Tongba: A Drink That Represents The Resilience Of The Kirati Communities
Know more about tongba, a culturally-significant alcoholic beverage from the Eastern Himalayan regions of India.
Cultural Significance Across Regions
Just as chai is cherished by North Indians, kahwa by Kashmiris, and rasam by people in South India, tongba holds special meaning for the Limbu, Rai, Sherpa, and other Kirati communities in Nepal and North-east India, including Darjeeling and Sikkim. This drink is deeply woven into their social, cultural, and religious lives.
When you visit their homes, especially during festivals, locals will not offer a handshake. Instead, they will present a dhingro (a bamboo jar) filled with tongba as a sign of warmth and affection. It is considered impolite to refuse, as this might be seen as rejecting their hospitality and friendship.
Finger millet, the main ingredient, is a hardy grain that thrives in the hills. This makes tongba a symbol of the community’s resilience in harsh climates. The drink also represents their reliance on nature for daily life. Thus, it is much more than just an alcoholic beverage consumed for pleasure.
Tongba plays a significant role during festivities and religious celebrations among the Kirati communities. The two main festivals celebrated by the Kiranti people are Udhauli and Ubhali. Udhauli marks the winter or harvest season, while Ubhali marks the summer or planting season. Tongba is offered to deities on both occasions and enjoyed by the people.
Pitri Puja is a ceremony where people from various communities gather to remember and honor their ancestors. Tongba is a key offering in this ritual, also serving to connect those living with those who came before them.
This beverage also helps the community preserve family traditions and customs. Each household develops a unique flavor of tongba, with the recipe being handed down through generations. This tradition keeps the memories of the past vibrant and alive.
Apart from the cultural significance of the beverage, tongba is known for its nutritional benefits. It contains probiotics that aid digestion. Millets that are rich in fibre, antioxidants, and essential minerals like magnesium and phosphorus, maintain energy levels and support metabolic functions. Tongba is also known for its warming nature and when consumed in moderation improves circulation and is comforting in the cold climates.
How Is Tongba Prepared?
Brown finger millet, also known as kodo, which thrives in the hills of Sikkim, Darjeeling, Nepal, and other Himalayan regions, is combined with traditionally cultured marcha (an amylolytic starter culture) to prepare tongba.
Marcha is the key ingredient in tongba. It acts as a fermenting agent and is traditionally made at home by women. The skill and precision needed to make marcha are passed down through generations in most households.
The actual preparation of tongba typically begins in September, around Ganesh Chaturthi, when it is believed that the marcha’s quality is at its peak.
Following this, the millet seeds are meticulously cleaned, washed, and soaked before being cooked in an open pot. Once cooked, the seeds are allowed to cool before the fermentation process begins.
Marcha is sprinkled over the seeds, which are placed on a bamboo mat called a mandro. The treated seeds are packed into bamboo baskets, lined with fresh fern or banana leaves, and then covered with sackcloth. This creates the right environment for fermentation.
This process takes a few days, during which the mixture begins to release a sweet aroma. The final stage of fermentation happens in an airtight bamboo basket called a septu. The time this takes depends on both the climate and the desired strength of the drink.
After fermentation is complete, the finger millet is cooked. The cooked mixture, called jaarn, is then poured into a dhingro—a bamboo barrel used for serving alcoholic drinks. Hot water is added to re-activate fermentation, allowing the millet to release its alcohol content. To drink tongba, people use a bamboo straw called pipli or pipsing to sip directly from the container.
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