Nepal's sacred tradition of burning sang incense could wither away

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3 days ago

In Bhraka village of western Nepal's Manang district, 72-year-old Buddhist nun Tashi Lama sits in silence, chanting as she turns her prayer wheel. Ever since she took her vows at 25, her mornings begin with prayers and the lighting of sang, a sacred incense made from dried branches and leaves of black juniper (Juniperus indica) and wild wormwood (titepati) among others.
'Lighting sang purifies our environment. It's something we do every day wishing that peace prevails in the world,' Lama told Mongabay. 'Its cedar-like scent evokes calm and hope.'
Like Lama, thousands of Buddhists in Nepal's Trans-Himalayan regions such as Manang and Mustang, and those with roots to the area residing around the world light the sang as part of a sacred tradition at the break of dawn wherever they are.
However, the sacred tradition which has been going on for centuries is under growing threat from overharvesting, tightening conservation regulations and a warming global climate.
At the centuries-year-old Kagyu Monastery in Bhraka – situated at an elevation of 3,475 metres (11,400 feet) above sea level – 48-year-old caretaker Karma Chhiring Gurung, also begins his day by lighting the incense. 'Our ancestors taught us that God will be happy and satisfied if we light sang, and we have been doing it ever since,' he told Mongabay.
Black juniper, locally known as dhupi, trees grow only between 3,600 metres-4,800 metres (11,800-15,750 ft) above sea level in Nepal, China, Bhutan, India and Pakistan. Although the global conservation authority IUCN classifies the species as ' least concern ' it warns that, in Nepal, subpopulations of the species face the dual challenge of fragmentation and exploitation for incense and firewood.
To address these challenges, communities have long designated areas for leaf collection so that plants in specific areas get time to regenerate. This means that collecting leaves within the village bounds is prohibited. Lama and other residents hike to areas such as Tanke to gather leaves for their personal use.
But all that is changing, mainly due to migration and demand for the leaves outside of Manang, Nepal's least populated district with just 5,658 residents (0.019% of the national population, 2021 census).
Residents continue to leave behind the villages to move to cities such as Pokhara, Kathmandu and Chitwan for better opportunities, but they take with them their reverence for sang and their religious beliefs. Those who have left their ancestral lands, continue to burn sang wherever they go, be it in Nepal or abroad.
In addition to this, residents gift sang as a token of love from Manang to their relatives when visiting them. 'Devotees prefer sang from Manang as it has superior quality and aroma,' said 54-year-old Karma Chhiring Ghale. Jandhen Gurung, 82, who now lives with her daughter after her sons left the village, often travels to Kathmandu and prepares sang by collecting, sun-drying and grinding it for these trips. 'The day is not complete without burning the sang, even in the city, I burn sang. I consider it as a gift for relatives. It cheers me up.'
As of April, around 4,490 kg of juniper leaves have legally been collected this fiscal year – which ends on July 15 – from Manang. In 2023-'24, the figure stood at 5,000 kg and, in the previous two years, 1,593 kg and 1,488 kg respectively.
The uptick in demand for juniper leaves in Manang, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP). To discourage overharvesting, conservation area authorities now issue permits to collect juniper leaves. Under the prevailing rules, each person is allowed to collect only 10 kg of juniper leaves every year for household use. The rules don't allow collection of leaves for commercial use.
Rabin Kadariya, chief of ACAP, says that his office came up with the rules recognising the value of the plant to the local community, but it must not be exploited commercially. 'We increased the quota per person from 3 kg to 10 kg after discussions with local communities,' he adds.
Former Bhakra ward chair Karma Gurung was once detained by ACAP for allegedly exceeding the 3 kg limit before the rule change. 'We needed more. That's why I advocated to increase the quota to 10 kg,' he says.
Even with the rules in place, 'outsiders' are illegally harvesting and selling juniper leaves, says Karma Chhiring.
All this is happening as researchers warn that a warming global climate could have devastating impacts on the Himalayan region and its flora and fauna.
Of particular concern to scientists is the prolonged winter drought in the region. This year, Manang witnessed snowfall only after the end of the winter season in April, raising concerns about long dry spells and their impact on vegetation.
'Plants take longer to recover when it is dry,' explains Kadariya. Kadariya's statement is corroborated by a 2024 study on juniper in the central Himalaya. The authors of the study suggest that with the increase in droughts, which can be attributed to climate change, are likely to increase the vulnerability of juniper shrubs.
Despite difficult environmental conditions, a 2020 study found, juniper shrubs continue to regenerate effectively, due to its deep roots and ability to withstand dry, rocky soils. However, the study also warns of overexploitation. While local religious use may not threaten its survival, commercial harvesting could.