Festivals in 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.
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.
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.
Above
is the picture of Rath, the immense chariot on the left and Lingo, the huge
trunk on the right. When you see them live, right infront of you, you cannot
help but feel like you are a part of something divine, sacred and holy. I
remember the year 2058 B.S (2001 A.D), the long wooden tree broke in 2 or 3
halves. It wasn’t a good omen. One of the most prestigious prophets of
Bhaktapur declared that the Royal family will be affected by this. Nonetheless,
that was the year when the Royal Massacre took place. The whole Royal family
was murdered.
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.
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.
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'
is the fifth day of the month; 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].
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.
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].
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’
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
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].
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].
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
Sources
13.
http://www.weallnepali.com/nepali-festivals/holi
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