The rock is sacred to various communities of the Kirat culture such as
Rai,
Limbu,
Yakkha,
Lohorung, etc. The rock is mentioned in
Mundhum, the holy scripture of Kirat people and described the origin of the Kirat people. Kirati people revere natural entities such as rivers, lakes, streams, mountains, and hills. According to oral traditions, the ancestors of Kirati people are said to enter the eastern Nepal from present–day China, many years ago. However, they did not enter from the northern region of Nepal and instead enter present–day India first following the
Brahmaputra River and reached their present homeland in present–day
Koshi Province of Nepal through southern region of Nepal. They are said to follow the Saptakoshi river. On their way, they reached at Khuwalung. According to Mundhum, the region north of Khuwalung was considered a holy land. People who had committed sin or were impure could not cross the spot. Khuwalung only permitted pure people to go further north. An impure person could pass only after they offered the blood of an animal and purified their body and mind and asked for the way. In Mundhum, there is a story of three brothers explaining the origin of major ethnic groups Mukubung was the eldest, Harkabung the middle and Riblabung the youngest were three brothers. The three brothers reached the Khuwalug rock and the path to the north was closed. Mukubung sacrificed a
red-vented bulbul and offered its blood to the rock and passed through the rock. He migrated to the northern most part and
Bhotiya people are said to be descended from him. Harkabung cut the pinky finger of a little girl, who was with him, and offered the blood and passed through the rock. He moved to the middle hilly region and Kirati people are said to be descended from him. His sons further migrated to various places of eastern Nepal and formed the various clans of
Rai ethnic group. Riblabung, however could not offer anything to the rock and went south. He is considered the ancestor of the
Tharu people of eastern Nepal. According to Mundhum, the rock is said to have disappear inside the Koshi river after the sinful activities increased in the holy land. The Kirati people considered the rock as the mythical Khuwalung rock and revere the rock as a religious site. == Controversy ==