Community Based Bhaktapur
Introduction to
Bhaktapur
Locally known as Khwopa, Bhaktapur is an
ancient city. It is well known for its elegant art, rich culture, colorful
festivals and indigenous lifestyle of Newari community. Known for its cultural
heritages, Bhaktapur is more like an open museum which has the ambiance to
instantly transport visitors back by century the moment they step into its
territory. Bhaktapur celebrates many local festivals. In fact it celebrates at
least one festival per month. Each festival has its own reason why it is
celebrated. Most of these festivals are religious; some have historical
significance, while others are seasonal and legendary celebrations. Festivals in Bhaktapur begin with
religion and ends up as a social event putting a community together sharing
faith and warmth amongst each other.
Nepali calendar
In Nepal, a unique solar calendar, Bikram
Sambat is used. Bikram Sambat (BS or B.S.) is the official calendar of Nepal
[1]. Bikram Sambat Nepali Calendar is approximately 56 years and 8.5months
ahead of the Gregorian calendar [2]. There are twelve months in total in this
calendar. In bhaktapur, festivals are in celebrated each and every month of
this solar calender.
Baishakh- Bisket Jatra
This calendar starts with the month of
Baishak which marks the beginning of the solar New Year [1]. This is the month when ‘Bisket
jatra’ is celebrated. Bisket jatra is the feast of color, crowds, power and
danger. It starts with the tug of war in Taumadhi Square [3]. Two of the most
important deities of the town, the wrathful god Bhairab and the goddess
Bhadrakali are enshrined in their ‘raths’, an immense chariot [4]. Residents of
the upper and lower halves of the city try to pull a huge chariot to their
respective sides through the narrow roads of Bhaktapur[3]. On the other hand, a huge tree trunk
is erected. If people
are able to lift the trunk without accidents, it means that the people of
bhaktapur will be protected. However, if the trunk falls back, it symbolizes that the coming 12
months is going to be tough.
Jestha – Buddha Jayanti and Sithi Nakha
Jestha is the second month in the
Nepali calendar. Buddha Jayanti and Sithi Nakha are the two major festicals
celebrated in his month. Buddha Jayanti is th full moon day when Lord Buddha
was borned. This is a very sacred day not only for the buddhist but also for
Hindus. About a week before Buddha purnima, people go around the town playing a
unique kind of instruments. On the day of Buddha Purnima, people (doesn’t
matter if you are Buddhist or Hindu) gather in a Buddhist monastery and go
around the town in the evening with a candle lit in their hands. This day is a
clear example of how buddhists and Hindu live together in bhaktapur with
harmony. Quarrels between people regarding their religion is rarely heard or
seen.
Ashadh – Dahi Chiura Khane Din
Similarly, Ashadh is the third month in
the nepali calender. This month celebrates 'dahi chiura khane din'. This is the
day when people eat yogurt and bittten rice. Bhaktapur is well known for the
yogurt (curd) it makes. 'Juju Dhau' meaning King Curd is one of the best things
Bhaktapur can offer its visitors. It is made in a very traditional way. It
won't be a shock if tourists are seen with a big bowl of curd eating it with a
tiny wooden spatula.
Shrawan – Gathamuga Charya
The fourth month is the month of Shrawan.
This is the month when 'gathamuga charya ' is celebrated. This is said to be a
day when people of bhaktapur killed a demonnamed gathamuga, who used to eat
childrens. In the commemoration of this event, a mannequin is made out of staws
and hays in every commmunity of Bhaktapur and by the end of the day, that mannequin id
burnt and taken all the way down to the river.
Bhadra - Gaijatra
'Bhadra' is the fifth month of the year;
this is the month when GaiJatra is celebrated. This festival is a time to
remember the lost ones. The word Gai means cow in English. Cow is the goddess
of wealth and is regarded as the souls of the departed to the gates of the
netherworld. Sharing of sorrow and to taking the comfort in knowing that their
lost ones are safe is the true reason of celebrating this festival [5]. This
festival was started to be celebrated from the period of Pratap Malla's rule
who is the builder of Rani Pokhari in Kathmandu. He organized this festival to
make his Queen happy, who had lost her beloved younger son. The King wanted to
show the Queen that she is not only the one who had lost her beloved son but
there are many others like her [4].
Asoj - Dashain
The sixth month of the year is 'Asoj'.
This is the year when one of the biggest festivals 'Dashain' is celebrated. Dashain is the longest and the most auspicious
festival in the Nepalese annual calendar, celebrated by Nepalese of all caste
and creed throughout the country. The fifteen days of celebration occurs during
the bright lunar fortnight ending on the day of the full moon. Thorough out the
kingdom of Nepal the goddess Durga in all her manifestations are worshiped with
innumerable pujas, abundant offerings and thousands of animal sacrifices for
the ritual holy bathing, thus drenching the goddess for days in blood[5]. In
this festival, elderly people of a family put tikka in the Youngers forehead,
give them fruits and flowers and a lots of blessings.
Kartik - Tihar
The seventh month of the
year is ‘Kartik’. This month also celebrates on of the biggest festivals not
only in Bhaktapur but all over Nepal. This month celebrates Tihar. It is the custom of lighting lights in homes, shops, lanes,
streets, temples etc. People use different kinds of lights like oil lamps,
butter lamps and due to evolving technology different kinds of electrical ,
flashy lights are also lit [9].Diwali, or Tihar which means "row of
lights" honors Laksmi, the goddess of prosperity and lasts 5 days in
October. On the 1st day, dream crows in filing their offerings of rice around
the trees. The 2nd day is reserved for dogs. Laksmi is venerated the 3rd day.
The 5th day there was a beautiful ceremony, Bhai tika. For the Newar last day
marks the beginning of the New Year [7].
Poush – Yomari Punhi
The ninth month of the year is ‘Poush’.
This is the month when Yomari Punhi
is celebrated, meaning the full moon of yomari , is one of the most popular
Newar festivals and is observed every year during the full moon of December.
Yomari is a food made from rice flour which is dough shaped like fig and filled
with brown cane sugar and sesame seeds which is then steamed. In Yomari purnima people also worship Goddess Anapurna. Annapurna
is the goddess of grains and food. It is the time when farmers finish
harvesting and taking rest after long day’s work. Kids gathered in groups go
neighborhood to ask for yomari in the evening. The festival is believed started
from panchal nagar (Panauti). It is said Suchandra and Krita, a married couple,
first experimented with fresh yield of rice from their field. They came out
with shape of yomari. The new food was distributed among the villagers. The
food was liked by all, the bread was named yomari, which literally means 'tasty
bread'. The couple offered yamari to Kuber (god of weath) who was disguised and
passing by. Kuber was happy and disclosing himself blessed the couple with
wealth. He also declared that whosoever prepare Yomari in the form of gods and
goddesses on the full moon day of Marga Sukla Purnima every year and observe
four days of devotion to god, will gain wealth and prosperity[10].
Magh- Maghe Sakranti
‘Magh’ is the tenth month of the year. Maghe
Sakranti is celebrated in this month. This festival is celebrated on the first
day of the month. Delicious food items like Till ko laddu (Brown Sesame seed
Fudge), Chakku (Molasys), Ghee (Clarified Butter), Tilauri. Spinich and Yam’s
curry is cooked as Maghe Shankranti’s special food. A special type of Spinich
called Patne Palungo specially grown in Nepal and yam is regarded as very
important and special food of Maghe Shankranti.People of Bhaktapur massages
their body and head with Sesame oil. Newar calls Maghe Sangranti Ghyo Chaku
Sanun. It is believed that massaging the body with Sesame oil and eating these
food items i.e ghiu Chaku, Til ko Laddoo, Spinich and yam helps us become
healthier and warmer during the cold weather. Some people call Maghe Sangranti
ghiu chaku tarul day [11].
Falgun – Shiva ratri
Falgun is the eleventh month in the Nepali
calendar. ‘Shiva Ratri’ is celebrated in this month. This is the day when
people worship lord Shiva, the destructor. During the evening of this day,
people burn woods either infront of their house or in their prayer room. One of
the interesting aspects of Shiva Ratri is that on this day devotees and
non-devotees alike freely indulge in smoking intoxicating substances such as
marijuana and bhang for it is the only day in the annual calendar when
marijuana is legal. Many people take these intoxicants in the belief that it
pleases Lord Shiva for he too is said to be fond of it. Thus marijuana is taken
as prasad, holy food blessed by the Gods [12].
Chaitra - Holi
The last month of the year is Chaitra. It
is also known as Holi. Holi is the festivals of colors. People celebrate in the
streets, wearing old clothes and throwing powder colored water to each other as
a simple for unity. This is the day when older people in Bhaktapur prefer to
not come out of their home as they don’t want to get drenched all by color and
water whereas others come out of their house or go at the top of their house
and start pouring water on the passersby. People make Pichkari (water guns) out
of bamboo. And throw colored water on each other. Now-a-days balloons and
plastic water guns (pichkari) are used. The balloon filled with water is called
Lola in Nepali. Kids start throwing lolas on each other from week ahead of main
Holi days [13].
Community based Bhaktapur and
Individualistic USA
Bhaktapur celebrates a lot of festivals,
at least one festival each month. These festivals are one of the main reasons
to bring people together. This is how people are community based. Here, in the
US there aren’t many festivals which might be one of the reasons why people
aren’t community based. Although
many people may not have realized it, celebration of these festivals, sharing
of faith, warmth and beliefs among each other is what kept them together and
live as a community
Conclusion
Sources
14.Leo E. Rose &John T. Scholz, Nepal:Profile of a Himalayan
Kingdom,WestView Press Inc,Colorado, 1980
