Religious Cult of Sumnima

      Once Sumnima a famous book by B.P. Koirala was a topic of great discussion on  its religouus theme. It is the matter of cult that incorporates religious beliefs, traditions and practices. The novelist Koirala is very mindful of the religious differences and conflict that arises out of the difference, too. Suryadatta, the ascetic hermit tells his son Somdatta that Kirats are non-Aryans and “Non-Aryans follow the religion of beasts, but whereas we believe in the religion produced by gods”  Sumnima says that being human beings we should not follow gods’ behavior  She further adds: “Somdatta, we should practice human customs as we are human beings”.

         Somdatta has the arrogance of being a Brahmin more than a human being and tries to convince Sumnima: “Sumnima, you ignorant girl, we are Brahmins who can achieve divinity by the power of penance. All our fire sacrifices, religious activities, rituals and practices are fused together for achieving a salvage from human weaknesses; do you understand?. Sumnima does not lose her heart and refutes 

Somdatta’s argument: “If we try to live like gods, we don’t remain human”.Koirala has brought the Hindu varna system in reference to show the difference among the ethnic groups that the Brahmins are the ascetics, their duty is to go to the jungle in search of greater knowledge and Kshatriyas have kingly duty to protect the Brahmins form all dangers and save their lives and the king has the duty of managing the society. The Kirats and Bhillas have erected the hermitage for the ascetic Brahmin family and they have presented Suryadatta’s family with a milking cows. When a prince of the state visits the Brahmin family there in the hermitage, he commands his people that the ascetic family should be protected from hunger and other dangers. In addition, on the complaint of Suryadatta, the prince addresses a royal decree to the Kirats and Bhillas that they shall not sacrifice the cows and piglets around the hermitage area and declares that the place will be called Varahakshetra, or the region of the boar-god and it will be a “pilgrimage site symbolizing the incarnation of Vishnu as Varaha as propounded in our religious texts.

           The Kirats and Bhillas can continue their rituals but they have to shift the altar of sacrifice beyond the ridge. The Bijuwa, Sumnima’s father who is the head priest of the kirtats agrees to arrange the altar of slaughtering of cows and piglets at a different place beyond the hermitage area, though there is a conflict among his people.