Est. 2026 · Sikkim, India
The living
dictionary
of a people
The Rong Digital Archive is the first open, community-built digital home for the Lepcha language - preserving centuries-old wisdom for every generation that follows.
Word of the day
ᰕᰀᰩᰰ᱇
Mukyon
verb · everyday
Don't worry
चिन्ता नगर्नुहोस्
654
Published words
3
Languages
4+
Contributors
Open
Always free
01 · About
A language at the edge
Spoken in the mountains where India, Nepal, and Bhutan meet, Lepcha is one of the oldest languages of the Eastern Himalayas. It carries within it knowledge that exists nowhere else on earth.
"Once a language loses its last fluent speaker, no technology in the world can bring it back. Only what was documented survives."
1876
Year of Mainwaring's grammar - our earliest public-domain seed dataset
CC BY
All archive data is Creative Commons licensed - free for research and AI
02 · The Platform
Built for
everyone
From a student in Kalimpong to a researcher in London, the archive serves every kind of user - in their own language.
Living dictionary
Search in Lepcha script, romanization, English, or Nepali. Every word includes meanings, example sentences, and a pronunciation recording.
Audio archive
Every word has a pronunciation recording - many from elders in the Kalimpong hills, Sikkim, Darjeeling and Nepal. The living voice, preserved.
Elder · Sikkim
Community-built
Every word is contributed, reviewed, and verified by community members. Elders, teachers, students, and diaspora - all building it together.
03 · How it works
From word to
living archive
Submit
Any community member submits a word in Lepcha script with its romanization and meaning.
Review
Trusted moderators - linguists and community elders - verify the accuracy of the submission.
Enrich
Others add translations, example sentences, and audio pronunciations to deepen the entry.
Preserved
The word enters the public archive - credited, licensed under CC BY, and permanently available.
04 · Browse by theme
Every domain
of Lepcha life
Words are organised into the cultural domains that matter most — from everyday life and nature to spirituality and oral tradition.
Browse all categoriesEveryday Life
Food & Drink · Clothing · Household · Tools
Nature
Plants & Trees · Mammals · Birds · Fish & Aquatic Life
People & Society
Kinship & Family · Emotions · Expressions & Greetings · Social Roles
Health & Medicine
Body Parts · Illness · Healing · Medicinal Plants
Spirituality & Ceremony
Religious Terms · Ceremonies & Rites · Sacred Places · Mythology & Spirits
Language & Knowledge
Numbers · Time & Calendar · Colors · Directions
06 · Community builders
The voices
behind the words
These contributors have added the most to the archive in the last 30 days.
07 · Partner with us
This project needs
institutions
behind it
We are seeking founding partners — cultural organisations, academic institutions, schools, and monasteries with a connection to the Lepcha community. Partners receive named acknowledgment, advisory representation, and early access to the full dataset.
08 · Contribute
Every word matters.
Especially yours.
Add a word
Know a Lepcha word? Submit it with its meaning and romanization. Our moderators will review and publish it.
Record audio
Upload a pronunciation recording from your phone. Elder voices especially are a gift to the archive.
Review & verify
Review words submitted by others. Correct mistakes. Add context. Your expertise protects the archive's integrity.
Free · Open · Non-profit · Forever
Or help translate 1,596 words the archive is still missing →