text: Languages The Rai languages are members of the Sino-Tibetan language family. They belong to the Kiranti group of the Tibeto-Burman languages branch of the Sino-Tibetan family. In the Nepal National Census of 2011, roughly 800,000 respondents declared a Kiranti languages as their "mother tongue". The number of speakers is probably less than this. The Census of India (2001) reported 50,000 speakers of Limbu and Rai in India (most in Sikkim) Linguistic Survey of India n.d.).
  Festivals
  Sakela
  Sakela is the gathering of Rai people for the celebration of Udhauli and Ubhauli. Sakela is actually affiliated with Chamling people of Kirati Rai community. Since the identity of different groups of Rai are at depleting, many Rai are taking Sakela as the main festival of Rai. However, truth remains that Sakela is a dance performed during Udhauli and Ubhauli while Rai people gather together. The Rai people (Chamling group) call it by different names like Sakenwa, Sakela, Tosh or Toshi, Bhume, Sakel, Wass, Segro, Sakewa, Dhuulu, Phagulak, Gelang, Gayapuja among different linguistic groups. This event is performed for 15-15 days in a year as ubhauli(Dhirinam) in full moon day of the Baisakh and udhauli(Chhirinam), in full moon day of Mangsir in Kirati Rai villages.
  The major philosophy of Sakela is nature worship; importance is placed on paying tribute to ancestors to whom current generations owe their existence. Since Kirati people consider themselves the followers of the nature, they celebrate Udhauli and Ubhauli with sakela to worship sky, earth, rivers, and forest on the one hand; they pay tribute towards the deceased members of their family on the other hand.