In Winter:
1. Vimsen Jatra:
Lord Vimsen is one of the five Pandab
brothers- the heroes belonging to the
famous Hindu epic 'Maha-Varat'. (The
five brothers are also known as
Pancha-Pandab, 'Pancha' in ancient
classical Sanskrit signifying the number
five.) He was well noted for his great
strength and it so happened once that
becoming a form of Vairab temporarily,
he drank the blood of a slain enemy in
the battlefield; then underwent a severe
fast in sheer atonement. In Nepal he is
also the God of Merchant, and thus of
wealth and prosperity. He is highly
credited with having opened up the
lucrative trade- route to our
neighboring country to the north namely
Tibet. Lhasa Valley is the major
destination. Vimsen Puja is eventually
preceded by an all day fast by the
businessmen and commercial travelers in
emulation of the almighty Vimsen after
his divine experience as Vairab. On the
Jatra day rituals and sacrifices are
conducted at various Vimsen temples, all
built of pagoda style. Vimsen, as Vairab,
is drenched with the sacrificial blood
of animals including goats and fowls
mainly. The major activity takes place
in the early morning, followed by
parties and celebrations at home. In
Bhaktapur, Vimsen and his consort namely
Droupadi (both of which again form
another Hindu divine couple) are each
mounted in 'Khats' (carry-chariots) and,
from about ten at night, are carried in
a wild and swift procession all over the
city of devotees. It begins at Tachapal
and runs for a couple of hours.
2. Thousand Lights Ceremony:
This is a one day Buddhist festival
which commemorates the noble
construction of the Great Stupa of
Boudha- ath-declared to be the largest
of its kind in all the Asian continent.
According to the ancient legend, a
monarch once changed to trick his own
beloved son into sacrificing himself in
order that the authentic act would
precisely cause water to reflow from the
religious tap at Naryanhity sanatorium.
When the young prince discovered who the
proposed victim was, he immediately fled
to Sankhu taking refuge at the divine
temple of Khadga- Yogini up the hillock.
He performed numerous penances in sheer
atonement for the patricide. The Goddess
then appeared and motherly did she
instruct him to build a colossal stupa
to the Buddha. The semi- emispherical
shrine with a pyramid structure in the
center sitting on a board terrace of
three different tiers altogether looking
like a holy lotus flower from a bird's
eye-view was incidentally built during a
twelve year drought which forced the
brick makers to collect water by laying
out gigantic sheets of cloth in the
evenings and wringing the dew from them
the morning next. Upon completion, the
big stupa was long known as 'Khasti'
which in Newa language signifies the
Temple of Dewdrops. The yearly occasion
spontaneously draws crowds of Nepal's
colorful hillfolk following the Buddhist
faith. They include Tamangs, Gurungs,
Sherpas, Lopas, Manangis, Bhotiyas, etc.
as well as pious pilgrims from the
Himalayan tracts beyond the frontier.
The assembly is already thick by dusk,
with hearty worshippers circumambulating
the Stupa, prostrating, spinning
prayer-wheels, mumbling
OM-MA-NI-PAD-ME-HUN (meaning 'Glory to
the Jewel in the Lotus' or 'Hail the
Dweller in the Lotus') or just
socializing. This Stupa refers to the
Mahayan sect of Buddhism; the same
philosophy in Sikkim, Ladakh, Bhutan and
Tibet is known as Lamaism. We can see
the overall circular precinct full of
multi- color prayer-flags. The banners
printed in five obvious colors carry
Buddhist prayers in Tibetan characters.
Flashing yellow, blue, white, red, and
green exactly form the major set falling
very important to the Buddhist cult. The
banners so put up are diligently
stringed together with sufficient
spacing. They are tied up from the
topmost pinnacle to the spires of
different smaller stupas below or other
distinct objects on the ground levels as
the other ends. The sentient ones light
candle- sticks or butterfed-lamps and
place them in the niches all around the
Stupa's basement. Nineish in the evening
the Venerable 'Chiniya Lama' shows up in
a smart style to formally execute
mandatory rites for the image of
Chhwaskaa-Muni, a female Tibetan deity
whom some also call Ajima- the
Grandmother Goddess. Scarlet strips of
fabric which robe the pure idol are
shredded and distributed to the
multitude. Finally the idol in removed
by a high-priest and placed in a large 'Khat'.
Young stout men lift up and take it for
a wild ride to the Charumati Stupa down
in Chabahil and back, stopping by at
houses for devout offerings and carrying
back and forth along the cobbled lanes.
The action progresses instantly till
about midnight in a jubilant manner.
^TOP
3. SHIBA-RATRI (SHILA CHARE):
'Shiba- Ratri' signifying Shiba-Night is
a twenty-four hour exaltation of Lord
Shiba who is the God of Destruction in
the Hindu triad and one of the Valley's
most important deities. The golden-
tiered temple at Debpatan is solely
dedicated to Shiba as the Lord of the
Animal- Beings and the Patron God of the
Hindu society. So the God is very well
known as Pashupati Nath. On the holy
bank of the Bagmati River (the largest
river of the Valley opposite a wooded
knoll), the temple is a complex of
shrines, bathing and burning 'ghats',
hermitages and the inner sanctum which
is restricted to Hindus only. (The bank
of a holy river in the vicinity of a
Hindu temple is usually known as 'ghat'.
It also has cremation beds along. All
Hindu dead bodies are cremated never
buried. The funeral-pyre can be observed
from the two bridges, the stone-steps
and the balconies on the opposite side.
The priest called the 'Brahman' performs
the last rites. When a father passes
away the eldest son starts the fire and
when a mother passes away the youngest
son starts the fire. Female members of
the family mustremian home weeping and
feling sorry in sheer condolence. In
other words they aren't allowed to
attend the funeral; it is a traditional
custom. The next of kin of the deceased
must wear white clothes for a complete
year which is the pitiful morning
period. In case a mother expires, all of
her children must abstain from sipping
milk for one complete year. The whole
area abounds in shrines, lingas and
scattered stone sculptures which are
indeed masterpieces. The 'one-face'
lingam by the observation bench in the
tail balcony, the Buddha stele a hundred
meters past the burning 'ghats' and the
Luxmi by the bridge are absolutely fine
theological examples. The temple of Lord
Pashu-Pati all year attracts pilgrims,
begging ascetics, devotees and
mendicants but on this day the visitors
are in the thousands. Many are from
India or the Terai, the hot plains of
south Nepal. They begin arriving a few
days before, but devotees don't actually
brother to crowd the 'ghats' till
sunrise. Then the thick populace begins
streaming in, past a tremendous variety
of hermits called 'sadhu, sanyasi,
mahatma, babaji, yogi, jogi, fakir, giri,
etc. We also pass by mendicants of
various kinds and deformities, and
devotees roadside penances like standing
with a small trident thrust through the
tongue, being buried in sand upto the
neck, naked figures with grey-ash
powdered all over the body, sun-basking
and enjoying hashish puffs through the 'chilam',
standing on one leg only and so on.
Commercial business also awaits
merchants who go hawking everything from
the 'Puja' kits to the kitchenwares
which is not an uncommon scene in a
religious 'mela' as this. Pure Hindus
pay homage to the scattered lingams
inside themain temple and then bathe, or
at least splash a little, in the river
down below. Men of 'Sanatan' faith
believe taking a bath in the sacred
Bagmati will wash away their sins a side
from purifying their body and soul
together. The royal family takes part in
the afternoon rites at the Tundikhel
parade-ground founded by the Gorkha
Army, acknowledging a thirty-one gun
salute at the end. The king and his
entourage pay ardenthomage to Lord Shiva
in the evening when the whole tempo of
the activity there has picked up,
especially the live musical side. Some
of the hundred of friars in attendance
get busy to set camping in the
courtyards of the temples of the
opposite bank where non-Hindus are also
virtually allowed free to wander about
and observe the festival. The curios can
not miss witnessing some rather
interesting yogic demonstrations over
there. It gets pretty chilly in the
evening, but there are usually several
fires and lovely scenes going on till at
least midnight when the consecrated time
eventually elapses. In other towns and
villages of the Valley, devotees will
honor Shiba with bonfires and vigils,
and in Bhaktapur by paying a special
visit to the Datta- Traya Temple in
Tachapal. Shiva-Ratri festival at
Pashupati- Nath Temple of Debpatan,
although pacticulary practiced in Nepal
alone, is equally important to Indian
Hindus as well. Thus you shall be amazed
to witness the highest population of
devotees and worshippers this occasion
who enter the capital city as tourists
on pilgrimage. It is a great day with a
blend of two decent nationalities of
South Asia. Several decades back during
the period of the Rana Premiers so
called Maharajas, Indians were allowed
to remain in the valley a few days only
for this holy purpose and they still
needed to hold special permissions
granted by the Nepalese government. The
Indian Hindus call Shiva 'Shambhu' as
well. The Hindu Newars of Nepal call the
ritual occasion Shila Chare and marks
the end of the winter season. To bid
farewell to winter, family members
gather around a fire receiving heat and
cracking peanuts. This will mean on more
bonfire from the day next until the
adverting year or the coming winter.
Public bonfires appear in many
courtyards and cross-roadpoints. Thus it
is pretty common to find timber pieces
getting stolen here and there. They
declare theft of this kind this night or
late evening is not a criminal offence
but stands for religion. It is quite
typical to experience this habit every
year. Lord Shiva is known as Mahadeb
also- He who come from the Himalayas and
born through parents never known.
Parbati is his faithful consort and has
two beloved children namely Ganesh, the
Elephant God, as the son and Sarashwati,
the Goddess of Education, as the
daughter. The 'lingam' as mentioned
above is meant to be the conjugal form
of divine couple of Shiva and Parbati;
it naturally concerns fertility. Shiva's
favorite vehicle or tansportation means
is the bull while Parbati's the cow. In
other words Shiva rides the holy bull
while parbati the holy cow which
sometimes means that the two quadrupeds
represent these two deities very
respective to the gender. Therefore
feeding feeding on beef is totally
banned and against the Hindu society.
Furthermore Shiva's favorite musical
instrument is the hand-drum and his
favorite weapon is the trident called 'Trishul'
which is a three pointed spear with a
sharp are projected at the front. Lord
Shiva never acknowledges any animal
sacrifices while his son Lord Ganesh
does.
^TOP
4. LHOSAR (TIBETAN NEW YEAR):
Lhosar marks the happy and prosperous
New Year for all Tibetans (refugess or
not) and Bhotia individuals living in
Nepal. It is equally celebrated by the
Sherpas, Tamangs and some Lhasa-Newars
comprising the Dhakhwas of Patan and the
Tuladhars of Kathmandu as well. The
surname of 'Lama' applies to both the
Tamangs and theSherpas as a common
factor. Thus the overall faith in
general practiced by those special
ethnic communities is known as
'Lamaism'. It is a high time for
feasting, dressing-up, calling on
relatives, visiting companions and
dancing to the enchantment of some
fervent music. The charming occasion
signals the unofficial end of the
off-season trades and commercial trips
too, as it is highly traditional to be
home for Lhosar. It would be disgusting
and against the 'Dharma' or the Buddha
Religion for any of them to miss Lhosar.
Lamas and monks in the 'gompas' (Mahayan
Buddhist monasteries) perform a week
long Mahankal Puja (worship ceremony)
first, an exercise so designed to
eliminate all the accumulated defilement
of the preceding year. Two days before
the new moon from about one o'clock in
the afternoon, costumed monks at
Sawayamvu Stupa (a recognized World
Heritage Site) carry out a large idol
representing the old year and tote it
through the Great Chaitya complex and
further down around the back to the
'saddle' existing between the two knolls
of Swayamvu Hill which is sometimes
called the Bajra Hill (Dorji Ri) also.
There the head Lama whose authentic
title goes 'Rimpoche' fatherly conducts
the rites accompanied by intermittent
drumming and horn-blowing by monks all
along the ridge. At the conclusion this
peculiar idol is set ablaze. The
procession returns to the great Stupa
and performs a supplementary rite yet
right before the 'gompa' namely Karma-
Raj which vitually ends with the mass
hurling of barley-flour known as 'champaa'.
Lhosar's ceremonies and celebrations
appear private and domestic for the next
several days until the bright morning of
the fourth day. The big crowds of
colorfully robed and ornamented hill
citizens gather at Boudha Stupa (a
recognized world heritage site) the
largest shrine of Asia. Tenish a hearty
procession of monks escorts an image of
the Dalai Lama around and up onto the
first level of the Great Stupa. He as
the Living Buddha is the Religious Head
and the Spiritual Leader of the Tibetan
Buddhist community. The phrase of Dalai
Lama in the Mongolian language signifies
'Ocean of Wisdom'. The present one
living in exile is virtually the
fourteenth incarnation and his literal
Tibetan name goes Tenzing Gyatso - one
of the winners of the Nobel Peace Prize.
At the Stupa various persons pay ritual
homage for the next half hour or so. The
glamorous ceremony concludes with the
blast of long trumpets and of course the
hurling of 'champaa'. Lhosar is indeed
the best opportunity to view Himalayan
Buddhist peoples in a great melanage of
primitive and civilized splendor. The
Sherpa homelands of Helambu, a location
four day trek north of Boudha bazaar,
and Solu Khumbu of east Nepal in
particular lying adjacent to Mount
Everest are pure scenarios of much
public merry-making during Lhosar
including both religious and folk dances
which unanimously contribute to the
typical aspects of the 'Shangrila'!
5. HOLI:
This is a short Hindu festival tending
to remain hostile to other religions of
Nepal. Held in sheer honor of lord
Krishna the well known epic hero of 'Vagbad-
Geeta' and Nepal's favorite 'abatar' (incrnation)
of Bishnu, Holi joyously celebrates the
death of the notorious demoness called
Holika. This wicked woman, supposed to
be invulnerable to fire, attempted
numerous times to kill her own nephew
who was an ardent devotee of Krishna. At
the end she put the lad on her lap and
set fire beneath them thinking he would
be burnt up and she would be burnt up
and she would fetch an escape. Alas! It
did not turn out that expected way. The
lad remained safe and sound, that is
totally unharmed while Holika to her
utter surprise happened to immolate
herself. The principal rites of this
festival celebrates her death. The week
of funand rowdiness also reenacts
Krishna's delliances with the Brindaban
milk maidens called Gopinis, and the
sentimental lyrics plus love songs
herald the coming of the amorous season
of spring. The first day of Holi starts
with the raising of the 'chir' pole
about the hour of noon in front of the
Kumari House in Basantpur. The eight
meter bamboo pole is topped with three
tiers, fringed with multi-color stripes
of cloth. This represents the particular
tree on which the naughty youth Krishna
hung clothes of the beautiful
milk-maidens when he caught them all
bathing naked in the River Yamuna. (Thus
it is to be well understood that Lord
Krishna was the horniest Hindu God that
ever lived in south Asia. Such an
interest on nudity as exposed by an
oriental deity precisely reveals that
Hindusim sometimes turn out to be a
dirty philosophy. Religious masters are
constantly obliged to stick to serene
chastity). From the moment the ooden
pole goes up, after the proper rituals
and a martial salute from a small troop
of Gorkhali guards in the eighteenth
century uniforms, the festival is right
on. 'Rang Khelnu' or 'Abir Chhwaakegu'
playing with colors-may begin, through
most don't really take it up in earnest
until just before the full-moon day.
Young and old, especially the children
though they may be Buddhists or
non-Hindus, throw balloons filled with
water or handsfull of color powder at
each other. Groups and individuals douse
each other, strangers, animals and
statues with vermilion dust called 'abir'
and considered to be holy. They also
hurl water bags at the female
individuals remaining in the windows and
verandahs. The small lasses receive the
worst of it and try to keep off the
streets. Sometimes girl schools and girl
colleges go on strike for a few days
(the days when the actionseem to go
tense leading to unnecessary battles)
protesting the nasty culture and
demanding social security. Government
announcement advises the revealers not
to harass the touristic guests at Holi
period unless they deliberately choose
to join in, but in any case the observer
is highly suggested to wear old rough
clothes for this purpose, for to proceed
out at all is to invite a silly dousing
of red powder (a major color of the
Hindu faith) at the least. The full-moon
day falls to be the heaviest with roving
bands of musicians playing the roads,
singing love songs and hurling fistful
of vermilion powder. The two popular
lyrics Newa juveniles go singing include
'holiyaa melaa, tanchaayaa laa lyaase?'
and jhyaale chongu tukan maa, wo he
lyaase jita maah!' This obviously
progresses in intercity until the
lowering of the 'chir' pole late in the
afternoon. Once the traditional pole
goes down the mad crowd scrambles for
the fringe bits of cloth. Then men carry
the heavy pole to Tundikhel parade
ground where it is burned in a
ceremonial manner, proudly commemorating
the fiery death of Holika. 'Playing with
color' now comes to an official end
though some communities especially
Indian Hindus dwelling in Nepal called 'dhotiwals'
keep it up on a more modest scale
another day.
^TOP
IN SPRING:
1. BIKRAM NEW YEAR:
"Bikrm New Year": Biskaa Jatra- This is
the first day of the lunar month called
Baeshakh. The advent of the"Bikram Era",
although an adaptation from the Indian
sub-continent, takes place in the summer
season and is marked by a chariot
procession in Bhadgoan City where
melodious music fills the air and ethnic
tunes keep ringing in our ears. This
special chariot festival is known as
Vairab Yatra. The erection of the wooden
pillar abound with colorful banners
heralds the start of the enchanting
occasion.
2. VOTO JATRA:
"Red Karunamya" Chariot Festival takes
place on Patan City Lord Karunamaya is
the God of Mercy. Thischariot festival
is held for many weeks covering the
up-town, mid-town and down-town. The
local citizens call it Bungdyo as well.
For the Buddhists it is equally
important as the divine incarnation of
Abalokiteshwor and is worshipped by
Tibetans also. On the final day the
Diamond-Vest is exhibited to all
devotees in the Jawalakhel premises
amidst the gracious presence of the
royal family. This ceremony is known as
Bhoto-Jatra and includes as part of the
major festival.
3. MAHA BUDDHA JAYANTI:
"Maha Buddha Jayanti" or the Great
Buddha Anniversary stands as the most
important day for all the bonafide
citizens of Nepal belonging to the
Buddhist society. It is an authentic
period celebrated annually throughout
the kingdom and marks the Birth,
Enlightenment and Death of Lord Buddha-
the triple coincidence or a thrice
blessed occasion which relevantly took
place on the same ritual day of summer
full-moon. In Anand-Kuti Monastery of
Swayamvu Hill the pure relics of the
Enlightened one is exhibited for ritual
worship at this special gathering.
Shakyamuni Buddha is the Apostle of
Peace and the advocate of compassion.
^TOP
IN MONSOON:
1. GATHANMUGHA OR GHANTAKARNA:
Ghantakama was a fiendish, bloodthirsty,
sex-crazy demon who wore bells on his
ears. 'Ghantakarna' means 'bell ears' so
he wouldn't hear Bishnu's name and lose
any of his evil powers. During one of
his orgies he was enraged to find a frog
miming his every move. Chasing the frog,
who was in fact a God in disguise, the
ogre fill into a well where the people
killed him. The festival celebrates his
undeniable death and shows up as first
spectacle since the transplanting work
was committed. Children in the morning
set up toll gates along the roads by
holding a string across to stop
pederstrains and demand jagaa (toll).
The money is supposed to pay for
Ghantakama's funeral, for he was such a
miser of a demon he didn't leave
anything for his family. In the
afternoon various neighborhoods erect
bamboo effigies of the demon. The
structures stand at roadsides and
junctions, and are outfitted with
horrific demon masks and oversized
sexual origins. In mid-afternoon in
Kathmandu low caste boys and men roam
the streets with lewd symbols painted on
their bodies. They beg alms from all
passers-by (you'll be cursed for
refusing) while others taunt them the
whole route. Around sunset the effigies
come down (except Naradebi tole's) and
are dragged to the holy river,
accompanied by jeering kids singing
obscenities. The beggars of the day ride
the bundles until there's a mere chance
to escape. The demon's remains are all
thrown in the river. The events are
nearly identical in the Newar towns and
villages, although Bhaktapur burn five
demons together at Salan Ganesh Temple
around 8.00 p.m. In Kathmandu at
midnight the Swet Kali quartet- Bhairab,
Swet Kali, Barahi and Kumari-cut done
the Nardebi Tole demon and others come
to drag it away. Fighting evil spirits
and demons in general is the main theme
behind all the festival's rituals. This
is a 'chaturdashi'- a major dark moon
and from now until Dashain every
chaturdashi a major demon perishes. In
the afternoon peddlers hawk special iron
rings to ward off the evil this day.
House owners pound an iron nail into the
threshold of the entrance. After dark,
housewives leave strange offerings of
rice husks and buffalo entrails at
roadsides for the witches of the nights.
And at the various piths and secluded
shrines in the Valley, the night is
considered especially auspicious for the
practice of black magic.
2. JANAI PURNI & PACHHYAA BANDHAN:
This combined Hindu festival consumes
two obvious days the evening before and
the full moon of Shrawan. The religious
sectors include Patan (Kumbheshwor
Mahadeb Temple), Debpatan (Pashupati
Nath Temple) and Gosainkund of Silu up
in the Himalayas. Public rituals are the
holy bath in the spout of Kumbheshwor
Mahadeb Temple, the holy bath in the
Bagmati River and the holy bath in the
alpine lake of Gosainkund. Special
divine images are on full display. The
Janai is the sacred thread worn by upper
caste Hindu maleswhich is ceremonially
changed annually this very full-moon
day. The rachhya bandhan is a
'protective bond' which anyone,
regardless of caste, may being wearing
this day. It is a yellow or orange
thread tied around the wrist, left for
females and rights for males, worn for
three months until Gai Puja- the day of
Dipabali. Then it is tied to the tail of
a cow, so that the cow will lead the
wearer's soul to the Gates of Yam-Raj
upon death. Kumbheshwor, where the
festival's main ceremonies take place,
is a five-strayed pagoda temple
dedicated to Lord Shiva. Water in the
adjacent pond is locally believed to
have been connected by underground
channels to the sacred Lake Gosainkund
which lies at an elevation of 15,000
feet in the mountains to the north of
the Valley. Hardy pilgrims journey up to
this lake for a full-moon mela in sheer
honor of Shiva who come from the Great
Himalayas. On display from the evening
preceding the full-moon are the two
Shiva lings at Kumbheshwor. The smaller,
with five faces, remains inside, while
the large, with a gilded snake cast
around it, is removed to the special
platform in the pond around midnight.
The courtyard begins to fill from sunset
when Tamang shamans, beating drums and
dressed in long white robes and crowns
of peacock feathers, perform a special
dance to purify the area. Individual
shamans (called jhankri) keep this up
all night and throughout the following
day. The large lingam is taken out
around midnight and carried in a slow
procession that takes about an hour. The
priest carrying the idol turns this way
and that, so that all may get a clear
view, and in the end dashes across the
platform. Once the image is installed,
devotees line up to touch their
foreheads to it and leave offerings.
Brahmans begin tying on rachhya bandhans
in the courtyard while boys splash about
the pond. A steady stream of worshippers
files by throughout the night and
especially the day following. Pashupati
Nath Temple is closed the day before the
full-moon for it is said this day Shiva
pays a particular visit to Gosainkund.
It reopens from the full-moon morning
and is thronged by day break. Hindus
commit puja to the sacred lingam and
receive the rachhya bandhan. Males in
small groups along the river change the
janai. Towards midnight at Kumbheshwor
the sacred lingam is removed from the
platform in the pond and, with the same
pomp and slow ceremonial walk, the
priest returns the lingam to the temple
and locks it up. Farmers also mark this
day as Byaaan Jaa Nake- Feed the Frog
Day. For their amphibious friends, long
associated with guarding the rice crop,
they leave a leaffull of rice and Kwati-
the nutritious bean mix that is today's
special food.
^TOP
3. GAI JATRA:
It is a nine-day Hindu festival starting
from the full moon the 8th of dark
Bhadra. The focal point is without
doubtKathmandu Valley, especially
Bhaktapur. It consists of jatras, masked
dances, street skits and khat yatras. The
1st of dark Bhadra is the day Yam-Raj,
the God of Death, opens the Gates of
Judgment. The Newars believe the soul
after death wanders about until this
date, having to travel a hazardous route
that is best braved with the assistance
of a sacred cow. Thus on this day, all
Newars in whose families a death has
occurred since the previous year parade
a cow or cow effigy through the streets.
Wealthier city folks and villagers
parade a real cow, dressed in yellow,
which must be given to a Brahman
afterwards; but most families either
construct an effigy or dress up a child
to represent a cow. The costumes vary
with the locality. Be it known that the
cow is the national animal of Nepal.
Feeding on beef is strictly forbidden
for the Hindus. Beside the cows, the
processions include men dressed as
friendly women, ghosts, demons, animals,
tourists (with cameras) and other odd
characters. This is in line with the
licensed satiric mood of the week in
which Nepalese are free, and always were
even in the darkest polical periods, to
lampoon every aspect of society except
the sovereign monarchy itself . The
satire is evident in the costumes,
especially in the Bhaktapur yatra, as
well as in the spontaneous skits
throughout the week, the special edition
of the newspaper (heavy on the cartoons)
and in Bhaktapur's night skits plus
dances. This tradition dates back to the
18th century, when the Malla king sought
to console his grieving queen, who had
just lost her son. He invited the
populace to try to make the queen laugh
and they responded with a variety of
outlandish costumes and social mockery
that succeeded so well the king
institutionalized the event. The deep
religious significance and the color of
the procession and skits make this one
of Nepal's most attractive festivals. In
Bhaktapur the festival is called Gun
Punhi- nine day full-moon and begins a
day earlier than the rest of the Valley.
Every afternoon except the following
day, which is the opening day of
everyone else and the day the whole city
participates, the men and boys of one of
Bhaktapur's major neighborhoods dress up
in funny costumes and parade through the
town, the role shifting to another
quarter the following day. Here and
every other Newar towns and villages
events on the morning after the
full-moon begin with family rites to the
dead before the smaller outlying village
devotees go in one long line from
village to village for the day,
returning home late afternoon. The skits
are usually staged onfrom mid-morning.
Kathmandu resident send either a cow or
a boy dressed to be a cow through the
old city called Kantipur in the morning.
Skits are most common around Hanuman
Dhoka. In Patan one of the larger bahals
organizes the yatra each year. All
participants gather here in early
morning and make the route together. The
most spectacular procession is
Bhaktapur's. Here cows are represented
five different ways: by a real one; by a
boy carrying a draped, upside-down
basket with a cow mask attached; by a
tall conical effigy mounted on a khat;
by a statue of a cow borne on a khat; or
by a girl dressed in cowhorns, brocade
gown and traditional heavy jewelery. The
khats are accompanied by bands of
costumed dancers and buffoons. Each
group, departing at different times,
makes a circuit through the city. The
final round is made by the 'public
cows'- effigies by the responsible guthi
to represent those families who couldn't
afford even the simplest effigy of their
own making. Costumed dance groups this
week in Bhaktapur may include the
Mahakali troupe in Malla style dress
with huge masks of deities and their
benevolent attendants. The latter
include the 'betals' in white masks,
long hair, often with long tongues as
well as Debi's little helpers the
Kawanchaa (little skeleton) and the
furry khyah (devils). The Lyashe Pyakhan
troupe dresses as farmers and dance with
the rice-pounding poles. Energenic
youths may take on the role of the
monkey dancer Hanuman. Smaller boys are
recruited for the Radha-Krishna dances,
often also called Nagcha- Nagchin
(little Nags) in which the Radha player
dresses in brocade and ornaments and the
Krishna in a jeweled crown with a
`manual sword. Such troupes give a relay
of their performances at about two dozen
different localities over the next
several nights, concluding on the final
night, sacred to Lord Krishna. The
satirical skits, usually very political,
begin from the afternoon after the major
procession. Players, like the dancers,
perform all over the town and so it
makes them take three or more days,
especially if interrupted by rain. On
this and the following two nights khat
processions take the images of the three
deities including Vairab, Mahalaxmi and
Barahi respectively around the city. The
special food for Gai Jatra/ Gun Punhi is
kwati- a mixture of five kinds of beans
boiled in a tasty soup, said to contain
all the vitamins missing from the
ordinary seasonal diet.
^TOP
4. KRISHNA JAYANTI:
This is a one day religious festival
dedicated to Lord Krishna. It takes
place on the 7th of dark Bhadra. It is a
very important Hindu mela and parade of
Kathmandu Valley. The authentic day
celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna,
the 8th 'abatar' (incarnation) of Lord
Bishnu. Celebrations today are in
preparation for the midnight hour that
traditionally marks the God's birth.
Special displays of pictures by affluent
devotees narrate many of the well-know
incidents in Krishna's life-time from
the great epic "Vagbad- Geeta". The
beautiful Krishna Mandir in Patan's
Drubar Square is the focal point of
devotional activity. All day people line
up for a walk through the temple to the
second floor of the sanctuary. Women
especially, many down from the hills,
keep an all-night vigil on the steps. In
Kathmandu a parade featuring images
mounted on decorated cars and trucks,
rolls down New Road about 3-4 in the
afternoon and onto Hanuman Dhoka.
Devotees at various temple and
dharmashalas play and sing religious
music, often amplified till past
midnight.
IN HARVEST:
1. TIHAR (SWOTI):
Tihar is also annual festival much
attached with both the Buddhist and
Hindu religions. It commences soon after
Dashain. To the Newars it is delightful
'Swonti Nakha'. This auspicious occasion
keeps occupying five particular days. It
is special ritual of lights which honors
Luxmi- the consort of Lord Bidhnu. Luxmi
is the main Goddess of Wealth & Good
Fortune. The days also honor Yam-Raj the
Lord of Death and mark the end of the
Nepal Era (N.E) calendar which stands
very important for the bonafide Newa
community. This occasion precisely pays
respect to divine beings, human beings
and animals beings. As traditionally
practiced by the Nepalese, Tihar
involves rites which symbolize the
surrounding of the broadest definitions
of life plus death. It ritually appears
different from Dipabali as performed in
India by running an extra two days and
featuring homage to the beasts of death,
namely the crow and the dog as well as
those of life such as the holy cow and
the holy bullock and one's own self. The
crow, the dog, the vulture and the
jackal are all regarded as the dutiful
messengers of Yam-Raj because they do
feed on carrion. However vultures and
jackals are only seasonal visitors to
the Valley, so they are not involved in
the 'Puja' rituals. The first day of the
Tihar vacation is dedicated to the crow.
Thus it is known as Crow Worship.
Nepalese leave special leaf-trays of
food for the local birds just as the day
following they prepare something
extraordinary for the dogs. So the
second day of the Tihar vacation is
known as dog worship. On this day even
the mangiest pariahs and other stray
dogs plus street dogs are also
garlanded, given 'tika' and a wholesome
meal. The dog is a favorite animal to
many because it serves as a guard and a
companion. Owners respect the dog for
its faithfulness andloyalty to the
family. On the third day of the
festival, Nepalese devotees worship
Luxmi by performing a 'Puja' in the
morning in honor of her glorious symbol
and scrubbing the entrances to their
homes for Luxmi's nocturnal visit. All
Hindu families light small oil-fed lamps
of candle-sticks in their windows and
door-ways at dark. Children play
joyfully with sparklers which at other
times of the year is against the law.
The towns and neighborhoods, already
decorated for the Newar New Year (Nepal
Era), become a beautiful display of
light. It is especially worthwhile to go
trodding through the old city at night
time, for an hour or so after the sun
has eventually set, to enjoy the vivid
illumination.
The Narayanhity Royal
Palace and the Shiva Temple at Rani
Pokhari (Queen Pond) is also lit up
during the entire Tihar. Some folks
paint footsteps on the front approaches
to their residences in order to guide
Luxmi inside for witnessing the rituals
towards a display of family wealth. They
mean to beseech the Goddess for
multiplying their fortune at hand. Later
on groups move door-to-door singing and
dancing for the traditional 'paisa'
offerings. Tonight is the turn of the
girls and children; it is called 'vaili'.
The next night awaits the boys and young
men; it is called 'dyousi'. On the
fourth day of the festival, peasants
worship bullocks and field implements in
the morning. Hindus make 'Gobardan Puja'.
This day is highly important for the
Newar Community because it inaugurates a
new year in the Newars calendar, its era
dating back as far as to 880A.D. The
ethic Nepal Era (N.E.) as opposed to
Bikram Era (B.E) is the national
calendar session of the country; the
latter one solely belongs to the Indians
though also currently used and Nepal is
obviously never a part of India. The
original inhabitants of the state were
the decent Newars who speak a genuine
dialect Tibet- Burmese in nature as
today. Referring to the story, the holy
King of Bhaktapur divined that sand
taken from Lakha Tirtha (a certain
religious point at the bank of the
sacred Bishnumati) in Kantipur would
turn into gold if collected at a
specific hour. Accordingly then he
dispatched several persons to gather the
sand where a witty Kantipur man named
Sakhwa got suspicious and deceived them
into leaving their sand at his home and
picked up more, but by now worthless
late sand. When the sand duly changed
into gold the startled Sakhwa performed
a 'Mha Puja'- the worship of one's sell-
and sped to inform the then King that if
he would formally start a new calendar
ear he would willingly pay off each and
every debt remaining in the kingdom.
This is how the tradition of 'Mha Puja'
(body worship) began commencing and the
practice of a new Nepal Era as well.
Buddhist Newars this night perform their
own special 'Mha-Puja' at homebefore the
authentic mandals they make for the
grand occasion. A recent supplement to
the New Year activity is the motorbike
rally that roars thought each of the
three important cities in the afternoon
in fond support of their mother language
plus ritual culture.
However thousands
of jealous eyes are cast upon the long
rally! The verbal slogans of the
juveniles that go ringing in our ears
include "NEPAL ERA!-NATIONAL ERA!" AND
"OFFICIAL RECOGNITION!- MUST BE GIVEN!"
to which the stupid government has bee
turning a deaf ear only in a deliberate
manner for years. Even the arrival of
the multi-party democracy very recently
has not been found so helpful for the
mandatory recognition nationwide. This
is indeed a sheer mockery to the pure
citizens who today live in a right
society trying to be absorbed by the
Tibetans and the Indians. The last day
(obviously the fifth day) of the Tihar
festival is known as Bhai Tika or Kija
Puja where all elder sisters honor and
worship their younger brothers. Those
who don't have one can accept cousins
though this is not a must; it is a
tradition put in practice so as to avoid
any sadness creeping on the part of the
acting sister when witnessing another
committing brother-worship and herself
not being able to perform so. Nowadays
an added formality is the worship of the
elder-brother as well by the younger
sister, as in India (but where practiced
since a very long period back). They
there by emulate the girl Jamuna who in
the south Asia myth delayed Yam-Raj (the
Judge of Death) from snatching away the
valuable life of her brother by
demanding consent to complete worship of
him. Miss-Jamuna them drew out
thesisterly ceremony so long that Yam-Raj
was eventually forced to relent and
grant a lengthy life to her brother. On
this morning among non-Newars and in the
evening among Newars, sisters seat their
brothers inside a ritually inscribed
circle, pray to him, garland him, and
then paint a multi-colored 'tika' on his
forehead. Thereafter they exchange
gifts- the boy hands her clothing and/or
get involved in the gambling spirit over
the cards, dices, etc. In the evening
oil-lamps and fire-works, while not so
numerous as the previous two evenings,
decorate the night sky of the season one
more time. The colorful street banners
remain up several more days yet.
^TOP
2. YOMARHI PUNHI:
This is a special full-moon day for the
Newa community in particular. It is held
for two successive days, the daybefore
and the day after the full-moon of the
bitter month of Poukh. The important
sectors for the charming celebration
include Thecho, Kathmandu Valley and
Banepa Valley with domestic rituals and
masked dances both thrown in. A 'Yomarhi'
is a rare confection of rice-flour
dough, technically shaped like a fig and
filled with an edible blend of brown
cane sugar and sesame seeds. It is the
traditional grub of the winter full-moon,the
shape varying but the term actually
translating as 'fig-bread'.Rituals this
day are practically affiliated with the
completion of the harvest task. Masked
dancers in Thecho Village perform an
enchanting variety of folk plus
religious dances all afternoon the day
before the full-moon. There occurs a
short repeat presentation the following
day. 'Yamarhi' cakes are offered to the
Gods of the Buddhist and Hindu pantheons
everywhere this day, with the largest
multitudes seen at the Dhaneshwor
Mahadeb Temple in Banepa. Families at
sunset perform rites at home with the 'Yomarhi'
rice-cakes before their distribution as
part of the feast. The same evening
later Newa children proceed singing
front-door to front door appealing for 'Yomarhi'
donations.
3. BADA DASHAIN (MOHANI):
This is the harvest festival of Nepal
celebrated annually in a grand manner.
In fact Dashain is the greatestHindu
festival. It is a period of family
reunions, the trade of fervent gifts and
elderly blessings, profuse pujas,
ritualbaths and animals sacrifices. As
the most auspicious time for certain 'tantric'
rites and yearly pageants, Dashain
respects Goddess Durga; so some all the
festival Durga-Puja as well. She was
created out of the 'Shakti' power of all
the Gods armed with weapons from each of
them. The many armed Goddesses, whose
decent mount is a ferocious lion, was
then dispatched to kill the terrible
buffalo-monster named Mahisasur. Durga's
success symbolized the ultimate victory
of the good over the evil.
Simultaneously, the Hindus of India (Hindusthan)
celebrate Lord Ram's conquest of the
ten-headed demon King Rawan of Lanka
(Ceylon).
Many hold that Ram first spent
nine nights in solid preparation,
involving the 'Shakti' power vested in
Dugra Bhawani (according to its full
from or complete usage) before sending
his foe on the tenth day and freeing his
kidnapped spouse Sita from the demon's
captivity. Dashain is celebrated all
over the Nepalese Kingdom and is
anticipated with the same anxiousness as
the Christmas season in the Western
Hemisphere. Dugra Bhawani as Taleju is
regarded the Divine Protesters of the
nation and her festival is a stable
reminder of the state's underlying
unity. Most government offices remain
closed for the entire duration, as
servicemen return home to the villages
and the hills for the cultural vacation.
In preparation for the great Dashain
Nepalese scrub and clean their houses
giving their traditional mud-brick
houses a fresh coat of paint which comes
from a blend of red- lay, cow-dung and
plain water. Both prior to and during
the merry festival rural stock-breeders
lead their herds to the Tundikhel before
placing them on the bazaar. The
beginning day is eventually known as "Ghatasthapana"-the
Establishment of the Holy Kalash (Vasse).
Nepalese early in the morning plant
seeds of corn and unhusked rice in a
tiny vessel filled with river-bed sand,
sprinkle it with water, cover and put
the vessel truly represents Goddess
Dugra and is sprinkled every day. Rich
families often hire a Brahmin (an
orthodox Hindu high-priest) to attend
the vessel for ten days. The sprouts are
several inches long by the tenth day and
are worn in the hair for the rest of the
Dashain period. The first nine nights
are called Naba-Ratri and are solely
dedicated to separate forms of the
Mother-Goddess. Devotional citizens
congregate at a specific Hindu temple
each morn for a sacred bath at dawn
time. Then in the evening, until just
before dawn, an endless stream of
devotees arrives to pay special homage
to the Goddess. Some hold portable
lanterns while others come in groups
playing their caste music. Because the
activity continues all night, the
Valley's cities during the Dashain
season seem never to take sleep. This is
particularly true in Bhadgaon where
groups vie with each other in producing
special, temple-shaped lanterns and
individuals willfully volunteer to sit
or lie perfectly still with oil-fed
lamps attached different parts of their
bodies by cow-dung paste. Festival
activity appears mighty big in the
outlying villages as well. The routine
and kind of events may differ form one
to another Khokana, a Newar village
several kilometers south of Patan,
vividly stages masked dances from the
morning of the seventhday. The public
performance is done by the Naha-Durga
troupe with four masked dancers,
believed to be in deep trance from the
moment they don the masks and drink the
fresh blood from the split throat of a
dying sacrificial buffalo. This is
indeed a Tantric interpretation of Durga
Bhawani's victory. The afternoon of the
seventh day in Kathmandu City
customarily features the Fulpati Parade.
The term signifies "sacred flowers" and
denotes the royal vessel known as 'Kalash'
from Gorkha which is the original
Nepalese home (among the western hills)
belonging to the currently reigning
dynasty- the shah. Men from Gorkha carry
it for four days to the capital,
arriving around twoish or threeish this
very afternoon at Rani Pokhari (the
Queen Pond). The Monarch here receives
the 'Fulpati' and there proceed formal
ceremonies for about an hour following
which the procession resumes. The holy
bouquet in its 'Kalash' is borne on a 'Khat'
by a Brahman, shaded by a protective
umbrella. Accompanying contingents
include the Gorkha army and government
officers as well as three respectable
ladies who reside in Narayahity Royal
Palace and never come out otherwise,
plus the masked 'debi' (Goddess)
dancers. The parade returns to Hanuman
Dhoka via Asan Tole and Indra Chowk,
arriving about dark. When the King
arrives this historical complex the 'Fupati'
is officially installed, guns boom and
the band strikesu p the national anthem.
The royal family later leaves in a
unique motorcade. While it is possible
to watch the procession and fetch a
short glimpse of the King, the ceremony
unfortunately takes place within the
restricted confines of the old kingly
palace. In Patan, Naba-Ratri is joyously
highlighted by the nightly performance
for the Astha Matrika dancers who form
eight in number. These are men and boys
dressed to represent the
Mother-Goddesses along with Shiva,
Vairab, Sima and Durma. The act was
introduced by a certain Malla king of
the seventeenth century. The show begins
eighths or so each evening at Naka Bahil,
around the corner from the cinema hall.
Devotees come to worship the posed masks
themselves first which are mounted on
the wall existing behind the dancers.
The performers don their masks and now,
seized with the divine spirit of the
deity, begin shaking and must be
properly guided into the right position.
The group proceeds slowly in single
file, to the Durbar Square,
alternatively breaking into stylized
dance steps and gestures, and being led
forward while they happen to tremble.
Upon reaching the Durbar Square, after
about half an hour's walk, the group
performs on a plinth in front of a
temple. The traditional act lasts about
twenty minutes and concludes with the
dances removing their face masks in
correct all at once. The eighth night is
called Kal Ratri or Black Night because
precisely at midnight time, when the
moon has set, the great sacrifices of
the buffalo's begin. These take place
under the fatherly direction of the
Tantric high-priests remaining inside
the forbidden precincts of the Taleju
Temple. So they can not be witnessed at
all. (Devout Buddhists gather at
Swayamvu Hill this afternoon to perform
an authentic rite for the special sake
of the sacrificial victims). The
sacrifices, which inaugurate Nabami-the
nineth auspicious day, are in the
enthusiastic sprit of 'Syakko- Tyakko'
the principle of which signifies the
more you kill the move you gain. The
slaughter of animals this day symbolizes
the slaying of an animal's part of one's
self. Ecologically speaking, the blood
letting may be the virtual means for the
control of the goat and buffalo
populations plus the distribution of
meat products. Peasants will lack the
extra dose of protein now to build up
their stamina for the taxing work of
outdoor harvest. On the last morning
army units sacrifice the cattle beings
including goats and buffaloes with
regimental pomp. In Kathmandu City the
courtyard behind the police station at
Hanuman Dhoka officially called 'Kot' is
the major scene of the yearly slaughter.
This event stands liberally open to the
common public with a special balcony
reserved for alien observers. The
sacrifices begin eighths and last for
two hour or so. According to the annual
tradition, the executioner is absolutely
required to sever the animal's head with
a single stroke of the blade. In Patan
and Bhadgaon smaller scale rites take
shape in the respective Durbar Square.
Throughout the day Nepalese perform 'Bishwo-
Karma' puja in special honor of the God
of Crafts & Vehicles. Citizens lay out
and decorate technical tools and other
implements of their professional trades.
The handy looms inside the houses are
also festooned. They sacrifice a goat to
their automobiles, including the
aircrafts at Trivuban International
Airport by spraying its blood onto the
wheels and the fore-part. The goat's
long intestine is also inflated to
decorate the vehicle with it. Religious
butchery of goats and fowls occur
throughout the day of the Mother-
Goddess. The Living Goddess Kumari, as
the divine incarnation of Taleju Bhawani,
is part of the Dashain activity. She is
taken to Taleju Temple for Kal-Ratri
rites sometime in the hours of the
morning and again in the early evening
of Nabami. Bhadgaon's Kumari makes her
only appearance of the year during
Dashain. Each morning she is carried to
Taleju Temple and back. She sits
enthroned in her quarters at Kwathadau
which is accessible to all devotees
daily. On the occasion of Nabami only
she is accompanied by nine little lasses
selected to be the Mother-Goddesses for
this day. They are escorted before a
large and curious crowd to Taleju Temple
in late afternoon. On the ninth evening
in Bhadgaon the new masks of Naba- Durga
are on public display at Yachhe Tole.
The dancers themselves perform without
masks at Kalache Tole in the eastern
part of Bhadgaon. Later they proceed to
Brahmayani Temple, a few kilometers
further east, for secret rites and
returning to Yachhe Tole after midnight
to 'steal' the masks. The tenth day is
called Bijaya Dashain and celebrates
Ram's unanimous victory over Rawan. This
is also known as Tika Day for Nepalese
call on their elders as a respect to
receive the vermilion mark on the
forehead. This is indeed a fervent
blessing towards the junior relatives.
All dress their best, plucking the jamra
or nalaa-swaan flowers from the Dashain
kalash to fix in their hair and perform
especial rites at their residences.
In Bhadgaon the Kumari dispenses the divine
blessings to the faithful ones from the
hour of sun-rise till about mid-day in
the square behind the Narayan Temple
past Datta Traya. Local citizens stroll
to the Brahmayani Temple to pay homage
to the mother-Goddess and get a view of
the Naba-Durga masks which are all
transferred here in the middle of the
night. Some or a few exceptionally
devoted ones roll themselves down the
streets and paths. Pious types of other
will either sit or lie down here and
there at the Wakupath Narayan Temple
enroute with the burning bright oil-fed
lamps attached to their bodies with
cow-manure paste. In Kathmandu the
Monarch receives 'tika' of 'sinha' from
his Guru- Priest (teacher) and
mid-morning to the formal accompaniment
of a thirty-one gun salute. Ladies queue
up all day at Kumari House in mid-town
for the opportunity of 'tika' from the
Living Goddess inside. The long line
takes place in the stair cases of the
respective floors, continuing to the
courtyard and even outside in the
stone-paved street adjacent to the
Durbar Square. In mid-afternoon the
general publics are also granted the
once a year permission of entering the
Royal Palace premises at Narayanhity to
receive the 'tika' from the Majestic
couple itself. Aliens too who are
willing to bear the patience of standing
for at least an hour on the line are
welcome to fetch the sovereign head's
blessings. In the olden part of the
capital city particularly around Kilagal,
Kwabahal and Thamel, especial local
Kumaris are taken out for brief
publicites and 'guthi' worship. Emerging
from different 'bahals' about this time
are the momentum Sword Processions known
as the 'Khadga Jatra' or 'Paayaa'.
Tranced out descendants of the bahal's
original founders carry cutlasses of old
design which represent the
Mother-Goddess in tardy processions,
circling the immediate neighborhood and
come back in an hour or so. Staged at
various late afternoon hours, these are
usually finished by sunset. By this time
'Khat Yatras' start from Annapurna
Temple in Asan Tole and the Ashok
Binayak Temple in Maru Tole. Ashok
Binayak is the main Ganesh of Kathmandu
City today. (Every street has a Ganesh
temple; it is the pride of the Hindu
city). The Ganesh 'Khat' houses a
special image of the God in bronze metal
and goes round the famous wooden temple
named Kastha Mandap (Maru Sattat)
thrice. It then leaves for the southern
part of the capital city, stays outside
overnight and returns the following day
in late afternoon. In Patan urban
residents line up at Gabahal quarters
for 'tika'. The dancing troupe of Astha
Matrika performs for the last time
fourish early evening in the holy
courtyard of the old royal palace
established by theMalla dynasty. In the
morning a rather spectacular procession
commences from the Mahaluxmi Temple
nearby Lagankhel. Merry devotees carry
heads of buffaloes and dance in disguise
to represent in slain Mahisasur . The
line files past Tyagal, Hogal and ends
at Mangal Bazaar. Now the major activity
of Dashain is over though certain of the
next few days a wait for visiting
special relatives. For instance married
daughters call in their natal homes on
the eleventh while Bhadgaon stages the 'Taleju
Khat-Yatra' late the twelfth night. On
the bright full-moon day Buddhist stupas
and shrines are auspiciously decorated.
The 'Kalash' that held the 'Jamra'
shoots is this day dumped before the
main doorway. Patan Buddhists in the
morning follow a procession that goes
along much the ditto route as Mata-Yaa
and includes the same scattering of
grains to feed the souls of the deceased
ones.
^TOP
|
