KURAGRAPHYकुराग्राफी

Allo, a non-medicinal plant that grows in forests between 1200 and 3000 metres above sea level, is also known as "Jakhilma" in Kulung and "Bhangro/Bhangre Sisnu" in Nepali. In English, it is called as "giant nettle" and the scientific name is  Girardinia diversifolia, and it is a member of the Urtisia genus. It can be found densely distributed in more than 35 Nepalese Himalayan districts, as stated in RRN's value chain book from 2014 . Outside of Nepal, allo can be found in northern Pakistan, Kashmir, northwestern India, Sikkim, Bhutan, southern and eastern Tibet, Sri Lanka, northern Myanmar, China, and Malaysia.

A year old allo stem will be 5 to 7 feet tall with 16 to 20mm radius. Allo has mythical and practical meaning in lifecycle rituals for the Kulung community. The myth asserts that Ninmaridu was an expert weaver of Allo's yarn. The Kulung people harvest  Lokta (the Allo bark) from the jungle in the winter.   Lokata must cook for an entire night in the fire ash solution, then wash it in running water in the morning to remove the bark and collect the fibres. The fibre should be pasted with clay powder and allowed to dry at room temperature. To produce soft, golden-colored fiber, the clay must be removed from the fibre after it has dried completely. Kulungs  produce a variety of necessary materials from this cloth, such as yarn, including: clothing, fishing nets, bags, Dhokro, Damlo, rope, etc.

The significance of Allo in Kulung  rituals from birth to death, allo and products made from allo are required in the Kulung lifecycle rituals. Charles McDougalls, Dor Bahadur Bista, Janak Rai, Yograj Giri, and other anthropologists have noted that the Kulung caste and Allo have a close bond. Similar writings about the close ties between the Kulung  and Allo can be found in Dr. Hark Gurung's travelogue "Arun Bhayera Jharda" and Arun Upatya's folktales collected by Matrika Timsina.

 

According to these various articles and conversations I had with respondents during my fieldwork, the significance of rituals and rituals of the Kulung can be found in the following.

1. birth—Kulung holds the opinion that a newborn should not be picked up until it begins to cry. The mother wraps the infant in an old allo cloth after giving it a hot bath. Allo dry leaf incense for burning. It is a custom to tie 'Buchhari' (kalli) of allo rope on the hands and feet and around the waist. Old allo cloth, incense, and bucharis are thought to protect the newborn from ghosts, evil spirits, and the evil eye. It is customary to finish the birth pollution with a ritual of Wanifam (the name giving ritual) for a son in 6 days and a daughter in 5 days.  
2. Marriage: Stolen marriages, forced unions, voluntary unions, and inter-caste unions are common forms of marriage in the Kulung. Kulung has two marriages: the small wedding and Doplo Khuim (the big  wedding) rituals for the same copule to complete the marriage.  In a small wedding, the boy welcomes the bride by following tradition and marrying a girl. A Kulung girl can remain in her birth home for a few years, even after a wedding. She has to visit her husband's home for the important events and rituals.  Youngly married Kulung women's funeral rights still reside at their natal house. If the girl runs away from her husband during this time and marries a woman, the husband will not be entitled to any rights or compensation. Doplo Khuim - Kulung has a big wedding a few years into their marriage or following the birth of a child by a married couple. The Kulung  has given this marriage significant social and financial recognition. In this marriage, the husband has the authority to perform funeral rites in the event of the wife's death. In the case where a girl runs away from her husband, the husband has the right to compensation. Even though the expected functional function of allo is not found in the marriage rituals of the Kulung caste, the hidden functional significance is found. Before the market's expansion, it was necessary to make a living wearing homemade clothing. The ability of a girl from the Kulung caste was then thought to be measured by her aptitude for weaving. Or a girl would find a good family if she could weave good allo cloth.
3. Nagi Puja :  The names Pakalung, Makalung, and Sembalung are given to the three hearth stones. Makalung and Sembalung are said to guard against negative influences, while Pakalung is said to bring good things into the home. Nagi come in two sizes: small nagi and big nagi. Small Nagi is regarded as being simple financially. Only family members gather and perform it annually. In comparison to a small Nagi, a large Nagi appears more expensive. inviting the village's elders, family members, and relatives as well. A pig, a chicken, 64 pieces of cotton thread, 22 bells, and 22 pieces of fine cotton cloth called lukpas are needed for this.
4. death :  funaral ritual varries accoridng to death-  natural death, acident, death by nondiognosis desease, infant death and the like. Nasi is the funeral rites carried out for the normal death, and  "Hilsi" refers to the funeral rites carried out  for those who pass away by unnatural death. They examine the manner of death before taking the body far into the woods to burn or bury it.  The death rituals require allo, including covering the corpse with allo cloth, tying the corpse with allo thread, burning allo incense, and Kriyaputris wearing allo cloth.