and Ethnicity in a Hindu Kingdom. The Politics of Culture in Contemporary Nepal \|pages=351–373}}</ref><ref name="schlemmer2004new">{{cite journal \|last= Schlemmer \|first= Grégoire \|date= 2004\|title= New past for the sake of a better future : re-inventing the history of the Kirant in East Nepal \|url=https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/ird-00557472/ \|journal=European Bulletin of Himalayan Research \|volume=25 \|pages=119–144 }}</ref><ref name="kathmandupost2011">{{cite news\|title=Dancing to Ubhauli tunes\|access-date=8 May 2012\|url=http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/printedition/news/2011-05-17/dancing-to-ubhauli-tunes.html\|newspaper=The Kathmandu Post\|date=May 17, 2011}}</ref>

	==~~Characteristics~~==		==Significance==
			Kirats believe in ] and are worshippers of nature. The Sakela celebration is a prayer to ] for healthy crops and protection from natural calamities.<ref name="kathmandupost2011" /> The festival is Started on ], Sakela {{lang\|und\|Ubhauli}} is celebrated for fifteen days in Baisakh (April–May) marking the beginning of the farming year. Similarly, the celebration of Sakela {{lang\|und\|Udhauli}} during Mangsir (November–December), which is the harvest season, is the giving of thanks to mother nature for providing a good harvest. {{citation needed span\|In this festival the Rai people honour ] dev, an Earth goddess.\|date=October 2023}}
	<!-- Deleted image removed: ] Mass of Kiratis Celebrating Sakela in heart of ],Bhanu Chowk\|{{deletable image-caption\|1=Friday, 14 August 2009}}]] -->
	<!-- put this in dharan article: Dharan is one of the prominent town of Kiratis,historically known as Vijayapur -->
⚫	The main characteristic of this festival is ~~the~~ Sakela dance performed by large groups of Kirats wearing their traditional attire. People from all ages dance together in a large circle. There are male and female leaders in each circle known as ] and ] respectively. ~~These~~ ~~two people control~~ the ] of ~~the~~ ~~dance~~ while ~~the other dancers~~ ~~imitate~~ them. The sili~~, style of the dance moves,~~ reflects the different aspects of human life and ~~our~~ relationship with nature.
	The ritual starts with the ], worship of ], at home by the kirat priest ]. After completion of the ], ] performs a sacrificial rite (usually with chicken) over a sacred place known as ], which is usually under a sacred tree.

			==Sakela dance==
	The ] signals the completion of rituals by starting the Sakela dance by him/herself and the actual group Sakela dance commences then. All dancers form a large circle and dance joyously around it. The beating of the '''Dhol''' (Drum) and the "Jhyamta" accompany the different silies guided by the ] and the ].
		⚫	The main characteristic of this festival is a ritual dance call ] performed by large groups of Kirats, wearing their traditional attire. People from all ages dance together in a large circle. There are male and female leaders in each circle known as ''Silimangpa'' and ''Silimangma'' respectively. They choreograph the dance moves known as ''sili'' while others follow them. The term "sili" reflects the different aspects of human life and their relationship with nature.<ref name="rai2012impacts">{{cite thesis \|last= Rai \|first= Dik Bahadur \| date= 2012\|title= The impacts of Modernization on the traditional Sakawa Sili festival in the Rai Kirat community of Nepal: a case study of the Rai community \|url=http://munin.uit.no/handle/10037/5105 \|publisher=University of Tromsø }}</ref>

	Among Kirats ], ] and Sunuwar celebrate this festival,whereas ]'s have their own ].

	==Significance==
	]
	According to the Kirat holy book, ], a year is divided into two phases: Ubhauli (Going up) and Udhauli (Going down). It is generally accepted that the naming comes from the migration pattern of birds. During the start of the winter season in Mangshir, the birds migrate downward toward the warmer Terrain belt, and thus this phase of the year is known as '''''Udhauli''''',meaning Downward. Likewise, during the rise of the summer season, the birds migrate upward to the cooler Hilly region, and therefore this latter phase is known as '''''Ubhauli'''''.

			== Variations ==
	Kirats believe in ] and are worshipers of Mother Nature. The Sakela celebration is a prayer to Mother Nature for healthy crops and protection from natural calamities. Therefore, the festival is also known as "'''Bhumi Puja'''". Starting on ], Sakela ] is celebrated for 15 days in Baisakh (April/May) marking the beginning of the farming year.
			Among Kirats, ] and ] celebrate this festival, whereas the ]s and the ]s have their own Youchyang and ]. Despite important local variations, indigenists view these dances as specific as well as common to all Kirat.<ref name="schlemmer2004new" />

			== Different ways of saying it ==
	Similarly, the celebration of Sakela ] during Mangshir (November/December)which is harvest season, is their way of giving thanks to nature for providing them with a good harvest.
			There are different nomenclatures of Sakela in different Khambu languages. The Chamling sub-tribe calls it Sakela. Bantawas call it Sakewa or Sakenwa while the Thulungs call it Toshi.<ref>{{Cite magazine\|date=21 July 2021\|url=https://himalayancultures.com/cultures/khambu-culture/kirat-khambu-rai-sakela-sakewa/\|title=Kirat Khambu Rai Sakela - Sakewa \| magazine= Himalayan Cultures \|author=Pradeep Rai \|access-date=21 July 2021 \|language=en-gb}}</ref>
			]
			Among the various Rai languages Sakela is also called:{{citation needed\|date=October 2023}}
			* {{lang\|bap\|Sakewa}} or {{lang\|raa\|Sakenwa}} in ], ] and ]s
			* {{lang\|kle\|Tosh}} ] and ]
			* {{lang\|tdh\|Toshi}} in ]
			* {{lang\|bhj\|Segro}} in ]
			* {{lang\|lbr\|Iksamang}} or {{lang\|ybi\|Balipuja}} in ] and ]
			* {{lang\|pum\|Fagulak}} in ]

	==~~Legend~~==		== Gallery ==
			<gallery>
	]
			File:Sakela Ubhauli Festival 2019 (48076233107).jpg\|Offerings made to Paruhang and Sumnima, the ancestral deity
	The celebration of Sakela is connected to many myths. According to Kirat Mythology, it is said that before the marriage of ] and ], Paruhang used to live in the heavens .One day, he saw beautiful Sumnima on earth and fell in love with her. He made her a beautiful comb and sent it to Sumnima who wished to wed him.
			File:Kirat Rai ethnic womens in Sakela Ubhauli festival.jpg\|Kirati Rai women in Sakela Ubhauli festival
			File:Sakela Ubhauli Festival 2019 (48076097346).jpg\|Women in traditional Rai wear (2019)
			File:Sakela Ubhauli Festival 2019 (48076168937).jpg\|A Rai man playing traditional drum (Dhol)
			File:Rai Girl Playing Jhyamta in Sakela Ubhauli festival 2017 Kureong Darjeeling.jpg\|Rai Girl Playing ] in Sakela Ubhauli festival (2017 ])
			</gallery>

			== See also ==
	Four children were born of them after marriage. But Paruhang left Sumnima in a hut on the bank of the Dudhkoshi river and did not return for a long time. One day, Sumnima saw a creeper growing on a rock while she was in search of food for her children. She tasted the creeper and found it was full of power and happiness. She brought the creeper and made a Buti, an intoxicating religious garland, out of it. The Buti inspired everybody who saw it to speak the truth about her/his life.
	One day Paruhang returned suddenly. He tried to counsel with the angry Sumnima. She then gave him the Buti. This immediately made him glad and he started to tell her about what he had done. He had spent the time looking at Heaven and Earth from atop Chomolongma (]). He also told her that he had meditated and visited the entire universe. Paruhang promised not to leave her again, which made Sumnima dance with joy. It is believed that her joyous dance is the 'Sakela Dance'. And so tradition has it that young boys and girls comes to participate in Sakela in order to meet each other and find their love.

			* ]
	According to the Mundhum, Rai (Kirant) came out of the Khuwalung (sea or big river) meaning the Ganges river. Then followed the small river or the Saptakoshi. On their journey they first met with a duck, (hans) then the river bird (dhobi chara), Black bird (kalchuda), deer (mirga), (thar) musk deer (Kasturi) etc. They journeyed through the Arun valley, Dudh Koshi valley, Sun Koshi valley, Tama Koshi valley and finally settled down in the Bhote Koshi valley. The Nakchhong, or the leader of the Sakela, narrates this Mundhum (history). When he carries out the ritual in Sakela he tells the Mundhum (story) of how our ancestor came out of the Khuwalung and met a duck and at the same time he dances in the pattern (sili) of a duck, likewise when he talks about the Dhobi Chara he dances in the pattern of the Dhobi Chara. This is the Kirat way of relating the story (Mundhum) verbally and through acting.
			* ]

	==~~Current trend~~==		==References==
			{{reflist}}
	The Sakela dance has become very popular in the cities of Nepal particularly among the younger generation. Kirat Rai celebrating this festival widely outside of Nepal as well specially in ], ], ], ] and ]. But, the real flavour of the dance can only be seen in the eastern hills of Nepal. This interest in Sakela has helped to spread the Nepali culture all across the world.

	==External links==		==External links==
			{{commons category}}
	* Kirat Rais of USA
			*

	]		]
	]
	]		]
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Latest revision as of 06:22, 9 January 2025

One of the main festival of Kirat Khambu Rai people

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Sakela
Khambu Rai boy and girl performing Sakela Sili dance in Chawrasta Darjeeling
Also called	Sakewa,Sakenwa:Bantawa Sakhewa:Sampang Sakenwa,Fagulak:Puma Sakelwa:Nachhiring Wass:Khaling Tòsī:Kulung Tòsh:Thulung Tòshu:Dumi Yummang,Eksamang:Lohorung,Yamphu Segro:Bahing Whawmo:Wambule
Observed by	Kirat Khambu Rais around the world
Observances	Sakela sili, cultural group dance, religious services, family meetings, relative meetings
Begins	Sakela Udhauli (full moon day of Mangsir ) and Sakela Ubhauli (full moon day of Baishak)
Ends	After 15 days
2024 date	23 May: Sakela Ubhauli 15 December: Sakela Udhauli

Sakela (also Sakewa or Sakenwa) (Nepali: साकेला) is one of the main festival of Khambu (Rai people), an ethnic group indigenous to Eastern Nepal and Sikkim, Kalimpong, and Darjeeling regions of India. Sakela is celebrated twice a year and is distinguished by two names Ubhauli and Udhauli. Sakela Ubhauli is celebrated during Baisakh Purnima (full moon day in the month of Baisakh) and Sakela Udhauli is celebrated during the full moon day in the month of Mangsir.

Significance

Kirats believe in shamanism and are worshippers of nature. The Sakela celebration is a prayer to mother nature for healthy crops and protection from natural calamities. The festival is Started on Baisakh Purnima, Sakela Ubhauli is celebrated for fifteen days in Baisakh (April–May) marking the beginning of the farming year. Similarly, the celebration of Sakela Udhauli during Mangsir (November–December), which is the harvest season, is the giving of thanks to mother nature for providing a good harvest. In this festival the Rai people honour Bhumi dev, an Earth goddess.

Sakela dance

The main characteristic of this festival is a ritual dance call Sakela dance performed by large groups of Kirats, wearing their traditional attire. People from all ages dance together in a large circle. There are male and female leaders in each circle known as Silimangpa and Silimangma respectively. They choreograph the dance moves known as sili while others follow them. The term "sili" reflects the different aspects of human life and their relationship with nature.

Variations

Among Kirats, Sunuwar and Rai celebrate this festival, whereas the Yakkhas and the Limbus have their own Youchyang and Chasok Tangnam. Despite important local variations, indigenists view these dances as specific as well as common to all Kirat.

Different ways of saying it

There are different nomenclatures of Sakela in different Khambu languages. The Chamling sub-tribe calls it Sakela. Bantawas call it Sakewa or Sakenwa while the Thulungs call it Toshi.