about me
I am Dawkila Lepcha. I come from a small village named Leethyang which is in West Sikkim.
My name specifically does not carry a lot of meaning but has an importance in forming a week. I was named following the day in which I was born that is on monday. In Tibetan Monday is called as Za dawa. And so I was named Dawkila at last.
I consider myself as someone who is very much connected to the environment as I love planting. I am blessed to be able to grow and have a close connection with things around me.
“I would like to contribute to my community’s oral traditions by Being more aware of my existence and preaching its importance to my near and dear ones.” Dawkila Lepcha
“I feel connected as it showed me the love and blessings they have provided in our life through our environment and its abundance. I got to known that everything in and around us has the power to bless and calm us.” Dawkila Lepcha
What is storytelling to me?
Storytelling is not a simple existence but a body that carries meaning and importance for our existence.
ᰠᰪᰵ ᰌᰪᰰᰡᰧᰶᰓᰫᰛᰬ ᰊᰧᰶᰜᰨ ᰙᰫᰮ ᰗᰩᰮᰌᰦᰢᰪᰵᰓᰫ ᰣᰦᰛᰧᰵᰶ ᰀᰊᰦᰱ ᰕᰃᰨᰰᰍᰪ, ᰡᰬᰰᰜᰦ ᰜᰩᰮᰕᰤᰫ ᰣᰶ ᰃᰪᰮ ᰠᰛᰬᰍᰪᰰ ᰀᰦᰚᰫ ᰙᰫᰢᰪᰵᰓᰫᰠᰦ ᰊᰰᰶᰌᰩᰭ ᰣᰦᰅᰦᰳ ᰣᰪᰰ ᰣᰶᰠᰦ ᰃᰨᰵᰇᰧᰮᰶ ᰛᰤᰬᰮᰜᰦ ᰓᰪᰋᰨ ᰡᰴᰜᰦ ᰃᰪᰮ.
What is sacred to me?
Sacred means to me a lifelong essential that will guide me throughout. I have been able to create a bond with nature that is specially designed for me. Following is the picture that contains the images of fruits and vegetables that I had grown with my own hands.
Finding my sacred place
During the intense breakout of Covid-19 like every other people me and my family had to stay under the protocols of government. Exhausted being in home, ideally the pressure coming from different sides, we embarked ourselves for trekking, keeping this as a short escape our destination was Dongri, the view point. The journey was hard & exhausting but having the determination we eventually reached Dzongri. It was a relief to everyone but the morning we lead off for the view point, the wind of the mountains swayed in their own determination. It was not a pleasant one but a wind that made us unable to walk & stand. We were constantly falling and tumbling on our way. Finally with difficulty we reached our destination (sabar ka fal mitha hota hai) waiting for some time we got to see that beautiful sunrise that brought a new light and hope to that dark mountains and valley (in us too). I was mesmerised by the sunrise, the hope and vision it brought with it. So this is my one & only sacred land that I visioned.
I as a Lepcha
My identity
Own sacred place, drawn with non-dominant hand during a meditation session with Arundhati.