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Red-hot iron on the tongue, terda’s blessing

30 November 2009

Shamanism may be on the wane in Bhutan, but Kinley, 39, from Samcholing in Trongsa, popularly known as Terda, is a powerful shamanic figure to reckon with. Otherwise simple and quiet in nature, Kinley becomes extraordinary in trance when he is in union with terda deities. Terda is believed to be a guardian of treasures hidden by the magician-saint Guru Rimpoche.

When Kinley is in trance, he takes on the power and enchantment of a terda. A few weeks ago, Kinley performed at an annual confession-ritual dedicated to Terda Zorarakhi, a treasure guardian of Khenpajong and other areas in the northern territory of Bhutan, in Kheng Womling in Olakha. Organised by one of the residents, the ritual is conducted annually to appease the Terda so that he brings luck and augments their fortune.

Kinley says that he is one of the terdas in the country whose performance was formally accepted by Je Khenpo after he called terdas to Trongsa Dzong for a performance. At around 8.30 pm, the choesham room was cramped with children and devotees. While some came to watch Kinley’s performance, others brought their new-born babies to be entrusted to the care of the Terda. One of the devotees, who came from Kheng Thrisa, said, “I have come to attend the ritual as it is an important occasion to offer my prayers for the well-being of my child.”

After dinner, the Terda appears in a black gho in front of the choesham which was decorated by tastefully laid out tormas of different shapes and colours. After making three prostrations to the lama and another three to the choesham, he puts on a special gown normally worn by a black hat dancer. Then, he crowns his head with a crimson hat embroidered with the image of a deity with ferocious, snarling mouth and bulging eyes. Holding a small drum, his performance begins in a slow and measured steps that gradually picks up pace.

Soon, Terda turns ferocious, his bulging eyes devouring the devotees crowded around him. He then takes two long swords and dangerously swirls them as fast as an electric fan. No one is hit, though.

As the beat of cymbals slows down its rhythm, he places a sword on his stomach and hurls himself against the wall, hitting the sword handle against a plank with ferocious force. But he cannot pierce himself. Five men, who hold the plank firmly against him, could hardly stand ground. After lunging himself against the plank several times, the sword is driven home. With the sword slantingly lodged in his stomach, he again swirls to the beat of cymbals. Glaring at the choesham, he inspects the tormas. His attendant says that, if tormas haven’t been made and arranged according to the liturgical tradition, he will smash them all.

A minute later, the attendant gently pulls out the sword with a white scarf. It comes out clean. “The sword without bloodstain is a good omen,” a man remarks. “If it comes out bloodstained, it is a sign of death.”

Frowning at the choesham, Terda asks, “Why is fresh meat not offered today?” It means that he was possessed by another deity called Tseumar, who is widely known as Choechong. The cowering attendant softly apologizes in Tibetan that fresh meat could not be offered on account of duezang.

Then he whirls around and swiftly jumps on to a seat adorned with colourful silk scarves. From there, he tells the umzey to change the beat of the cymbals to Terda Dawadongtsen’s ritual. The confused umze takes time to respond. Again, the attendant has to apologize on behalf of the umze for not having the required liturgical text of Terda Dawadongtsen handy.

Suddenly, an attendant rushes out in the dark and hurries back with a red-hot knife wrapped with a piece of rag. He hands it over to Terda who takes it and placed it on his tongue three times. Then, he blesses all the devotees with the red-hot knife on their tongues. Miraculously, none of the tongues gets burnt.

Kinley has been performing terda ritual since he was 13. “I don’t even mind to go on a ten-day journey on foot if my service benefits people. I have recovered all the bed-ridden sick people who approached me,” he said.

Contributed by Karma Drupchuk

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Comments

3 Responses to “Red-hot iron on the tongue, terda’s blessing”

  1. norbu on December 2nd, 2009 2:22 pm

    Here, we have a point to make. Should we send the patient to Calcutta or Terda. If he can trea that is as good as sending to any world reknown hospitals for treatment. Money is not drained out of Bhutan atleast.

  2. Tshering Phuntsho on December 4th, 2009 5:02 pm

    Can any one help me get in touch with this terdag? It would be great as I am planning to work on my thesis.

  3. Sonam on December 10th, 2009 3:45 pm

    if original Terdag appears then its OK but there are people who learn little bit and cheat poor innocent people. We should be very care ful as it was banned by HH Je Khenpo many years ago.

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