Paper short abstract:

The paper shows how three resident indigenous communities of Kangchenjunga mountain range have adapted to the eco-system allowing it to shape their culture/ social structure. This rendered the ecosystem sustainable.

Paper long abstract:

This paper articulates the historic process of adaptation of three indigenous communities residing in the mountainous ecosystem of Kangchenjunga range. These communities, namely the Lepchas, the Bhutias and the Limbus, have been believers of Nyingmapa subsect a fusion of Tibetan Buddhism & Naturism. It claims that the soci-cultural lives of these communities are organized around the Kangchenjunga mountain eco-system and hence, with ethnographic data, points out its embedded culture as well as an engraved social structure. This nature centricity of adaptation of the communities, is articulated through their, (i) flaunted identity, (ii) embedded culture (eco-cosmology) and (iii) engraved social structure (Stratification system). Having lived in the fragile eco-system for over 700 years, the communities have maintained the eco-system through their culturally inbuilt nature conservation practices and protection mechanisms. This gentle interaction with nature is guided by their belief system. Hence it is argued that their belief system: Nyingmapa sub-sect, founded on reverence to the sacred mountain has shaped their culture and social structure. Thus nature shaped the communities’ embedded culture/ structure, historically, instead of getting shaped by the communities’ sustenance efforts. Their subtler sustenance efforts do not disturb their organic link with nature.