Rai belong to Kirant confederation.
Since ancient times, Rais are living in the districts
of Solukhumbu, Okhaldhunga, Khotang, Bhojpur and Udayapur.
Rais speak many dialects of the Tibeto-Burman family.
They have their own unique religion. Their principal scripture
is Mundhum. Sitakhau Budo, Walmo Budi,
Jalpa Devi and others are their
local deities. Rich in culture, the Sakela (Chandi) Dance
and the sharing of newly harvested foods in Nwagi are
their principal festivals. Rais bury their dead. Pork
is used for auspicious and holy occasions. They consider
Sumnima and Paroohang as their primordial parents. There
are many Rai clans. Their houses are scattered. Short
in stature, round in face and stout in build, Rais are
expert in farming and textile weaving. Following the unification
of the Kingdom of Nepal The Rai language, though it has
no script, is rich in texture.
The Rais have Mongoloid features
and claim that their origin is from Marema (the daughter
of the earth) and Kirant Mahadeva (a roamer in the jungle).
There are as many classes of the Rais as there are families,
but the four most prominent are: Thulung, Bantawa, Chyamlung,
and Kulung. The Rais are
known for their short-tempers, but are also known as lovers
of peace. They love art and music as well as feasting
where they eat pork and freely drink locally made alcohol.
Their main occupation is agriculture, but it is also common
to make and sell local alcohol as a source of income.
Their staple foods are rice, maize, and potatoes. Many
of the Rai groups do not raise or eat goat meat. They
believe to do so will anger the gods and make them impure
as well as bring sickness and death.
The Rais follow a set of rules
for ancestral spirit worship called Mundum. Their exact
religious practices vary from group to group within the
Rais, but they adhere to most of the major Hindu practices
and festivals. The pujhari or priest plays an important
role in their communities. The
Rais mainly derive their subsistence from agriculture.
They cultivate paddy, millet, wheat, corn and even cotton.
They also form a strong group in the Gorkha regiment,
Royal Nepalese Army and the Police. The Limbus are mostly
farmers. An ancient strange tradition prohibits them from
working in the fields on the full moon and new moon days.
There is no apparent and logical reason for the tradition.
Among the Rais, marriages are monogamous.
The marriages are held by arrangements, captures and elopements.
The Limbus follow the same marriage tradition. Both the
Rais and Limbus bury the deceased and place a tombstone
on the grave, bearing the name and date.
