Gruphai: the Suppose to be Phurbi Drupchen of Sumthrang

A tradition of Sumthrang to be revived to its past glory in coming years..........

Sumthrang Chojey presiding over the Gruphai ritual

The first annual ritual of Sumthrang monastery is one day ritual ceremony known as the ‘Gruphai’ by the locals, which was suppose to be an annual Phurbi Drupchen on the 25th day of the first lunar month of every year.

In the olden days, the ancestors of Sumthrang performed annual Phurbi Drupchen supported by its patrons from Kurtoe and Zhelmgang for about five days practicing and performing on mandala of Vajrakyilaya. But it gradually faced degeneration and today a day of Phurbi Tshogkhor or the feast offering and practice ritual is performed with blessings of 'Kyilaya wang' and the 'Nga chung Sangwi Drugdher’ towards the evening for the public. This annual ritual is one of the most important priority of Sumthrang that need restoration in coming times. 

The Kyilaya wang 

The two major artefacts displayed for public blessing are the  Kyilaya wang and Ngachung Sangwai Drukdher.  Kyilaya wang is in lay term meaning the blessings of Kyilaya. It comprises of some pieces of extra ordinary bamboos and plants in various amazing shapes depicting the richness of nature besides its spiritual significance. These pieces are the collection of natural artefacts brought by Nyo Gyelwa Lhanangpa from Tsari Nye after he saw all of the bamboos and plants within an area in the form of the deities of Vajra Kyilaya (Phurbi lhatshog). Today they are preserved as the artefacts that once are manifested in the form Kyailaya deities in the vision of Nyo Gyelwa Lhanangpa at Tsari.

The other, Ngachung Sangwi drukdher is a sacred drum of Nyoton Trulzhig choeje, which was provided by his father Nyo Gyelwa Lhanangpa as the 'thinley gi ten,’ the sacred relic of action, when he sent to locate sumthrang to establish his seat. This drum is responsible for helping Nyoton Trulzhig in finding Sumthrang.

Public receives blessing from the sacred drum

It was said in his biography that this  drum was his last resort to find the prophesied location. He threw the drum that flew across a small pass today known as the thongleyla and located Sumthrang which stood in the middles of four significant locations of a cliff like a piled texts at the north, a landscape shaped like conch shell at the south, a swastika shaped rocky terrain at the east and a holy spring at the west. These significant landscapes surround Sumthrang even today.