Gyabu Achyok Birthday Celebration on 20th December at Damsang Gree

Damsang Gree or the Damsang Fort is located at the elevation of 6,300 ft on Kalimpong-Rishi road approximately 16 kilometers from Kalimpong town.  Damsang fort is strategically located and from its vantage point it was easy to  keep watch on the intruders from all sides. Damsang Gree was not only a fort but a palace where Punu Gyabu Achyok the last king of the Lepchas lived. For this very reason it is considered to be one of the important historical places of the Lepchas, which actually gives an important evidence to the Lepcha kingdom that existed in Mayallyang, i.e Sikkim, Kalimpong, Darjeeling and some parts of Illam in Nepal.  It is believed to be built in the 16th/ 17th Centuries.
After the death of Pano Gaeboo Achyok, Damsang was annexed by Bhutan until 1865 when the British defeated the Bhutanese at Daling Fort, Damsang, and annexed it into British India”. Even though the fort is now in ruins, with much of it covered by forest foliage Damsang Gree is declared a heritage site by the West Bengal Heritage Commission in 2018.
Each year on 20th December, Lepchas celebrate the birth anniversary of their last king Pano Gaeboo Achyok at Damsang Gree. A large number of Lepchas in their traditional attires, from all walks of life gather and come together for celebrations and perhaps this is the highest annual community gathering of the Lepchas. 
The celebration at Damsang, the palace of the king starts early in the morning with Chi Faat – a religious ritual, by the Boongthing and Mun (Lepcha priest and priestess) . Chi(liquor made of millet)  is offered in the name of the soul of Gaeboo Achyok, the king and Pundee Nalimit, the queen. The priests conduct pujas thanking the king for dedicating his life for the cause of the Lepchas. The tales of the bravery and exploits of the king is narrated and the boongthings and muns express their gratitude for saving the community from destruction. There is no written prayer or liturgy for this particular occasion. Everything is oral and spontaneously carried out by the priests. After the invocations and rituals are over the programme turns into a typical Lepcha ethnic cultural function.  
 The event on 20th December is not just a birthday celebration but also the beginning of the Lepcha New Year. Each year the festivities lasts for a week, starting on December 14th. The celebration is a way for the Lepcha community to come together, preserve their heritage, and promote their language.