Bono na

The Bono-na or Bono nah is an ancient festival of the Minaro ( Brokpa) people[4] hosted alternatively between Dha and Garkon villages of the Aryan Valley region of Ladakh, India with a gap of a year.[5] It is a festival of thanksgiving to their deities and gods for good crops and prosperity to the people and the land of Minaro.[6]

Bono-na
Last day of Bono-na gathering festival at Garkon
Official nameBono-na
Also calledChopo Shrubla[1][2]
Observed byBrokpas
TypeBrokpa, cultural
SignificanceThanksgiving to the Minaro gods and deities for good crops and prosperity to the community.
CelebrationsSinging the Hymnal song about Brokpa mythology, cosmology and historical event. Mourn the separation of Minaro from their deities.
ObservancesGathering of the Brokpa community at Lchangra to listen and celebrate the ancient hymnals of Minaro and

worship the ancient deities of Minaro.

Traditional folk dance with folk music.
DateS October–November.[3]
FrequencyEvery 2 in 3 years
Started byThe three extraordinary sons of Angutho, named Galo, Melo, and Dulo. After they have faced an assassination plan from a king of Gilgit. The brothers Galo, Melo and Dulo escaped and settled in Hanoo,Dha and Ganokh, respectively. They decided to have an annual festival hosted alternatively between three brothers, and since then Bono-na has begun.
Related toBrokpas

The festival begins with a man who is Lhaba.[7] The Lhaba dictates the ancestral Hymnal. A Lhaba is descended upon by the spirits of gods who possess him.[8]

The Lhaba meditates for 24 hours on one foot at high hill rock. During those periods of meditation, he eats just three handfuls of barley flour. After the completion of meditation, the villagers assemble around him and sing ballads, perform folk dances and treat him like a god and worship him.[9] He officiates as priest to perform the ancient ritual of the Minaro.[10]

Subsequently, he leads a congregation of worshippers at the appointment festival ground, and the villagers welcome him. They perform a folk dance with joy and sing ballads.[11]

The Hymnal of Bono-na has eighteen songs in the language of the Minaro. The Hymnal of Bono-na is considered holy for two main reasons. First, it contains the last remnant of the Minaro mythology and their cosmology. Secondly, it contains the historical recollection of the Minaro people. This hymnal has illustrated the list of place names of their migration from Gilgit to the present Da hanu region.[12][13] On the last day, the Lhabskyal ballad is sung, which is about their departure from the deities, with whom they physically used to live. The dancers take off their caps and put a scarf on their head to mourn their separation from their deities. At last, the dancers go to the distant place to see off their deities and the festival is concluded.[14][15]

Origin

The elders of Dha claimed that their ancestors have originally came from Europe,[16] and settled in Pur Valley, east of Gilgit. The three extraordinary son of Angutho, named Galo, Melo, and Dulo, became wealthy. After they faced an assassination plan from a king of Gilgit, the brothers Galo, Melo and Dulo decided settle in their favourite place. The son of Melo, Thopamaro, and the Dulo decided to stay in Ganokh. The son of Dulo, Gil singe, and the Melo in Nirdha.

Finally Galo and this son settled in Handangsmin. Then they have planned to have a yearly festival hosted alternatively between Ganokh, Nirdah and Hangdangsmin. This festival is known as " Bono-na" festival. They had a Duhiya, a place for their deities, where they sacrifice a goat for them before starting the "Bono-na" festival.[17] [18]

References
  1. Zeitschrift für Ethnologie (in German). Reimer. 1982.
  2. Excelsior, Daily (2016-10-12). "5-day Bonona festival of Brokpas concludes". Jammu Kashmir Latest News | Tourism | Breaking News J&K. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
  3. "This festival doesn't entirely depend on the lunar calendar so the date is not set in advance. It could be any date in the period of October – November." "The Bonona Festival of the Himalayan Aryans". The Art Blog by WOVENSOULS.COM. 2017-05-23. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
  4. Archiv Für Zentralasiatische Geschichtsforschung (in German). VGH Wissenschaftsverlag. 1983. p. 10. ISBN 978-3-88280-025-8.
  5. Zeitschrift für Ethnologie (in German). Reimer. 1982. pp. 90–92.
  6. Excelsior, Daily (2016-10-12). "5-day Bonona festival of Brokpas concludes". Jammu Kashmir Latest News | Tourism | Breaking News J&K. Retrieved 2022-12-15. It is a festival of thanks giving to their Gods and Deities for good crops and prosperity to the community
  7. Jina, Prem Singh (1996). Ladakh: The Land and the People. Indus Publishing. p. 95. ISBN 978-81-7387-057-6.
  8. Indian Antiquary. Popular Prakashan. 1905. pp. 99–100.
  9. Jina, Prem Singh (1996). Ladakh: The Land and the People. Indus Publishing. p. 95. ISBN 978-81-7387-057-6.
  10. Indian Antiquary. Popular Prakashan. 1905. pp. 93–101.
  11. Jina, Prem Singh (1996). Ladakh: The Land and the People. Indus Publishing. pp. 95–100. ISBN 978-81-7387-057-6.
  12. Indian Antiquary. Popular Prakashan. 1905. pp. 93–111.
  13. Zeitschrift für Ethnologie (in German). Reimer. 1982. p. 90.
  14. Achinathang, Tashi Namgail (Achinapa) (2020-12-03). HISTORY AND CULTURE OF DARD PEOPLE OF LADAKH. Booksclinic Publishing. pp. 35–42. ISBN 978-81-946961-0-0.
  15. Himalayan Research Bulletin. Nepal Studies Association. 1987. p. 19.
  16. Kloos, Stephen (28 June 2012). "Legends from Dha-Hanu: Oral Histories of the Buddhist Dards in Ladakh" (PDF). According to the elders in Dha, their Dardic ancestors originally came from Europe and settled in the Pur valley, east of Gilgit. Then Duthamelo Sanaleph, the grandson of Angutheno, moved to Gilgit, and had three sons there: Galo, Melo, and Dulo.
  17. Kloos, Stephen (28 June 2012). "Legends from Dha-Hanu: Oral Histories of the Buddhist Dards in Ladakh1" (PDF).
  18. "The Brokpa's of Ladakh Preserving the immaculateness of Aryan Race". studylib.net. Retrieved 2022-12-19.


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