This video has been uploaded by Himalayan Heritage Research and Development Society, Sikkim under the scheme of ' Survey, Research and documentation of musical instruments the Himalayas supported by Ministry of Culture Govt. of India.
Panthongpalit
Panthongpalit is a wind musical instrument of the Lepcha community and is shaped as a flute. It is 20 inches long and is played by blowing air into it through mouth while the fingers control the tune. There was a holy man who lived during the reign of Rumdong. One day he lay in his little shack trying to ward off the birds from pecking the paddy grains from his field.
As he ate there he heard a sweet note coming from a bamboo with a hole in it. Deriving an idea from this, he picked up a shapely thin bamboo, pierced four holes on it and blew the tune from the PanthongPalit. It was noticed that the Gods and Deities interacted with him answered his prayers more easily when playing the tunes of this instruments replicated from the sounds of the wind Encouraged by his own invention and skill at it, the Bongthing went to play at a religious ceremony in the court of Rumdong who declared that this “PanthongPalit” should be played during the prayers of the Bongthing to interact in the holy souls this is also played during the festivals and marriages as a message to share happiness and thank the Deities and Gods in time of peace and joy.
