Chiraa Chiraa

Chiraa Chiraa covers a day in the life of Savitri Rayapa, a Rungsha (a Rung lady) who lives on the borders of India and Nepal in Dharchula, Uttarakhand. The title Chiraa Chiraa means remembering the past in Runglwo, an endangered language of the Rung, an indigenous Himalayan community.

Historically, the Rungs are the first inhabitants of the Dharchula region at the tri-junction of India, Nepal and the autonomous region of Tibet in China. They are also among the few indigenous communities in the world that still follow transhumance migration, i.e. seasonal migration from the higher altitudes to the lower ones. Their roots in this region can be traced back to the time before the international borders were created.

By following Savitri's life, we get a sense of how the Rung community has lived around these international borders for centuries, with a history of trans-Himalayan migration and trade, and also how they played a crucial role during the Indo-China war. The Rungs have always lived in harmony with their Himalayan landscape. But now, with the changing times, the Rung community, too, is evolving in order to keep their language and culture alive and thriving.

Script, direction and editing: Srishti Lakhera
Script and research: Dr Sandesha Rayapa-Garbiyal
Camera: Adesh Rayapa

An independent filmmaker from Uttarakhand, Srishti Lakhera has produced films for government bodies, and international organisations and television. Her recent work, Ek Tha Gaon, a featured documentary on the migration from the Himalayas, has won accolades. Srishti has also been involved with conducting filmmaking workshops for marginalised communities.

Sandesha Rayapa-Garbiyal, an assistant professor at JNU’s Linguistic Empowerment Cell, is a linguist specialising in the area of English language teaching. Sandesha is a resource person for English language training in various central government ministries, and is also the English language expert for the Airport Authority of India's northern region. Hailing from the indigenous Rung community, Sandesha keenly feels the need to conserve her community’s endangered language—Runglwo. She is the project investigator of the first project between JNU & ONGC titled ‘Documentation and Preservation of Indigenous Endangered Languages and Cultures’.

Видео Chiraa Chiraa канала Sahapedia