MSS EUR HODGSON/79 Limbu language and Lepcha texts on tradition and culture (original title is only in Lepcha) 1846
Selected Limbu vocabulary and sentences, Lepcha manuscripts and translated materials on tradition and cultures of the Lepcha people (although the volume begins with a Limbu text, most of the material in this volume is Lepcha). The Lepcha texts included in this volume are: La-zong (book of Lepcha alphabet), ta-lyang sa-tsuk rum (Gods of Heaven and Sun), Phyuk-bu Pa-ke sa nam-thar (story or legend of the wealthy man Pa-ke), Kar-thak Uk-dre sa sung (story of minister Ukdre), a book of moral teaching and Thok-dra mun-lom (funeral prayer book or book of the dead with Nepali translation).
1[vol.79 fol(s)1-6] Limbu language and cosmology, grammar, vocabulary and sample sentences 1846 Nepali hand-made paper, fine condition, Limbu writing some clumsy some fair, Nepali translation section is with fair hand.
Limbu Nepali
Original Limbu text with Nepali translation:
f. 1: Beginning text includes the devotional song by Sirijanga (Song of God) which is a copy made by later compilers, mention of Urgen Mahaguru (Padmasambhava) as Mahadeva;
ff. 2-5: Use of Limbu words and sentences, exercise with cases, kinship terms with pronominal prefixes, use of words and sample sentences with Nepali translation;
f. 6: Brief note on Limbu cosmology mentioning the origin of god, sky, earth, sun and moon, stars, trees, birds and animals including fish. For cross references, see unpublished manuscript translated by Iman Sing Chemjong for the India Office Library in 1961 (British Library MSS. Eur. D537).
2[vol.79 fol(s)7-57] Books of the Lepcha alphabet, language teaching and astrological calculations, original Lepcha titles: La-zong and Ta-lyang sa-tsuk rum 1903 Nepali hand-made paper, fine condition, fair writing, folio 58 is blank.
Lepcha Nepali
ff. 7-51: Lepcha alphabet, writing practice and language text book (Lepcha La-zong), compiled jointly in Darjeeling by Minister or KarthakSamprit of Takbar, Lepcha BonthingCho-sam Lapcha of Temarbau and Khardar Jitmohan, a learned official of the British Residency and principal research assistant to Hodgson;
ff. 51 verso-53: traditional letter writing or personal correspondence (Nepali arji-ciṭhi) practice material in a popular Nepali format (both Lepcha and Nepali translation), part of Lepcha La-zong;
ff. 53 verso-57 verso: Gods of Heaven and Sun or in original Lepcha: Ta-lyang sa-tsuk rum, a guide to determining auspicious timings (samaya-vicār hernyā), Lepcha text with Nepali translation;
Nepali and Lepcha title description and colophon-style listing of information about the writers, place and date of collection, sponsorship of the work by Hodgson; title description in both Nepali and English by Khardar Jitmohan (folio 58 verso).
3[vol.79 fol(s)59 verso-94 verso] Lepcha alphabet and writing practice book, original Lepcha title: La-zong 1846 Nepali hand-made paper, fine condition, fair writing.
Lepcha
Lepcha alphabet and writing exercise book (La-zong).
4[vol.79 fol(s)95-152] Life story of a wealthy man (phyuk-bu) named Pake (corrupted to 'Jutpeka') including an account of sin (dikpa), original Lepcha title: Phyuk-bu Pa-ke sa nam-thar 1846 Nepali hand-made paper, fine condition, fair writing.
Lepcha Nepali
Original Lepcha text with Nepali translation.
Traditional belief, religion, customs and manners including concepts of virtue and vice, based on tales of a wealthy man named Pake; belongs to the De-luk (hell or death) category of Lepcha religious scriptures. The text describes the God of Death and the punishments that he inflicts on humans for different kinds of sins that can be classified more broadly as part of the Thog-dra (texts recited at the time of death or funeral); Nepali translation. For another Lepcha-only copy, see [vol 77/07 fol.137-152] .
5[vol.79 fol(s)153-156] Mahan-Nayer and Mahan-Majhi people and languages 1846 ? Nepali hand-made paper, fine condition, sloppy writing faded ink.
Dehati/Hindi mixed
Sample text of Nayer and Majhi languages (the latter is presumably the language spoken by around 42,000 speakers in Nepal and India according to 2001 and 2002 data in Ethnologue (6th edition, at <http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=mjz>) describing the day-to-day life of the people, family relations, occupations, distance and geographical description of the area around Darjeeling, Khersang, the nearby Tarai area and the Tibetan border. The term 'Mahan' (= great?) is probably simply an honorific addition whilst 'Nayer' is unknown.
6[vol.79 fol(s)159v-158] Lepcha names of garments and ornaments used by traditional healers 1846 Nepali hand-made paper, fine condition, sloppy writing, folios not in proper order, the text is written in the reverse order.
Lepcha Nepali Hindi
Lepcha words with translation in mixture of Nepali and Hindi.
List of garments and ornaments worn by traditional healers (dhāmi-jhākris) when worshipping and praying to the deities known as Sambon and Bonthing, names of other things required for such activities; Nepali title description.
7[vol.79 fol(s)158-156v] Traditional healing, death rites and a few other customs of Majhi people 1846 Nepali hand-made paper, fine condition, sloppy writing, folios are not in proper order and written in the reverse order,
Nepali
Brief note on traditional healing, death rites and some other customs of the Majhi people.
8[vol.79 fol(s)160-187] Lepcha text of the story of Minister (Karthak) Ukdre and King Hasyangdeva of lo land, original Lepcha title: Kar-thak Uk-dre sa sung 1846 Nepali hand-made paper, fine condition, mostly fair writing.
Lepcha Nepali
Original Lepcha text with Nepali translation (Lepcha religious text).
Popular work teaching about virtue and vice through the Story of Minister Okdre. The book is written in the form of a dialogue between a king (a sinner until educated by his wise minister) and Uk-dre. The text presents the minister as a representative of Lord Tuk-bothing and consists of valuable advice to the king especially on state affairs, justice, religion and spirituality. There are many apparent similarities with the story of the Minister Gar of King Srong-btsan sgam-po of Tibet. Nepali title description with Nagari and Roman transliteration. The Nepali description reads "lāpcāharuko pustaka vokreko kathā" and the Roman reads "Lapchyaka Wakreka chho."
9[vol.79 fol(s)191v-187v] Lepcha moral treatise with a Nepali translation done in 1846 1846 Nepali hand-made paper, fine condition, mostly fair writing, the text is written in the reverse order.
Lepcha Nepali
Original Lepcha text with Nepali translation.
Popular teachings on morality and practical affairs collected from different Indian texts on ethics. The teachings of the Indian sage Chanakya are clearly mentioned (folio 188). Includes list of do's and don'ts, virtues and vices, real and unreal entities.
10[vol.79 fol(s)192-215] Lepcha text of Thok-dra (corrupted written as 'Thagro', 'Thokre' or 'Thokra') or the Book of the Dead ??-08-1846 Nepali hand-made paper, excellent condition and writing, ff. 213-215 blank.
Lepcha Nepali
Lepcha book giving prayers to lead the soul of a deceased person towards heaven, includes material on right and wrong conduct (Lepcha religious literature).
Prayers of this type are traditionally recited by Lepcha priests known as Bon-thing/Bom-thing or Mun. This text is the Lepcha version of the Tibetan book known as Bar-do thos-sgrol and the term thok-dra is simply the Lepcha spelling of the Tibetan word thos-sgrol.
The text is written in the Nāgarī script, Lepcha language with Nepali translation. The Nepali colophon of the book states that this book was copied and translated into the Khasa or Nepali language in the month of Bhadra of the year 1903 (VE) at Jalpa pahad in Darjeeling. It also states that the book of "thagro" is the text to be recited in front of the dead body of a person during a funeral (folio 192). Hodgson's research assistant Khardār Jitmohan's hand writing. For a Lepcha-only text, see [vol 76/01 fol.1-22][vol 80/02 fol.14-20] .