Festival of Sherpas Tribe

Sherpa is a tribe of Tibet. It is performed , and believed that the Sherpas from Tibet first came to the Northern part of Nepal that presently comprised region of Helombu and Solukhambu and established their permanent settlement there and only afterward migrated to the eastern regions.

Since the Sherpas originally belonged to Tibet, Tibetan influence are amply found in Sherpa lifestyle, their food habits, attires, etc. But unlike Tibetan married women, who wear a piece of striped cloth, called panden, on top of their dress covering her lower portion at her front, the married Sherpa women wear a similar piece  of cloth, which they call Gamitlay, but to cover her lower portion from the back. But the purpose in both the cases are the same.

Sherpas residing in warmer regions put on suitable daura-sural and gooneu-choli but the Sherpas of Sikkim put on their own dress. In Sikkim the influence of western dress and style seems to have permeated almost into all tribes and communities without any exception.

The festivals of Sherpas are religious in nature and are based on the Tibetan calendar. The lamas of Ningmapa Buddhist sect conduct these festivals, but sometimes the lamas of Bopon sect also conduct the same.

The main deity of Sherpas is Deo Padma Sambat or (Guru Rimpochay) and Bonpa for the Bonpa sect. The main mantra of Ningmapa Sherpa is "Om manay Pemay hun" and "Om Matrimuyah Talaydu" is of Bonpa Sherpa. Gumpas are found in almost all Sherpa villages, where they gather together to celebrate their festivals like Losar, Mani hindu, Dumji, Osha and Dune in an epic scale. Losar is the festival celebrated by them at the start of their new year normally in the month of February. Around December. Manihindu is celebrated with different songs and dances and communal pujas. This festival which lasts for five to seven days is organised by gumpas. Festival Dumji is organised by the general public. This festival which also lasts for five to seven days is celebrated in the month of July-August and is believed to bestow blessings upon them which they believe would enable them to make their life happy and prosperous.

Similarly the Osha festival is performed and celebrated in order to save their crops and fields from natural calamities like hail storms, excessive rain, droughts, etc. Even today Tamang lamas, known as Ashinay lama in Sikkim, visit villages and collect their share of the harvest which they call "Lama Pathi", in return for the divinely blessings these lamas provide for the entire community by worshipping and offering prayers to their Gods during Osha festival. The festival meant for the deliverance of a soul after the death of a person from this earth is called Dune.