Monsoon has failed the farmers of Trashigang. Their parched fields, turned almost arid, still wait for monsoon shower so that they can begin planting maize. However, as the weather continues to cast a dry spell and with no sign of rain anytime soon, the farmers are turning to their deities.
The farmers of upper Udzorong organised a Choekhor recently. People carried religious scriptures (Kanjur) and walked around their village invoking their local deities. The Choekhor, according to the farmers is their only hope for the rainfall.
The delay in the rainfall had rendered most of the fields in Udzorong Geowg fallow. Usually, by this time of year, the farmers would have already planted their maize seeds.
“We decided to conduct the Choekhor hoping we would get the rainfall so that we can cultivate our maize before it’s too late,” said Udzorong’s Village Tshogpa, Jigme. He said, by this time of year, they would have finished weeding their fields, at least once.
This is not the first time the villagers have taken upon themselves to appease their deities. The villagers say whenever there had been delay in the rainfall, they had conducted Choekhor. The tradition, according to them, has been there since their grandparents’ time and they believe it has helped them bring rainfall in the past.
“We are hopeful now,” said a Gomchen in Udzorong, Tenzin Dorji. He said they desperately need rainfall.
The farmers in Upper Udzorong organised their Choekhor last Sunday. For the last few days, people have been waiting eagerly for the rainfall hoping their deities would take into consideration their pleas.
