English: Kirat or Kirati is the religion of Limbu and Rai people in nepal. We worship Sumnima and Paruhang as the archetypal proto female and proto male respectively. To worship the ancestors is significant and occurs to a great extent among the Rais. The religious text of Rai is Mudhum which is in oral form and is passed through one generation to another. It seems that Kirati religion has also been influenced from Buddhism that is practiced throughout the northern part of Nepal as well as Hinduism of the middle hills (Bista, 1967:43). To 24

worship many local deities is the traditional religious practice. Jalpa Devi is one of the main Gods and Goddesses living up in the Snow Mountains and saat kanya (seven virgins) are most commonly worshipped by the Rai people. The most important symbol of the Gods are the three stones where every types of religious rituals has to be start.

For every type of deities, foods have to be offered in every rituals occasions and festivals. There are numerous deities that exist in the Kirati religion for example Sikari, Sikatakhu- Budho, Balmo-Budhi ,Kulung-Budhi and Mangtewa- Budhi. According to local legends all of these ancestor gods are vanished alive in ancient days (Ibid). Nwagi is a one deiti, in ritual Rai people have to offer a few grains of rice before they start to eat. Another Khamang is considered the God of individual skills, the first piece of the meat is always offered to them when they are succeeding in the hunting. The religious leader are called the Ngopa or Nakcho, they announce verdicts of the Gods.