There are stories which we choose to share and stories which irrevocably fade away with time.
— Sonam Chhomo and Nawang Chhoetso
.
When we ask them about their stories, you would notice a sense of hesitation in the beginning, but internally we all know that they are too eager to feel the same emotions again as they traverse through memory lane. And when they speak, you’ll notice that it becomes hard to stop them, you fear interrupting them lest they change their mind and become silent after a pause. You don’t want that to happen, do you? You too want to understand them and wish to find yourself a place in their memory so that you witness them first hand, look at their obscurities and in a childish spree compare yourself to them. Of course our imagination too helps us to walk this same path as they start travelling back to these days in the hope of reliving their most loved memories.
.
Perhaps listening to their stories may retain the authenticity of these experiences which no travel book may hold, perhaps their stories will be the last reminiscent of their generation’s experiences and it is only fair as this becomes our duty to document these as part of history, our history. .
.
Back to the tradition of Teer-Kaman (archery or the bow and arrow). This tradition is followed in both valleys of Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh.
.
In Lahaul valley mainly sTodpa region, this practice of archery using the traditional bow and arrow is a long known sport that is played during the three-day winter or Dachang festival. The traditional bow and arrow are made in homes and can be seen in every household in Lahaul irrespective of their use. The materials used to make the bow and arrow are soft wood. A pointed piece of iron is placed at the tip of the arrow and a feather of a bird (usually a vulture) is placed at the other end of the arrow, mainly to identify it’s owner. In this process, the village’s young men take the responsibility of organising this festival when the snow is settled on the ground. On a large field then a snowman is constructed and a paper with a black rounded symbol is painted on it- to indicate the direction of their shot. There are two of these, at the opposite ends of the fields, facing each other. Every time two people compete with each other and run from one end of the snowman to another for the final announcement of the winner. This seems like a good socialising sport for both old and young men of the region. The whole event invites spectators and musicians who play the traditional instruments.
Legend says that Lahaul possesses not only Dakinis(good fairies) but western equivalent of witches as well. And the bow and arrow stands a symbolic gesture to ward away the witches from their land for the time being. Thus this winter festival commences for three days, along with the traditional musicians who play drums. There are in fact legends of a place, on top of a hill mountain where natural stones shaped in the form of benches are said to be formed for the witches who arrive at that place for a discussion on a yearly basis. This legend which in some ways had undergone some supernatural narration, now seems to have eroded over time and now concerns itself with the desire to meet and socially interact with all generations of the society. . This time too, as the corona pandemic was being discussed in the month of March, the young men of the village of Gemur had already begun preparing for this event.
.
Source: From some distant memory lane of my father’s childhood days, could be called a lived experience as well.
.
In Spiti valley, the Dachang festival takes place in every village at varied dates usually during the winter months.
Traditions often have reasons attached to the value system built by the elders of the society. In the same way, traditions in Spiti valley are often rooted in the thought processes of our elders who thought of the future from a suitable time period.
This winter festival, according to the elders, is a way to give responsibility to the younger generation and hold them in charge. In Spiti, young boys are considered as adults after crossing the age of 15 years.
It is believed that as the arrow is shot across towards the target, the negative thoughts and energies are said to leave the body and enable it to uphold responsibilities in the future. Along with this, the elders of the village usually above sixty years of age are given gifts of different kinds. This also has a symbolic gesture which indicates the control taken up by the new generation while setting the elders free to rest.
.
Source: From Nawang’s grandfather’s memory lane, could be called a lived experience as well.
.
It is remarkable how one tradition, one sport can have different narratives and different legends to support it, that too, in the same district but different valleys.
Experiences shape narratives and perspectives. There are stories which we choose to share and there are stories which irrevocably fade away. In the case of different traditions too, the variation seems to be derived from the person’s perspective. The first account of this tradition in Lahaul given by my Father is a perspective formed from his childhood memories. As a child, the legend and folktales of the country must be as intriguing as the sport itself. Thus, leading to the formation of a memory intermixed with religious and supernatural symbols. The second account of this tradition in Spiti valley rather has an ethical perspective given to it, mainly due to its narration by Nawang’s grandfather. As an elder himself, it is only right to express his sentiments in the tradition which has been followed for generations in his village.
Of course, no perspectives are wrong and they only add to the rich cultural capital that these valleys possess. And by no means does this analysis suggest a negligence of any experience. It just becomes rather beautiful to see how the same narrative can be viewed from different lenses according to the individual’s interests and it leads us to think how more stories could be formed by just these small differences of thought processes.
