Gangtok: Shamans of Sikkim celebrated Bhadaurey Poornima at Changu Lake near the Indo-China border in East Sikkim. This annual festival marks the start of the Hindu month of Bhadau. During Sawan, the preceding month, the shamans refrain from practices, emerging only on Bhadaurey Poornima for rituals at Changu Lake’s banks.
Organised by Tsomgo Pokhari Sanrakshan Samiti and the State Forest Department, the festival had Forest Minister Karma Loday Bhutia, Indian Army, Indo Tibetan Border Police, and forest officials in attendance.
Changu Lake has a myth tied to a shaman lady who predicted the village’s submersion. Revered by Sikkim’s shamans, she sought refuge on the Changu hills as the village drowned.
Forest Minister Karma Loday Bhutia stressed Changu Lake’s conservation, its significance as a tourist attraction, and a livelihood source. He highlighted plans to make Sikkim carbon-negative, promoting eco-tourism.
“Sikkim is carbon neutral, there is not much pollution in Sikkim. Now we are trying to be carbon negative, which can be sale factor for tourists. We are already a green State but we should become carbon negative state. We have to minimise use of plastics. We must also try to put an ban on plastic and disposable water bottles at checkpost entering Changu lake, similar to how it’s done in Lachen Lachung villages in North Sikkim,” he explained.
Loday Bhutia further said, “It is a reserved forest land, many are in tourism business and other ancillary businesses around the lake. The main intention of the festival is awareness on cleanliness of lake, it is border area, it is a tourist area, and a means of livelihood for many locals. There are fines imposed on garbage disposal in and around Lake.”
The purity of Sikkim’s environment was exemplified by Labi Bakcha village’s carbon-neutral status, which the Forest Department aims to replicate in Changu and other villages.
The Minister emphasised shamans spreading the message of lake cleanliness. Changu Lake’s holiness and its potential as a future drinking water source were stressed. The practice of lighting diyas in the lake was discouraged for preservation reasons.
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Divisional Forest Officer Smita Shilal explained that Bhadaurey Poornima is crucial for shamans to rejuvenate their energy. However, pollution concerns led officials to restrict certain rituals at the lake.
The forest official curtailed the shamans from performing rituals at the lake fearing pollution of the lake. Shilal said, “The Changu Lake comes under Forest Department and is looked after by Tsomgo Pokhari Sanrakshan Samiti, collectively we are here for the conservation of the lake. We are taking care of its cleanliness and fear of depletion.”
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