Chepang Chonam Parva/World Suicide Prevention Day

Chonam festival is a special festival of the Chepang caste, a warrior caste of the Tibetan Varman community living around the Mahabharata mountain range. Very close to nature, agrarian and very friendly, the Chepangs are very famous for their open, fun and nomadic lifestyle. This community living in 44 districts including Tanahun, Gorkha, Chitwan and Dhading around 3000 meters near the forest edge and river has not been touched by the wave of urbanization, development and awareness. Their main religion is 'Bon' i.e. nature worship. Although their traditional lifestyle is also very enjoyable, however, it is necessary to accustom them to the basic infrastructure, structure and dimensions of development.

Chepang Chonam
Today, the special festival of Chepang people is Chepang Chonam, Naya Ghaiya i.e. Paddy , Kalagi Jhankri i.e. Pambe is celebrated in the house by banging a drum, putting fruits and husks in front of them and chanting mantras to the ancestors and deities. The harvest they produce usually lasts for 3 months, this breed has to survive 9 months of a hard life.

Chepang is a marginalized community and it is really necessary to protect and revive the culture of this community, today's Chonam festival is their Vadah Parva i.e. a festival like Dasai for Hindus, however, they complain that the government did not give a holiday on this festival of Chepang community, if they give a holiday on this day, all of Nepal will celebrate Chepang chonam.

World Suicide Prevention Day 2022

“Creating hope Through Action”
An estimated 703,000 people a year take their life around the world. For every suicide, there are likely 20 other people making a suicide attempt and many more have serious thoughts of suicide. Millions of people suffer intense grief or are otherwise profoundly impacted by suicidal behaviours.

Each suicidal death is a public health concern with a profound impact on those around them. By raising awareness, reducing the stigma around suicide, and encouraging well-informed action, we can reduce instances of suicide around the world.

Background
World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) was established in 2003 by the International Association for Suicide Prevention in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO). The 10th of September each year focuses attention on the issue, reduces stigma and raises awareness among organizations, government, and the public, giving a singular message that suicide can be prevented.

“Creating hope through action” is the triennial theme for World Suicide Prevention Day from 2021 - 2023. This theme is a reminder that there is an alternative to suicide and aims to inspire confidence and light in all of us.

By creating hope through action, we can signal to people experiencing suicidal thoughts that there is hope and that we care and want to support them. It also suggests that our actions, no matter how big or small, may provide hope to those who are struggling. Lastly, it highlights the importance of setting suicide prevention as a priority public health agenda by countries, particularly where access to mental health services and availability of evidence-based interventions are already low. Building on this theme and spreading this message over the three years, a world can be envisioned where suicides are not so prevalent.

Suyog Dhakal