Discover Ripchet Town on your way to Epic Manaslu Circuit Trek
6 Dec 2024 Chandra Gurung
Ripchet is a small village in the Tsum Valley of Nepal, often honored as the “precious one” for the place of Guru Rinpoche. The descendants of the Tibetan-Burman group who were once exiled from Tibet, under the threat of the king have been living here for over a century now.
This hidden place of Guru Rinpoche has a hidden valley, about 3 to 4km flat, and even a grassland lap of this majestic-looking mountain. The best way we describe it is a fertile and miraculously situated valley in an even grassland lap of the Mansiri Himalayan range.
With little as 40 families, the Ripchet town of Tsum is a benevolent village. Tsumba villagers here offer culture, hospitality, and profound spiritualism on the plate for you. The green serene village, where life has its color during the spring and is quite snowy in winter, we have more to learn about the Tsum Ripchet culture.
Earnings and life of Tsum Ripchet people
Tsum people actively depend on agricultural activities, animal produce, craftsmanship, and tourism these days to earn a decent lifestyle for them. We can say they have a restless life, raising a variety of crops for all four seasons. But agriculture is still traditional there, with physical labor and animal power.
With traditional methods of farming, they have managed to produce barley, wheat, and potatoes even in extreme weather conditions and harsh land structures. Despite challenges, their local produce is exported and traded to nearby villages.
Yak herding is popular in the valley, with herdsmen taking their animals to high pastures during warmer seasons. They also raise sheep, and goats, for produce like milk, butter, and wool. Many Tsumbas are also active in wool wool-making business.
Traditional attire of Tsum Ripchet Town (Women)
Like any other culture, people in Tsum also have their dresses, distinct for men and women. And we will be surprised, we can know whether a person is married or not, simply by looking at the clothes they wear. That simply applies to women only.
1. Bakhu
Like Chupa, there is bakhu for women, which is equally thick but more feminine in design, with a wraparound choice. They are warm cloaks suited for extreme weather, layered over a full-sleeved blouse and tied at the waist with a belt called Kyetey.
2. Inner Shirt (wan-ju)
The long inner shirt for women is called wan-ju. It is a blouse of a kind often full-sleeved and secured.
3. Aprons (Gyaptil or Matil)
Women also wear multicolored striped aprons that cover the front and back. The rear apron (Gyaptil or Matil) is worn by all women during festivity. If a woman wears a front apron (pangden) it indicates that she is married.
4. Jewelry
Tsumbas also wear traditional jewelry suiting their culture. They are gold and pearl made and often carried during special celebrations, they don’t carry that all the time. Women wear ceremonial headdresses with a turquoise stone called Perak. They have long beaded necklace strands, bracelets of silver, earrings, and other cultural jewelry pieces.
5. Footwear
Similar to men, women also wear high woolen boots to withstand the cold climate. These boots are often brightly colored and tied with garters like the traditional Sherpa fashion we see.
Traditional attire of Tsum Ripchet Town (Men)
Tsum people have dresses akin to Sherpa culture, but still different. Men wear unique Chhuba robes and stay protected against cold.
1. Chhuba:
Local Tsum people are often seen wearing Chhuba, a knee-length cozy robe over their traditional shirt. It is tied at the waist with a sash called “a kara.” What makes it practical is that it has a handy pouch (tulung) for carrying daily essential small items.
2. Inner Shirt (Wan-tash)
Men wear a long inner shirt known as wan-tash. These are long-sleeved shirts worn underneath woolen robes; made up of warm materials like wool.
3. Pants:
The chhuba or chupa (the long woolen robe) is often paired with pant-like garments beneath. These pants are more traditional and ceremonial attire with vibrant colors and intricate designs, not the regular pants we urban people wear.
4. Footwear:
To cope with the extreme climate in Tsum Valley, Ripchet people wear high woolen boots (with garters). The most popular shades choice of their thick woolen footwear are maroon, red, green, or blue.
Cultural Beliefs of People in Ripchet Town
People in Ripchet town are closely associated with their Buddhist faith. They follow a unique form of Vajrayana Buddhism also practiced in Tibet.
Tsumbas adhere to a lunar calendar, which determines the time of religious festivals and rites. They also offer their prayers at two prominent monastic institutions Rachen Nunnery and Mu Gompa, established in 1936 by Dukpa Rinpoche.
Tsum Ripchet Mankhang Gompa, however, is their local gompa, which remains protective of the nomadic life of people, and evokes the utmost source of spiritualism among the villagers. Their commitment to non-violence is also something, we learn from their “Shyakya” tradition.
Villagers conduct smoke puja as a ritual in Tibetan Buddhism where juniper branches are burned as an offering to purify the environment. Some of the popular festivals in Tsum Valley are Tsampa Lhosar, Saka Dawa, Dhachyang, and Fanning.
Tsum Ripchet Mankhang Gonpa Consecration 2021
Mankhang Monastery was set after an earthquake rebuild process, villagers were mentally and physically affected by the tragedy of the earthquake. In 2017. With the generosity of Venerable Khenpo Karma Dawa, the village starts its renovation in its original form. In 2021, the monastery was reconstructed and let’s have a look at the key features,
1. Traditional attires of monks in Tsum Ripchet
At the inauguration, monks were dressed in distinctive red hats with long, flowing flaps called “Gho. The monks are wearing long, flowing robes, which are also a common part of Buddhist monastic attire.
2. Architectural Style of Tsum Ripchet Mankhang Gonpa
The roof is tiered, with multiple levels creating a pyramid-like shape. This tired structure shows an ascent to enlightenment. And the roof is covered in gold leaf, a symbol of wealth, power, and spiritual significance, and preserved to be divided.
At the top of the roof, there are decorative finials or spires. These finials are often topped with religious symbols like the Dharma wheel or the Om symbol. Walls are made of stone and have painted decorations with colorful paintings depicting religious stories, deities, and mythical creatures. This monastery is reconstructed with Tibetan and Himalayan influences.
Guru Rinpoche Puja for three days in Ripchet Town
Ripchet town is also one of the hidden places of Guru Rinpoche. Thereby the villagers offer a tribute puja as Padmasambhava Puja on the Guru Rinpoche day, the tenth day of the Tibetan lunar.
It’s a significant ritual in Vajrayana Buddhism where the honorable guru is revered. The villagers continue this festivity for three days to seek blessings. This puja is also believed to remove one’s negative karma and enhance spiritual blessings.
As per the Tibetan lunar calendar, this festival is celebrated with prayers of “the Vajra Guru Mantra” 108 times. Also, it is paired with lighting candles, Tsok offerings, and meditation. They have their way of aligning with traditional methods and performing this puja of a special kind.
Masked Dances in Nara Festival of Ripchet Town
One of the prominent occasions for masked dances is the Nara Festival, where dancers wear masks representing different deities or symbolic figures. The main performers in the masked dances of Tsum Valley are
- The black-hat dancers, primarily lamas (Buddhist monks)
- local community members
- designated main dancer (tsowo)
Saga Dawa: The Festival of Enlightenment in Ripchet
Saga Dawa is an important ritual, which falls on one of the most sacred months in the Buddhist calendar. It honors the conception, realization, and passing of Lord Buddha. The Tsumbas celebrate Saga Dawa with great devotion, and it occurs in May or June, during Buddha Purnima.
Tsok making- Offering to Mandala on Tsum culture
Tsok is an offering by a group of practitioners, especially on the 10th (Guru Rinpoche Day) and 25th (Dakini Day) of the Tibetan month. Even on special puja, anniversaries, and a variety of food, Tsok, also known as Ganachakra is served to the deity in Tibetan Buddhism culture.
People in Tsum also offer cooked dishes, fruits, sweets, wine, alcoholic beverages, flowers, incense, and butter lamps for deities, which is Tsok making. These are offered to mandalas of deities traditionally. This is a purification ritual and is one of a kind for those on the Vajrayana path of spiritualism.
Their famous food is Tsampa (barley bread). They typically consume it with yogurt or butter tea in combination.
Religious Worship Materials of Buddhist People
Buddhist worship often involves a variety of objects and tools, each with its symbolic significance. Here are some common ones:
| Religious Materials | Significance |
| Thangka | Buddhist religious painting or embroidered scroll for a scene |
| Mala | Prayer beads are used by practitioners for meditation. |
| Dharma Wheel | A timeless symbol of the Dharma and teachings of the Buddha. |
| Singing Bowl | A bowl-shaped instrument used for meditation and sound healing. |
| Incense Burners | Used to offer incense as a fragrant offering. |
| Prayer Flags | Colorful flags with prayers and mantras often hung in high places. |
| Mani Wheel | A cylindrical object with mantras inscribed on it spun to accumulate merit. |
| Dorje | A ritual object symbolizing the indestructible nature of reality. |
| Bell and Dorje | Often used together, the bell symbolizes emptiness and the Dorje symbolizes wisdom. |
Musical Instruments used in Tsum Ripchet Town
Tsumbas have quite their way of life, their Baja, festivals, culture, and attire. Let’s also see the significance of Damphu and Dungchen they play at their special gatherings.
1. Damphu
Tsum people play Damphu during their festivity. This traditional percussion is quite famous in Tamang, Gurung, and Magar communities as well. King Peng Dorje was the one who invented it to cheer up his wife after a personal loss. It was also named after the national bird Danphe as the folklore suggests.
Damphu offers rhythmic beats to perform traditional songs and dances, Tamang Selo, during the Lhoshar festival. No wedding or joyous occasion is complete without Damphu, music, and its storytelling. Even at times of grief, it’s an ancestral tradition to play this. And Tsum people are actively preserving this culture.
2. Dungchen
Dungchen is a long trumpet made from a hollowed-out animal horn. In any celebration, the instrument, Dungchen, also known as a “radung,” is played as a deep music offering to religious ceremonies and festivals.
It’s kind similar to the smaller instrument Lingm, a type of oboe used in Bhutanese music. Both instruments can be paired to produce high-pitched reedy sounds and are associated with Buddhist rituals to accompany chanting and prayer.
Conclusion
If you want to explore Tsum Ripchet town, know more about the serene location, culture, and lifestyle, and witness the nomadic way of life here, book a trip. We, the Himalaya Guide team will accommodate you and provide a brief Manaslu Tsum Valley trek package, with a cultural perspective like never before. And the natural beauty is the bonus!
