Rai ni beauties at Sakela Sili Ubhouli(Chandi) festival

To begin what is Sakela?

Sakela is the main festival of Kirat which is celebrated twice a year distinguished by two names Ubhauli and Udhauli. Sakela Ubhauli is celebrated during Baisakh Purnima (full moon day in the month of Baishak) and Sakela Udhauli is celebrated during the full moon day in the month of Mangshir.

Udhauli puja is the worshiping of mother goddess. Udhauli means going down: It is believed that from this day the winter season starts. So people, birds and animal migrate from cold regions to warmer regions. This kind of migration occurs twice in a year. The celebration of migrating downwards during the season of Mangshir (Nov-Dec) is called "Udhauli (उधौली)" and the celebration of migrating upwards during the season of Baisakh (April-May) is called "Ubhauli (उभौली)". This has been going on since the dawn of the mankind when the Kirat people were hunters and gatherers which time is immemorial.

The Vajasaneyi Samhita of the Shukla Yajurveda refers to the Kiratas as cave dwellers, hunters and gatherers. (Stone Age) Still today, animals and birds have seasonal migratory.

Later when the Kirat people shifted from being hunters and gathers to agriculturalist and cultivation of crops(Neolithic Age), the festival became known as Bhumi Puja or land worshipping ceremony as Sakela falls on baisakh purnay (fifteenth day of the fifth month of Nepali calendar) coinciding with the sowing season. Kirat people are basically nature worshipers and during this festival prayers are offered to the natural supreme power Kirateswor (Lord of Kiratas), mother goddess, spirits, "nag-nagi" and nature asking for good crops and protection from natural calamities during the season of April (Ubhauli) where people starts to sow crops.
Similarly, the celebration of Sakela Udhauli is the way of thanks giving to Goddess of nature for providing the good crops, as it is the time for harvesting before the cold seasons start to turn in.(Udhauli) This event of Kirati people has also been stated in Mundhum (holy book of Kirati people).

The Sakela festival is celebrated with the Sili or ceremonial dances, which have their own significance and unique charm. Dances in different postures depicting the behavior of animals, birds, etc are performed to express gratitude to the creator.
All Kirat group - Limbu, Rai, Yakkha and Sunuwar, celebrate this festival in different ways and have different names for it. Limbu call it "Chasok Tangnam", Rai call it "Sakela", Yakkha call it "Chasuwa" and Sunuwar called it "Syadar" . Still others called it Bhume, Bhunmidev, Chyabrung, Folsyandar, Saleladi, Sakewa, Sakenwa, Sakhewa, Sakel, Sime, Tosi, Tosh, Yokwa, etc depending on the sub-tribes of Kirat group and the distribution of Kirat people scattered across the Himalayan region from Himachal Pradesh, Nepal, Dareeeling, Assam and Sikkim.
Some of the sub-tribe of Kirat group are Bangdel, Bahing, Bantawa, Chamling, Chepang, Dumi, Dhimal, Hayu, Jirel, Jerung, Lohorung, Khaling, Khulung,Koch, Makurang, Mewahang, Naachhiring, Puma, Praya, Rakhali, Sampang, Sotang, Surel, Tamla, Tilung, Thulung, Thami, Wambule, Yaamphu, Yellung, etc.....!

Hence the sakela is not only the festival of the Kirat people but also of all the people living in hilly regions and to those who worship Mother Nature in their day to day life.
The festival starts with Shakti Puja performed by the nakchhong (kirati priest).
The Rais also observe Sakewa in their homes. Three lungs (stones) are installed in the prayer room to make a furnace called Samkha. The lungs have unique names: Suptulung, Taralung and Shakhalung. While invoking the blessings of the goddess, a fire is lighted in the furnace and the names of the forefathers are called out aloud while offering food, millet drink(tongba), ginger and water.
The pot used for the water is called Wabuk or Salawadar) coinciding with the sowing season.