A DAY IN SHERGAON | KRO CHEYKOR FESTIVAL 2022 | WEST KAMENG

The Kro-Cheykor festival was started by the blessing of Gelong Doyon Tenzin, who was the Chawe Lama (Head Lama on which the Village depends for any auspicious or any other works related to religious ceremony).
The Festival is mainly for good harvest of the crops and wellbeing of the village. The festival starts with recitation of Holy Buddhists Books viz. Kanjur, Tanjur, Boom, etc. well ahead of the main day celebration which falls on 15th Day Lunar Calendar as per Tibetan Buddhist calendar. There we can say that the recitation starts almost 25- 20 days ahead of main Kro-Cheykor.
The day starts with purification of the village with procession known as Thuk Khrusi (Purification of the Village) which starts from South with Bumtang Khar Chodam (Chodam means Subduing of evils spirits), Rigsung Chodam, Kakaling Chomdam and ending at Sada Chodam at East. It is basically done so as to make the village purified from all evil spirits so that all deities of the village can participate and witness the day long programme to bless every one including sentient beings.
After the 2 hours Thuk Khrusi, the teenage girls adorned in local dress carry the holy Text books on their back bare footed for the day long processing which circumvents the whole village in clockwise as done during the Thuk-Khrusi starting from Tashi Chering Gompa with first Chodam Bumtang Khar, Jomo Lumu chodam, Guchung Lumu Chodam, Kro-Chodam, ending at Zopo Blang Chodam. The procession is joined by Makpepoos (Group of Young and Teenage Youths) at Jomo Lumu Chodam.
The concept of Abo-Soos and Makpepoos originated because of a Demon called Segor, who used to stop the entire entourage before reaching the Zopo blang Chodamand send them back from where they came, which violated the very concept of Cheykor (Carrying Holy Buddhist Text books and circumventing Clock Wise to purify the village for wellbeing and good harvest). The villagers under the guidance of Thuk Abo (Village Head) made a plan to kill the Devil so that he does not repeat the same in near future. The plan was successfully implemented by killing the Segor. Since a sin had been committed that during the pious month of Saga-Dawa but with good intension which is against the very philosophy of Buddhism and to cleanse themselves of the Blood and Sin both Abo-Soos and Makpepoos bathed in the river which near the Zopo Blang Chodam and therefore till date the same is practised in a ceremonial way, which is the major attraction of the full day event. The day ends with Dances of Zams, Tang-Tasngmu(Duchus), Zon-on Memes and Kenpu brothers, Degi Serkim, Lurjang till late night say 1.30 AM.
The Three Blangs viz. Chaampo Blang, Azu Lampu Blang and Thuksna Blang visit Kro (Nechin Dombo Lhagang) to dedicate death of Segor and every year prayer flags are hoisted for the departed souls and they come back with chanting Mane prayer for all departed souls and end the programme at each Blangpoo Yaams (House of each Group). The Kro-Cheykor ends with Grand Picnic in every Blang.