1st Nov. 2025
High in the misty hills of eastern Nepal, where the air is crisp and fires glow in wooden hearths, a humble bamboo vessel passes from hand to hand — filled with "TONGBA" or 'TUMBA', the traditional warm millet drink of the Limbu people (major Sino-Tibetan ethnolinguistic group indigenous to the Himalayan region of eastern Nepal). Tongba begins its journey in the fields, with humble finger millet (kodo). After harvest, the grains are boiled, cooled, and mixed with a traditional fermentation starter — khesung — before being left to rest in a quiet corner of the home. Days later, the mixture awakens with a natural tangy aroma, transforming simple millet into something alive and spirited. When ready to serve, the fermented millet is scooped into a tall bamboo vessel — the Tongba itself — and filled with steaming water. After a brief steep, the warm liquid is sipped through a bamboo or metal straw fitted with a tiny filter at the base. The same grains are refilled again and again with hot water, each pour yielding a gentler, smoother flavour until the taste finally fades. On winter nights in Ilam or Taplejung districts of eastern Nepal, families gather around the hearth, chatting and laughing as the bamboo mugs pass from one person to another. For elders, Tongba recalls ancestral ways — a drink shared after long days of work, during festivals, or to welcome travellers seeking warmth. For the younger generation, it remains a thread of identity — a reminder that even in modern times, tradition still holds meaning. Every sip carries the soul of the mountains: earthy, mild, and comforting. Its warmth seeps slowly through the body, easing the chill of high-altitude evenings. Tongba is more than a beverage; it is a symbol of hospitality and togetherness. Simple, sustainable, and deeply rooted in Himalayan culture, Tongba remains the drink of friendship and warmth — a true taste of the hills.
Morning Tweet - Taking time to appreciate the craftsmanship behind every sip.
Good Morning!!!!