Kakung Torkhan: An Indigenous Bon Harvest Ritual, Agrarian Cosmology and Religious Syncretism among the Dirang Monpas of Arunachal Pradesh

Yeshi Gyesen

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i04.86519

Kakung Torkhan: An Indigenous Bon Harvest Ritual, Agrarian Cosmology and Religious Syncretism among the Dirang Monpas of Arunachal Pradesh

Author(s)	Dr. Yeshi Gyesen
Country	India
Abstract	This article examines Kakung Torkhan, an indigenous pre-harvest ritual practiced by the Monpas of Sangti Valley in Dirang Circle, West Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh. Performed before the commencement of rice harvesting, the ritual seeks the protection and blessings of territorial deities, ancestral powers, and guardian spirits for agricultural prosperity, community well-being, and protection from misfortune. The study is based on qualitative ethnographic fieldwork, including participant observation, semi-structured interviews, oral narratives, and informal conversations with the Mang Bonpu (Bon community priest), Changmin (ritual assistant), Tseepa Lama, village elders, cultivators, and other community members. The findings show that Kakung Torkhan is organized through a complementary relationship between Bon ritual authority and Buddhist calendrical authority. Although the ritual is officiated by the Mang Bonpu (community priest), its date is determined by the Tseepa Lama according to the Tibetan lunar calendar. The ritual begins at the sacred grove, or Narang, and continues through household ceremonies involving offerings of Kakung (smashed rice), Yetak (smoked fish or locally prepared paneer), and Yuthong (traditional rice beer). Ritual exchange, household participation, behavioural prohibitions, and the sharing of consecrated food reaffirm collective identity and customary obligations. The article argues that Kakung Torkhan is not merely an agricultural ceremony but a living institution through which the Monpas transmit agrarian knowledge, ecological ethics, social norms, and indigenous religious traditions across generations. It further demonstrates that religious syncretism among the Monpas is not simply a blending of traditions but an institutional arrangement in which Bon and Buddhism perform distinct yet mutually supportive functions.
Keywords	Monpa; Bon; Kakung Torkhan; Sangti Valley; harvest ritual; agrarian cosmology; religious syncretism; Arunachal Pradesh
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 4, July-August 2026
Published On	2026-08-26
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i04.86519

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Kakung Torkhan: An Indigenous Bon Harvest Ritual, Agrarian Cosmology and Religious Syncretism among the Dirang Monpas of Arunachal Pradesh

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