Occasion, Season and Duration

Festival>Thisham>Occasion, Season and Duration

Tangkhuls tribe believed in the concept of life after dead. The abode of the dead "Kazeiram" was believed to be on the other side of the living world. Thisham Festival marks the end of the Tangkhul year, which is held in the month of December-January. Thisham is a festival commemoration of the dead. The Thisham festival is performed with a special arrangement of food and drinks to send off the soul to “Kazeiram” where kokto, the king of dead rules. It is on this occasion that the dance of the dead is performed. This is the final ritual performed by the family for the dead. The festival is meant for families where death has occurred but the whole village celebrates it together and it last for about ten (10) days. Animals are sacrificed and prepared food and other articles for the dead. The priest of village invokes the Kokto and the soul of the death by singing, dancing and chatting. First, he pleads the Kokto to welcome the soul of the dead and not to bring dead to the family any more. The priest also asks the soul to depart in peace with offerings made by the family for his journey to Kazeiram and use in the land of dead. The priest donned the clothes and articles of the dead and throws them out off outside the village gate never to be picked up again and bade farewell to the departed souls. The relatives of the dead take a procession at night singing and dancing howling war cry and marched outside the village gate.
 Thisham festival in Nungshong village. (Photo: William Pettigrew).

Kathi kasham

The festival is meant to expel the dead from the village. Kathi means “dead”, kasham means “expulsion” According to Tangkhul belief, the soul of the dead remains in the house enjoying food and drinks before it goes to “Kazeiram”, The land of dead.
First day: The ropes for binding animals for sacrifice and poles for hanging cloths are procured from jungles.
Second day: The male’s tastes the ropes whether it will withstand the strain by the animals being sacrificed. The women are busy collecting and staking woods.
Third day: This is the day for sacrificing animals, buffaloes and cows. It is considered quite a sight and crowds gather to see the horrible sight. Then animals are cut into pieces and distributed in the same way as performed on the death of the person. Then the village chief offers it to “Kameo” (Evil spirits). more...