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Traditional rituals in Marma society (such as birth,
marriage and death, etc.).
By-Mongwaiching Marma
Kaptai, Rangamati, Bangladesh.
From birth to death, people have to do a lot of work in the pursuit of socialization. In this narrow
life, birth, marriage and death are socialized through the observance of different rituals in different
societies. The Marma people also observe these three episodes through various rituals and
ceremonies. In addition to these three episodes, there are some other rituals in the Marma society,
which are observed in the Marma society through various rituals. It should be noted here that
although there are some exceptions and slight differences in the observance of these customs and
rituals in different areas, there is no difference in the main subject and purpose.
Rituals during the birth of the Marmas:
In some areas of the Marma society, as soon as the child is taken in the mother's womb, in order
to prevent the evil eye from falling on the mother and the newborn, they go to the healer (Voidya)
and judge/calculate the sign of zodiac, misfortune of the mother. If necessary, these deities are
worshiped with various Worship materials for their satisfaction. In many cases pregnant mother is
allowed to hold amulets / charms.
"Mui Jang" (Delivery room): At the time of childbirth, the pregnant woman is kept in a separate
room. This room is called "Mui Jang" / Mui Kheng” in Marma language. A "Chhra-ma" (midwife)
stays in this room all the time. "Chhra-ma" is accompanied by a couple of elderly relatives. After
the baby is born, the umbilical cord is cut with a "Klaisyong" (a thin, sharp slice of bamboo bark)
and the remnants of the umbilical cord and the fabric used in the lower part of the maternal mother
are buried in a corner of the yard. The newborn's body is then wiped with lukewarm water. At the
same time the mother is bathed with lukewarm water.
Things to do during long-term delivery: If for some reason the child is late to be born or if the
mother seems to be having a hard labor pain, then a hen are cut and worshiped in the nearby river
/ stream for baby born smoothly. From the time the baby is born, a "chfo" (stove) is made in a
corner beside to the maternal mother and a fire is lit Ein it, and hot water is kept in a clay pot for
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maternal mother use as needed. If there is pain in the abdomen of the mother, hot shake is given.
At this time, if the mother has a headache, she is allowed to sniff by crushing "Chamuknak"
(fenugreek) and "Jaduk-si" (nutmeg). In the southern part of the Chittagong Hill Tracts the
maternal mother of the Marmas has to stay in "Mui Jang"(Delivery/labor room) for 7 days. The
newborn is given a haircut within those seven days and the ears are pricked in the case of a
doughter. The maternity mother of the "Plaisa" Marmas had to stay near the "chafo" (stove) for
three days. After three days had passed, a piece of wood, along with some freshly cooked rice and
a fire in the maternity stove, was placed on a banana leaf on one side of the junction of several
roads near the house. In many cases, small baskets made of cane made from bamboo are used for
worshiping with rice, parched rice, banana, etc., and at the same time new stoves are made by
breaking the maternity stove. It is called "Mingboik" in Marma language.
"Pkha-Tang" (Cradle inauguration): Three days after the birth of the child, the newborn is
raised in a cradle and formally rocked. It is called "Pkha-Tang" (Cradle inauguration) in Marma
language. During the inauguration of the cradle, first a small stone, a piece of iron and cotton are
placed in an empty cradle in a convenient place and the cradle has to be rocked three times. Then
the newborn child is made to swing and the cradle has to be rocked three times with stones, iron
and cotton. The purpose of placing a stone in a cradle is to make the child as patient as a stone.
The purpose of having a piece of iron is to make the child's body as strong and strong as iron. And
the purpose of keeping cotton is to make the child in his mind as transparent and soft as cotton.
The word that has to be swayed is "Kyah-nyang kyaing, sai-nyang mraing, gowai nyang-pao" (Be
as hard as stone, be strong as iron, float like cotton)
"Plaingsa"(Marma of Khagrachari) trim the newborn's hair a month after birth. Its name is
"Chengu-boy" which means to cut new hair. A barber is called for this job. Then the cut hair in the
new cloth is kept in a clean place at the base of the banana tree. The purpose is to make the child's
life as smooth as the shade of a banana tree.
"Mdetang-poye" (apology ceremony): In some areas of Marma society, "Mdetang-poye"
(apology ceremony) is an essential ritual after the birth of a child. Relatives, friends and children
are invited to attend the ceremony. In particular, those who have collaborated with "Chhra-ma"
(midwife) and "Chhra-ma" on the birth of the newborn are invited. On this occasion, the parents
of the child are apologized for the act of giving birth to their child with gift items to the "ChhraBy-Mongwaiching Marma, Dongnala-Kaptai-Rangamati-BANGLADESH. E-mail-mongwaiching@gmail.com
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ma" (midwife). On this occasion food is served for the welfare of mother and child and the guests
bless for the welfare of mother and child after the meal.
"Muingkyang Poye"/ Baby naming: Astrology judgments are then considered with the birth date
of the child through Vaidya to name the newborn. Many have resorted to Buddhist monks in Kyang
(Bihar) for this work. "U" is usually added to the name of the first child born in the Marma family
and "Thui" is added to the name in the case of the youngest child. In some areas, it is customary
to hold a ceremony called "Muingkyang Poye" during child naming.
“Shangpru-poe” (Shramana initiation ceremony):
”Shangpru-poye” means initiation of the son into Shramana. In Marma society, every boy must
stay in a Buddhist monastery for at least seven days before marriage as a shramana. During this
time he has to be monogamous and is not allowed to participate in any family or social activities.
It is the social and religious sacred duty of parents to initiate their children as laborers. It is very
common in Marma society for a boy to take such initiation more than once for the purpose of
recovery. In some cases, after the death of his parents or close relatives, initiation is arranged as a
shramana for the well-being of his disembodied soul and for liberation from some incurable and
future dangers. Usually when the son is 10/12 years old or before the marriage, the parents organize
a ceremony after seeing a good day.
According to religious law, such initiation can be given to boys of any age above 7 years. After
taking a bath, the boy's head is wrapped at home on a certain day for initiation and new clothes are
taught. The parents then took the boy to a Buddhist monastery in the company of their close
relatives. There are eight types of items to be worn and used by a monk while leaving, namely: 1.
"Sangbai" or "Sangraing" (chibar worn by monks), 2. "Sabuik" (pind pot), 3. "Tangmuing" /
"Lathah-duru" (stick), 4. Thih (umbrella), 5. "Yhai” (fan), 6. “Sangthung” (razor), 7. “Rizik”
(water filter), 8. “Ai-khre (needle thread) is to be taken along with the necessary alms and worship
materials. Upon arrival in Bihar (Temple), in front of the monks stationed in Bihar, the items
brought from the house (eight cleaners, alms and worship items) are respectfully arranged. Then
the boy was initiated as a Shramana following all the formalities. As soon as the formality of
initiation was completed, the boy was taught Chibar. At the end of the allotted time, the "Fungri"
(monk) and "Mangsang" (Shramana) who are staying in Bihar as religious affiliations are given
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pangs (invitations) at home and donations are made to bring the boy out of the working life.
Following the necessary formalities that afternoon, the boy was brought out of working life. Many
also organize meals for the neighbors that day.
"Paingjangkhaing-Poye"(Monk initiation ceremony):
Although "Shangpru" and "Paingjangkhai" seem to be the same, there are systematic and religious
differences between the two. Religiously the level of "Paingjang" is above "Shang". Shang's
initiation can be taken at any temple on any auspicious day. But the initiation of "Paingjang" cannot
take place in any temple. Only in the monasteries where the "singh" (Boundary house) is made,
the initiation of "pingjang" is done by following various formalities. The initiation of "Shang" can
be taken by anyone of any age, starting from a seven-year-old boy. But in order to take the initiation
of "Paingjang", the boy / man must be at least 20 years old and must have taken "Shang" initiation
at least once before that. "Shang" is considered to be at the level of "Mangsang" and "Paingjang"
is considered to be at the level of Bhikku / Bhante (Monk) above the level of Mangsang. If "Sing"
is not made in Bihar or elsewhere in any area, there is a provision to give "Paingjang" initiation by
following the required religious formalities by constructing "Paingjang Khaing-Chang" (Paingjang
Initiation Stage) in the middle of the river where there is a stream.
"Rangtang-poye" (Bra holding ceremony):
This ceremony can be called "Bakkhabondani" ceremony in Bengali. In Marma language it is
called "Rangatang-poye" or "Rangaitang-poye". Through this ceremony, Marma gives a girl
recognition in the society that the girl has entered her youth and has become marriageable. This
event can take place on any auspicious date. However, this event is more common during
Sangraing and Chaitra Sankranti.
This ceremony is mainly for girls. The ceremony was organized by the parents as soon as the girl
entered her youth. On the morning of the day set aside for the ceremony, the young girl in the
village was taken to the Buddhist monastery in the village wearing new clothes. At the same time
a new hand-woven design “Rangai” (Bra holder: A kind of cloth scarf) was also taken away. Two
unmarried young women are needed to perform this ceremony. One of the two will lift the bra and
the other will put it on the girl's chest. These two girls are already selected. Because no girl can do
this. A girl who is born two days before her birth will be able to lift her “Rangai” (Bra holder: A
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kind of cloth scarf) and a girl born the day before will be able to wear it on her chest. The first or
second person cannot perform the task alone.
After arriving at the Buddhist monastery, one of the two previously selected girls formally lifts the
“Rangai” (Bra holder: A kind of cloth scarf) and the other wears it on his chest after prostrating in
front of the statue of Mahamati Gautam Buddha. At this time, laughter and jokes continued among
the accompanying girls. Then the ceremony came to an end with the adoption of Panchasila. In
some areas there is no custom of taking Panchashir before or after wearing “Rangai”. In some
areas, it is customary to sing at the end of the “Rangai”. In some areas, apart from Buddhist
monasteries, the ceremony can be seen at home in a very simple manner. In the evolution of time,
this practice is on the way of extinction today. Nowadays, it is not seen anywhere. Adolescents do
not know that such a custom was prevalent in Marma society.
Rituals during the marriage of the Marmas:
In Marma society, the marriage ceremony is called "Wing thang khya" in some areas and
"Wingthangpru" in others. Although wedding ceremonies vary from area to area, it is important
for everyone to follow certain customs. E.g.
A) The bride and groom must come of age ৃand must attain adulthood;
B) Marriage should be outside the scope of prohibited relationship;
C) Must abide by prohibitions relating to blood relations;
D) No marital relationship can be established between Wachho Labre (Asarhi Purnima)
and Wagyoai Labre (Ashwini Purnima);
E) Above all, social recognition should be taken through marriage ceremony (Laithai /
Laichung).
Dowry system does not exist in Marma society. However, in case of irregular or runaway marriage,
there is a custom of paying "da-fa" (bet) to the bride, and "no-kha" (For breast feeding) to the
bride's mother as a symbol of milk consumption.
In Marma society, there is no age limit for a boy or a girl to get married. The measure of adulthood
depends on conjecture. So while the trend of marriage among the adult children can be noticed in
Conscious quarters, but in the remote rural areas it is seen that there is marriage between the
younger children, which is also accepted by the society.
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Match the zodiac sign of bride's and grooms: In Marma society, it is customary to match the
bride's birthday with the groom's birthday. Their firm belief is that if the zodiac sign is tied on the
basis of the bride and groom's birthday, the couple's marital life will always be friendly, loving
and will be attached to each other for the rest of their lives. Moreover, there will be no shortage in
their worldly life, there will be no national unrest due to illness. On the other hand, if a man and a
woman of different zodiac signs get married, their family will not be happy, the quarrel will
continue and in the end the marriage may break up. In addition, there are some discrepancies in
the zodiac sign that the marriage will not last in any way if the birth of the zodiac sign. It can even
lead to the untimely death of a husband or wife. For this reason, judging the zodiac sign by
matching the birthday of the bride with the birthday of the bridegroom by the doctor at the stage
of seeing the bride is an essential aspect of marriage.
Types of marriage in Marma Society:
Two types of marriage are commonly observed in Marma society. Namely: (1) Regular marriage
with the consent of social or both parties, (2) Escape marriage / Irregular marriage. Although some
trends of court marriages and mixed marriages can be observed in the modern educated society,
the Marmas do not allow such marriages in the society unless they are socialized through the
"lawthai-poye / lawchung poye" ceremony according to the customs and traditions of the society.
Social or regular marriage: The marriage is performed according to the social norms of the
parents or guardians of the couple. Such marriages are also arranged with the consent of the parents
or guardians by the choice of the bride and groom. There are several steps involved in such a
marriage. Firstly, the proposal of the bridegroom, the consent of the bridegroom, the arrival of the
bridegroom at the bridegroom's house on the appointed auspicious day, the bridegroom's return to
the bridegroom's house, and finally the "lawthai-poye / lawchung poye".
Escape marriage / irregular marriage: In Marma society, due to the disagreement of parents or
guardians, young men and women run away from home due to love affair and get married. In the
Marma language, such a marriage is called "Akhohnajai Khrang". It can be called an irregular
marriage as the socially prevalent rules in Marma society are not observed in such marriages. Such
irregular marriages are seen to be due to various reasons. Although young men and women want
to marry each other out of love, either side of the family opposes it due to unequal economic status
and social status or prohibited marriage. Or if the parents of the bride have fixed the bride
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elsewhere or the bride has fixed the bride elsewhere, then out of love the son or daughter runs
away without the knowledge of the parents or guardian and takes shelter in the house of a relative.
When the family of both the parties became known through the shelter or friends, the people of
the boy's side took initiative to settle the matter by contacting the parents of the girl. If there is an
agreement between the two parties, that is, if the demands of the girl party are accepted by the boy
party, then the society accepts the marriage by fleeing by following the social customs. But if the
relationship of the fugitive couple is close to the first generation marriage, then the society does
not accept such marriage at all.
Court marriage: Among the educated children in the Marma society, nowadays couples who
want to get married without the consent of their parents are seen marrying by swearing in front of
a first class magistrate or notary public.
“Smaw-Taw” (Ghorjamai): Marma society also has a custom of marrying a girl to the groom.
Such marriages are solemnized with the consent of both parties. Usually, because of not having a
son, the house is set up to take care of the household chores and only the children of poor families
agree to be housed. In such a marriage, the couple does not have to bear any expenses and the
wedding ceremony is not very stylish. The marriage ceremony is performed in the social neon after
the bridegroom arrives at the house and the bride's parents have to bear all the expenses. Such
marriages are called “Smaw-Taw” in Marma.
Rituals at the time of the death of the Marmas/"Lakthai Mangala Prukhrang":
Selection of spouses: In Marma society, the consent of the spouses is given priority in performing
socially customary marriages. For this reason, in choosing a bride, the parents find out if the
marriageable son has a daughter of his choice. If the answer is yes, then after knowing the girl's
behavior, manners, temperament, etc., the next step is taken. If any girl is preferred, marriage
proposal is arranged to be sent to the parents of the bride with the consent of the bride. With the
consent of both the parties, on an auspicious day, the potter's parents, relatives, friends and elders
along with an odd number of people, according to the tradition, 25 betel nuts, 1 bir pan, binni rice
homemade cake, sugar, cooked binni rice, 1 Ankh, and 1 pair of coconuts and 1 bottle of wine
were given to the bride's parents and the marriage was formally proposed. If the consent of the
bride is obtained, the bride accepts the bottle of liquor given by the bride. A similar bottle of wine
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is given from the bride's side to the bride's side. At this time, the marriage talks were finalized
between the two parties through laughter and jokes.
The ceremony of giving and bringing the bride/"Khmrah Khyah Poye": Then the astrologer
"Bidangchara" (enumerator) was invited. He informed the result to all present by matching the
zodiac sign with the date of birth of the bride and groom and also fix the auspicious day of marriage
and lagna. After enumerat, if everything is auspicious, the bride bows to the elders of the bride and
receives blessings. At this time the bridegroom blesses by wearing a gold ring on any finger. On
the appointed day of the wedding, at the entrance of the groom's house, two banana saplings are
placed on either side and beside them are placed "rijango" (water jug twisted with white thread)
and "sifaiko" (intoxicating drink made with binni rice). After completing all the wedding
ceremonies at the groom's house, the groom's parents or relatives, friends and elite person of
villages go to the village to bring the bride to the bride's house with 1 bottle of wine, clothes,
ornaments and cosmetics for the bride. Led by one of them, they went to the bride's ancestral home
with band party and made necessary preparations to bring the bride as his wife by decorating her
with cosmetics including costumes and ornaments. The bride's party organizes "Khmrah Khyah
Poye" / "Maya Khyah Poye" (bride/wife donation) ceremony at her house.
"Kangchikhrang"(Way obstacles): While fetching the bride, the young men and women of the
same age in the bride's village threw bamboo in the road and created obstacles. At this time,
according to their demands, if wine or cash is given as a gift, they enjoy the obstacles. The custom
of having fun by creating multiple such obstacles is prevalent in the society till the bride leaves
the village. This practice is called "Laikhoachikhrang" / "Kangchikhrang" in Marma language.
"Laithai-poye" / "Laithai mangla poye": Upon reaching the groom's house, the mother-in-law
picks up the bride with her right hand at the entrance / stairs of the house wearing the bride's right
hand wrapped in seven twisted manglik yarn. In the evening, a marital relationship is established
by a Buddhist monk reciting the Mangal Sutra. During this time, the bride and groom receive
Panchasila, recite Mangar Sutras by Buddhist monks, donate Pinds and perform other religious
rituals. Thus ended the religious marriage ceremony. Then the bridegroom is brought to perform
the wedding ceremony and seated on the right side of the bride by placing it in the place designated
for the social ceremony. This episode is basically done at midnight (11-12pm). According to the
custom, a "Sbhasa Gong" (youth leader) and a "Pyuma Gang" (young leader) from the groom's
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neighborhood / village are present on the wedding stage. The young man is placed next to the
groom and the young woman next to the bride. "Mde Chhara" started the formality of marriage. In
the main part of the wedding ceremony, he recited the marriage mantra and said, "A girl from a
certain village is getting married to a certain boy from a certain village. Can the people of the
neighborhood hear it?" Say this three times, until the people present say "yes". But if the people
present do not say "yes" three times, then the marriage will not take place. After saying "yes" the
rest of the formality begins. "Mde chhara" The bride's call is to combine the little finger of the
groom's left hand with the little finger of the hand. In Marma language it is called "Laithai-poye"
/ "Laithai mangla poye".
“Kraw-Chainga” Seen: Then "Mde Chhara" pulls the tongue part (Chainga) of a pre-cooked
rooster of hen and shows it first to the parents of the groom and then to the relatives and all present.
If “Chainga” is tilted to the left, it is assumed that the bride will have predominance in conjugal
life; and if it is tilted to the right, then the groom will be predominant. In some Marmas it is
believed that if the "chainga" is tilted to the left, the bride's relatives will make the most of their
living together, and if it is tilted to the right, it will be the other way around. The boiled rooster is
then served in a plate with rice for the bride and groom with the necessary cooking ingredients. At
this stage, "Mde Chhara" will take a little rice with chicken meat in both hands and feed the left
hand food to the bride and the right hand food to the groom with both hands horizontally. Then
the bride and groom bote will eat in the same plate. This ceremony is essential in a social marriage
to recognize in social status.
"Mde Chhara" and The coils of yarn: In the case of wedding blessing ceremonies, some
variations can be observed in different areas. The coils of yarn twisted into five patches, round and
round by "Mde Chhara", are tied to a bamboo stick. From there, the groom's parents first put the
twisted thread coil in the hands of the bride and groom. Then the elders of the village, who came
to the ceremony in a row, bowed to the bride and groom, while the bride and groom wore the
twisted thread and blessed them with money or gifts. In some areas, the "Mde Chhara" is a round
sword in his hand, rounded with five coiled yarn coils, from which it is first worn on the groom's
hand in such a way that there is no gap between the sword and the hand. The groom then puts a
thread coil in the bride's hand in the same manner, the bride bows to the groom and accepts it.
Afterwards, the guests also blessed the bride and groom in the same manner by wearing thread
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coils and sprinkling rice on their heads. At this time, "Mde Chhara" serves a finger of wine to the
guest who came for the blessing. Thus the marriage ceremony came to an end and the newlyweds
were recognized in the society as husband and wife.
Rituals at the time of the death of the Marmas:
In Marma society, death is divided into two parts. Be it normal death and abnormal death. Although
both types of Formalities after death vary slightly difference by region or area, there is no
difference in the original formalities.
Ritual in case of death of common people: In case of normal death, the dead body is first bathed
in a new earthen pot with tolerable hot water. The dead body is then laid in new clothes with the
head facing north on top of the "sikhai" (coffin) perpendicular to the north-south. Binni rice husk
is sprinkled in some places along with perfumes. The two toes of the dead person are joined
together and tied with white thread. If the deceased is the head of the family or if he is an elder, he
is taken to "Thala". When a young person or a parent dies while alive, the body is placed on the
floor without the use of "sikhai". The Buddhist monk of the village monastery was then "pang"
(invited) and given a sermon, wishing for the happiness and peace of the departed soul.
According to secular beliefs, it is customary to place a metal mudra (called "Rangfaitang" in
Marma) on the chest of the corpse before meeting the needs of the soul, but nowadays it is placed
in the hands of the dead person or in a container placed next to the dead body. People who come
to see the dead person donate money according to their ability. In addition, rice is placed at the
feet of the dead body, "khmaja" cooked separately with vegetables and "Rkhatong" (large basket
of cane rice made from bamboo) is kept to keep the rice brought with the people who come to see
the dead body. In some areas a pot filled with water is placed towards the head. Sitting next to the
corpse, "Nihbai Suk" (various ballads related to the life and Parinirvana of Gautam Buddha) is
recited and "Cheh" (a type of drum) is played in a special musical style.
Usually the dead body is left at home for one day and cremated the next day. Before the body was
taken to the crematorium, a Buddhist monk from the Kyang (temple) was invited to sit next to the
Sidangkhaik (coffin) and be released in the presence of the people. At this time,
"Narangchainghluk" (filling rice in a bamboo tube and shaking it loudly) is done near the ears of
the dead body. At the same time another has to do “kunkhyo” (breaking a bamboo cane into
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pieces). In addition, the date of birth and the date of death, the cause of death, donated rice, money
"talah / alhung" "kunkhyo" etc. with the information to be given to the corpse. When an unmarried
man or woman dies, a banana tree has to be planted with the body while entering "Talah / Alhang".
After that, while carrying the dead body to the crematorium in "talah / alang" (coffin), 8 carriers
lifted "talah / alang" up to the knee three times. During the journey to the crematorium with "Talah
/ Alang" there is a "Tangkhoisa" (9/10 hand length 7 hand length-1 hand width white cloth hanging
on one end of a bamboo); and behind him is "Cheh" and the neighbors and relatives going to the
crematorium.
In Marma society, fuel wood is arranged vertically in the north-south facing cheetah for cremation.
Cheetahs are made by arranging fuel wood in three layers depending on the gender, that is, in the
case of males and in the case of females. After reaching the crematorium, the body is placed in the
cheetah three times before being taken to the cheetah. In the cheetah, the dead body is raised with
its head facing north. The Buddhist monks who came to the crematorium in front of the cheetah
gave Panchasila to the assembled people and preached the religion of liberation of the soul of the
deceased and good deeds. Then the "Rizakkhya" (sacrifice) ceremony is completed. If the deceased
is married, the marriage is dissolved by leaving a symbolic witness on the leafe. "Tangkhoying" is
rolled towards the head. In addition, a whole measuring 1 foot in length and 6 inches deep in width
is placed in which 7 pieces of raw turmeric cut thinly on the banana leaves are placed. After
completing all the formalities, the family members first set fire to the cheetah. Then others can set
fire. On the way out of the crematorium, "Kangmuiri" (water mixed with 7 thin pieces of raw
turmeric cut into bamboo tubes) is placed at the crematorium boundary. Everyone who comes to
the crematorium has to touch this "kangmuiri" or sprinkle a little on their feet while going back.
When someone dies in the village, "Foyemuing" (a burning fire of chalk in a pot) and "Kangmuiri"
(water with 7 pieces of finely chopped raw turmeric in a small pot) are placed at the door of each
house. No one can enter the house directly after returning from the crematorium. You have to take
a bath or go to Kang to listen to Dharma Desna. "Kangmuiri" and "Kangmuiri" can enter the room
after touching. In some areas, before entering the house, place the "m-sa-ri" (a little rice in a small
pot, the roof of the house, the charcoal mixed with water) facing the house and take the "m-sa-ri"
behind you with your left hand. Is thrown out. At this time, another person who has returned from
the crematorium can enter the house after uttering the word "sa-saing-changbya" three times. The
By-Mongwaiching Marma, Dongnala-Kaptai-Rangamati-BANGLADESH. E-mail-mongwaiching@gmail.com
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next morning after the cremation, the burnt bones of the deceased were collected and memorials
were made at the crematorium or in a convenient place according to their ability.
Ritual in case of death of a monk: In Marma society, when a monk dies, "mahng" (large bronze
bell with a convex in the middle) is played instead of "cheh". In Marma society, the funerals of
Mahatheru or old Buddhist monks are not performed immediately. The funeral is performed in a
very stylish manner with good preparation. In such cases, the body is first bathed in lukewarm
water and then neatly chewed and placed in a pre-constructed "charait" or "nibainkyang" on the
premises of the monastery or any other convenient place. In order to prevent the body from
becoming foul smelling, all measures are taken to preserve the corpse at that time. The day before
the funeral, the body was taken to Alang (Shabadar) and lavishly brought to Chaingyang /
Chaingkyong (a special monastery built near the crematorium). There, the pilgrims perform
various religious rituals including reciting religious verses throughout the night. The next day also,
religious devotees from far and wide perform religious rites throughout the day. In the afternoon,
before cremation, the chariot is pulled by chariot with "Alang" from "Chaingyang" / "Chaingyang".
When the chariot pulling episode is over, the dance is again lifted from that Alang chariot to "Talah
/ Saing". Then the next step of cremation was taken by placing the body in "Muidayai Talah"
(Cheetah made in a special way in the style of Bihar). At this stage, 2/3 of the very thick wire of
the "Muidai Talah" is tied to a very thick wire and the other end of the wire is farther away
(approximately 100 yards) and pulled by another pole so that there is no bend or crookedness in
the wire. The gunpowder is then hung in a special way with the wire on that end, so that, as soon
as the gunpowder is set on fire, the firecracker rushes at high speed and explodes, hitting "Muidai
Talah". Incoming guests and pilgrims lined up to set fire to the fireworks and the firecrackers
rushed at high speed, hitting one firecracker after another in "Muidai Talah" and at one stage the
intense heat of the exploding firecrackers caught fire. Thus the cremation of the monk's body was
completed.
Death occurs outside the house/village: Unnatural deaths such as death due to poisoning, death
by drowning, death by falling from a tree, death due to accident. If such death occurs outside the
house / village, the body is not placed in the village / house. Even those who died in hospital were
considered to have died outside the village. They are taken directly to the crematorium for
necessary formalities or left outside the village for the next day's funeral. However, nowadays in
By-Mongwaiching Marma, Dongnala-Kaptai-Rangamati-BANGLADESH. E-mail-mongwaiching@gmail.com
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some cases even unnatural death is seen to be cremated at the end of the necessary formalities like
normal death. And the ancient tradition is considered inhuman by the present educated Marma
society.
"Choyaing" (pindana): Within 7 days of the funeral, "choyaing" (pindana) is obligatory at the
home of the deceased seeking the well-being of the deceased's soul. If he has a son of the deceased
with him, any one of them, and if he does not have one, then with any one of his close relatives,
the vow is observed by taking 7 days of "Mashangpru" (Shramana Diksha) initiation. In case of
abnormal death of children or adults, "choyaing" (pindana) ceremony is not held at home. In this
case, edible items including donations are donated to the Kyang (temple) in raw form. Such a
pindana is called "Choyaingjing".
By-Mongwaiching Marma, Dongnala-Kaptai-Rangamati-BANGLADESH. E-mail-mongwaiching@gmail.com