Mundhum is the religious scripture and folk literature of the Kirat people of Nepal, central to Kirat Mundhum. All four Kirats (Limbu, Rai, Sunuwar and Yakkha) have slightly different Mundhum. Mundhum means "the power of great strength" in the Kirati language. The Mundhum covers many aspects of the Kirat culture, customs and traditions that existed before Vedic civilisation in South Asia.
The Mundhum for each tribe consists of customs, habits, rituals, traditions, and myths passed down from the Kirati tribe's ancestors. Mundhums serve, in a way, as customary laws which guide Kirats in their daily lives. The Mundhum also distinguishes each Kiranti tribe from other Kiranti and non-Kirantis as well.
Kirats practice shamanism and their rituals are mostly related to the worship of mother nature, ancestors, sun, moon, wind, fire and main pillar of house. Almost all sacred rituals, in Rai, are performed by nakchong, the kirat tribal priest. Similarly Limbus have phɛdɑŋmɑ/bɑ, yɛbɑ/mɑ, sɑmbɑ/mɑ to perform rituals accordingly.
Their supreme deity Tagera Ningwaphuma: tɑgerɑ niŋwɑphumɑ is personified as yumɑ(not Lord Shiva) according to some scholars.Many followers wear a tilak on the forehead, as in Hinduism, when they recite their sacred text, the Kiranti Veda i.e
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