The Chepang community is celebrating the Chhonam (Nwagi) festival today. This annual festival considered a national religious event for the Chepang community, is traditionally observed on Bhadra 22 every year.
Similar to previous years, this year’s Chhonam festival is being celebrated collectively, informed Govindram Chepang, the central president of the Nepal Chepang Association. This time, the festival is being observed at Toman Danda, Gandaki Rural Municipality-6 in Gorkha, with traditional dance and songs. Last year, the community gathered in Gajuri Rural Municipality-5, Chyangli in Dhading to celebrate Nwagi.
According to President Chepang, Nwagi is observed on Bhadra 22 every year, rotating between regions with a significant Chepang population, including Chitwan, Makwanpur, Dhading, and Gorkha. He added that, since 2006, the Nepal Chepang Association has been organizing Nwagi as a collective festival. While the main celebration occurs on Bhadra 22, some Chepang families observe the festival throughout the month of Bhadra, according to their respective traditions.
In the Chepang community, it is believed that consuming new fruits or grains without offering them to the ancestors or conducting rituals is forbidden. During Nwagi, offerings such as ghaiya rice, millet, yam, and other fruits and grains are made to the ancestors. The festival marks the start of the new harvest season for the community.
As part of the celebration, Chepang shamans, known as Pande, perform rituals, including animal sacrifices, while beating drums. The community refrains from working on this day, instead gathering for a communal feast, inviting relatives and family members to join in the festivities.
According to the National Census of 2021, there are 84,364 Chepang people in Nepal. The largest population resides in Chitwan, with 35,637 individuals. Makwanpur has 23,650 Chepangs, Dhading is home to 17,160, and Gorkha has 4,268 Chepang residents. In total, the community is spread across 26 districts in Nepal, as mentioned by President Chepang.
On the occasion of the national Nwagi festival, since 2022, the Bagmati Province Government has declared a public holiday on Bhadra 22 in Chitwan, Makwanpur, and Dhading districts to honor the celebration.
