Chepang and Plant Chiuri

Have you ever seen or heard a plant named Chiuri? If yes, then you must have heard about its significance to Chepang community. Chiuri and Chepangs are synonymous to each other because of their interdependence. Chiuri has its great significance in physical, social and economic areas of the Chepang community.

Chiuri is a deciduous or a seasonal plant, which sheds its leaves on the month of September and October. It has thick bark and many branches that make a large canopy. Chiuri bears flowers on the month of April. It is grown at the edge terrace farms, and sloppy land called Khoriya (a typical Nepali term for sloppy agricultural land used for cultivation) as its long branching out roots help to control the soil erosion.

Leaf: The Chiuri leaves provides a gentle breeze that makes you feel like working some additional hours. Because the Chepangs consider Chiuri as sacred, the leaf of a Chiuri is used in almost all the religious ceremonies like pasni, nawaaran, laxmi puja for worshipping cow. It is also used to make Tappari and Duna, plates to keep food.

Social importance: Chiuri is gifted to the married couples  in chepang community by the groom side for the succession, achievement and prosperous life. The traditional belief is that just like the Chiuri, which can survive in any steep and sloppy geographical conditions, the married couple will overcome all barriers and live a happy life together.  

Flowers: The Chepangs drink the nectar obtained from the flowers, and some take in only drinks when there is no food during famine. It has sweet fragrance and nectar that attracts the honeybee. Honeybee does not have to roam around as it bears large number of flowers. Honeybee makes a good honey out of it. This makes bee keeping easier for the farmers. Farmers harvest the honey and excess honey is sold to the market to make their living out of it.

Seeds: The edible fruit that Chiuri produces will become yellow after it is fully ripe. A monocotyledon left out after the fruit is eaten is accumulated and dried. After it is fully dried up, it is grinded, boiled and the ghee is extracted out of it. This is also used as cooking oil. The byproduct after the extraction of ghee is used in fishing in river. Several industries have manufactured organic soap out of Chiuri. The organic soap helps to prevent skin rashes and pimples.

Chiuri remains of great importance to the Chepang community. Chepangs have obtained maximum out of it. On the whole if Chepangs make use of Chiuri wisely they can improve their lifestyle and make a good earning. At least they can make some money from it though it may not fully alleviate poverty.