The marginalized Chepang community celebrated their national festival Chhonam (Nwagi) on Saturday. As in previous years, the Chepang community gathered to celebrate the festival collectively, with the event organized by the Nepal Chepang Association at Toman Danda, Gandaki Rural Municipality-6, Gorkha.
At the celebration, the President of the Nepal Chepang Association, Govindram Chepang, emphasized the importance of preserving the Chepang language, religion, culture, and traditions. He also called for a public holiday on the occasion of Nwagi in areas where the Chepang community resides, particularly in the Gandaki Province.
The event saw participation from the Chepang communities of Gorkha, Dhading, Makwanpur, Chitwan, Tanahun, and Lamjung. During the festival, Chepang shamans (Pandes) performed rituals with traditional drums, and various performances reflecting Chepang culture were showcased.
According to President Govindram Chepang, Nwagi is celebrated annually on Bhadra 22 (September 7) in Chepang-dominated districts like Chitwan, Makwanpur, Dhading, and Gorkha. Although the main event was organized in Gorkha, the festival was also celebrated in other districts where the Chepang community resides.
Sant Bahadur Chepang, the General Secretary of the Nepal Chepang Association, mentioned that the community has been celebrating Nwagi collectively since 2063 B.S. (2006 A.D.) with the association’s initiative. Those unable to attend the main event celebrate within their own households and communities. Although Nwagi is traditionally celebrated throughout the month of Bhadra, Bhadra 22 has become the recognized date for the national celebration.
The Chepang community holds a religious belief that no one can consume new crops or fruits without first offering them to their ancestors. During the festival, grains like Ghaiya rice, millet, yams, and other crops are offered to the land and ancestors before they are consumed. The festival also marks the day when the Chepang people eat the year’s first harvest.
Chepang shamans perform rituals by offering chicken sacrifices and drumming to invoke blessings. The community refrains from working on this day, instead focusing on feasting, dancing, and exchanging good wishes with relatives and neighbors. Nwagi is closely linked to the Chepang way of life and cultural identity.
According to the National Census of 2021, there are 84,364 Chepang people in Nepal, with the largest population of 35,637 residing in Chitwan. Other significant populations include Makwanpur with 23,650, Dhading with 17,160, and Gorkha with 4,268 Chepangs. President Govindram Chepang noted that the Chepang community is spread across 26 districts in Nepal.
Since 2022, the Bagmati Province Government has declared Bhadra 22 a public holiday in Chitwan, Makwanpur, and Dhading to commemorate Nwagi, the national festival of the Chepang people.
