The Sikkim Chief Minister – Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) extended his best wishes to the Mangar Community on the auspicious occasion of ‘Barahimizong’.

Celebrated with much zeal and enthusiasm, ‘Barahimizong’ is considered to be one of the significant festival of Mangar Community.

Observed on the 5th day of Mangar Purnima, i.e., in December, Barahimizong marks the coming together of Mangar people to pay homage to their forefathers, or what locally referred as ‘kuldevtaas’ (ancestral deities) by performing various religious rituals & rites.

In Mangar dialect, ‘Barahi’ means God, ‘Minaat’ or ‘Mi’ means worship, while ‘Zong’ means fort. The ceremonies are followed by a number of cultural performances and on-the-spot competitions.

It is worth noting that the first ‘Barahimizong’ festival was held in 1998, aiming to keep alive – the cultural and traditional heritage of Mangar Community.

Taking to social media platforms, the Sikkim CM wrote “Warm greetings and best wishes to the people of Sikkim, especially the Mangar community, on the festive occasion of Barahimizong. On this special day, the community members come together and pay obeisance to their forefathers by performing various religious rituals and rites. May this auspicious festival inspire us to promote communal harmony, brotherhood and further strengthen the bond between the people of Sikkim.”