Kathmandu Valley is an epicenter of art, culture and heritage besides being the capital of Nepal. Evolved as an ancestral habitat of Newari Community, this valley is comprised of three major cities of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur and around these cities, small towns and villages are located as satellite towns. At a glance, the Kathmandu Valley seems to look like a living museum of art and culture. The legacy of Licchivi and Malla rulers as connoisseur of art, architecture and painting has made this valley historical. Besides this, this city has been enlivened due to important festivals and jatra(carnival) that take place regularly throughout the year. Festivals which are blended with Hindu and Buddhist tradition have inherited their own uniqueness.
Bisket Jatra
The fabled city of Bhaktapur of the Kathmandu Valley has become popular because of civilization of Mall era, Newari art and culture; and its historical heritage, unique lifestyle and lively celebration of festivals has pioneered Bhaktapur as a living city.
Celebrated fervently on the last and first day of Nepali Year, Bisket Jatra is very important religious and traditional festival of Bhaktapur. Bisket celebration officially opens when Bhairab and Bhandra Kali are enshrined in their respective chariots and pulled by ropes through cheering, worshipping crowds up ancient, stone block streets. Erection of Lord Bhairab's 55 feet lingam in a sprawling area south of the city heralds the celebrations. Newari community celebrates this festival with a worship of gods and goddesses in tantric tradition.
It is believed that this festival has been celebrating for last 1500 years, and it is associated with rulers of Licchivi era and his power. This festival also associates with snakes as it's a celebration to commemorate the death of two snakes. When at last the lingam thunders to the ground a great roar of approval arises, for most believe that only now does the New year actually commence.
Sindor Jatra
Celebrated on first and second day of Nepali New Year, Sindor Jatra is celebrated in Thimi two miles west of Bhaktapur famous for pottery in a spectacular gathering of all their deities, when Bal Kumari-yet another consort and female representation of Lord Bhairab- is the honoured goddess. Throughout New Year's day her aging padoda-tiered temple in the heart of the village is thronged with musicians and worshipped bringing to Bal Kumari, gifts of flowers, rice fruits, vegetables and coins. Young and old alike smear sindor(vermillion) over their face. Newari people celebrate it with special feast at night. The second day of the New Year brings Thimi's greatest annual festival. Temple-like Khats- ornately canopied ceremonial palanquins affixed to two bamboo poles which ride up on men's shoulders converge at the temple of Bal Kumari, thirty two khats in all, each accompanied by dozens of men and boys throwing clouds of brilliant orange-red power over themselves, the khats, idols and passers-by, and into upstairs windows over laughing girls, women and children. For to drench one's elders, friends and neighbours in vivid red power is a token of respect, just as it honours the gods and goddesses.
Bode Jatra
In Bode Village, little away from Bhaktapur, people come to see a smaller New Year procession of seven khats and to witness the awesome 'tongue-boring' ceremony at the temple of Goddess Mahalaxmi. Usually a man of Bode volunteers to undergo this sacred religious atonement. For the last four days this man has undergone a 'cleansing' ceremony during which beard, eyebrows and hair are shaved away to remove all 'unclean body growths'. Now around midday the temple pujari or priest, holding the man's extended tongue in a piece of cloth, thrusts a long metal spike through its centre. With the needle piercing his out-thrust tongue the penitent walks about the lanes of Bode shouldering a bamboo structure of several sacred flaming torches that all may witness and admire his piety and painful religious penance. When he returns, the pujari removes the needle inside the temple and fills the wound with mud from the floor, thought to have special healing powers.
The chariot Ride of Red Machhendra
One of the most famous and perhaps most spectacular of all Kathmandu Valley festivals takes place in April or early May, when Lord Machhendra's towering massive chariot is hauled through the narrow streets of Patan town. Celebrated jointly by Buddhist and Hindus, this jatra is being worshipped by Buddhists in a form of Aryavalokiteswar Padma Pani Bhodisatva or simply Lokeswar or Fourth of Five Buddhas (Pancha Buddha) and by Hindus in a form of Saint Karunamaya( compassionate God of Mercy).
The festival begins with the chariot of Machhendra Nath being brought to Patan from Bungmati, a small Newari village south of Kathmandu Valley. Five feet tall statue of red faced god is being taken to chariot at Pulchoki after taking bath. It meanders through Patan and finally is taken to Jawalakhel. Many people throng to see this chariot festooned with colourful ribbons, pine's leave and red power.
Legend says that during the reigns of King Narendra Dev of Patan, a twelve-year drought in the valley caused tanks, wells, ponds and fields to dry up, bringing famine and pestilence to animals and humans. When Machhendra Nath came to Nepal from India at the request of the King, it started raining. Since then people of the Kathmandu Valley have started to observe this festival to rejoice the rainfall with a worship to Lord Machhendranath.
The climax of the celebration takes place in Jawalakhel on an auspicious date fixed by astrologers with displaying of bhoto(waistcoat) in front of thousands of people including head of state and high government officials at Jawlakhel. It is believed that people will have peace of mind, prosperity with a glance of bhoto.
Indra Jatra
Eight day long Indra Jatra falls in September which is most excited and revered festival of Newari community of the Kathmandu valley marking the beginning of month long festival season of autumn. It begins with the erection of pine tree specially brought from Yosingu forest of Salaghari. For the pole-raising ceremony on the morning of the twelfth day, hundreds of spectators crowd into the palace square and on to the surrounding temples. The chariot of Kumari, the living Goddess, is taken out in procession through the main streets of Kathmandu. The festival is specially noted for the echoes of drums and dancing feet of the masked dancers almost every evening. Since it is associated with Lord Indra, it is being named as Indra Jatra. Each night of Indra Jatra the shrines and ancient palace buildings crowding Hanuman Dhoka square are aglow with oil wicks and each night in the shadow of the temple before the Living Goddess House an ancient tableau is enacted depicting the ten earthly incarnation of Lord Vishnu. In the afternoon of the day before full moon ecstatic mobs gather near Hanuman Dhoka for the long-awaited Living Goddess procession and to glimpse the beautiful Newari girl who has been deified as the Vestal Virgin, Kumari, worshipped as a goddess by all. Kumari must be of the Newari Shakya caste from Buddhist tradition, usually three or four years old, a virgin with no bodily marks or injuries. How Kumari is chosen remains a closely guarded secret involving the ancient Tantric 'mysteries'. It has become a tradition for head of state and other dignitaries along with ordinary folks to come to Hanuman Dhoka square for the worship of Kumari. The Chariot of Kumari followed by Ganesh is taken to different part of the inner city. The festival of Indra Jatra ends with the lowering of lingam pole bearing Indra's flag amidst religious ceremonies.
Shiva Ratri
Lord Shiva is considered as a most popular and revered deity among the Hindus throughout the world. Shiva Ratri literally meaning 'the Night consecrated to Shiva falls on the fourteenth day of the waning moon in February, or in March when often hundred of thousands worshippers pass through the temple gate of Pashupatinath during the twenty-four hours dedicated to the exaltation of his holy name . It is being celebrated throughout Nepal and cynosure of this festival is Pashupatinath Temple of Kathmandu. Thousands and thousands of pilgrims stream into the valley from all over Nepal, and especially India. Shiva is widely worshipped as the god of reproduction, represented in the lingam(phallus). The surrounding slopes, lit by camp-fires, echo with singing and chanting of Shiva's many names. Fasting devotees remain awake through the entire sacred night, many taking holy baths in the river and returning to the temple every three hours with offering and prayer. Scantily clad Sadhus coming from different parts of Nepal and India are the central attraction of the whole event as many of them perform hatha yoga puffing out cloud of smoke. It's an everlasting memorable event for many tourists who come to Nepal to rejoice this Shiva Ratri.
No comments:
Post a Comment