Beautiful Farwest

हाम्रो समाजमा खास गरी सुदूरपश्चिममा प्रचलित धामीझाँक्री प्रथाले समाजमा पारेको असर बारे मैले महसुस गरेका केही कुराहरु बारे लेख्न गैरहेको छु । खास गरि बैतडी को सन्दर्भमा भन्नू पर्दा, बैतडीको सबै जसो मन्दिरमा एक एक जना धामी रहने प्रचलन रहेको छ । खास गरि धेरै पहिले जब औपचारिक संस्थाको रूपमा कुनै न कुनै देवताको नामले मन्दिरहरुको स्थापना भैसकेको थियो तेति बेला गाउँ ठाउँको सबै जसो पक्षमा आपसी छलफल गर्ने मञ्च नै मन्दिर रहेको थियो। आजभोलिको जस्तो गा वि स , समूह, सहकारी , उपभोक्ता समिति, आमा समूह, बि व्य स , जस्तो मान्छे एकठाँउमा भेटघाट गर्ने मन्दिर बाहेक अन्य कुनै निहु थिएन।  महामल सिंह साँउद  मन्दिरमा स्थानीय बुद्धिजीवी पुजारीको रूपमा, एक जना भण्डारण तथा कोष हेर्ने भंडर्या, गाउँ समाजको अगुवा एक जना मुखिया लाई मन्दिर को मुख्य ब्यक्ति को रुपमा मुखिया को पद सिर्जना गरिएको अवस्था होला । कहिलेकाही मन्दिर सम्बन्धि तथा गाउँ ठाउँका साना तिना समस्या तथा वादविवाद , झैझगडा छिनोफानो गर्न अप्ठ्यारो पर्दा धर्म कचहरीको रूपमा रहेको मन्दिर सित संबंधित व्यक्तिहरुको सहयोग पनि लिने अवस्था आएको ...

राजेन्द्र नाथ  ती दिनहरुमा हाम्रो विद्यालयको पोसाक, खाकी रंगको पाइन्ट र आकासे सर्ट हुन्थ्यो । बर्षको एकपटक सिलाइन्थ्यो, त्यो पोसाक । गौराको बेलामा । नयाँ लुगा भनेकै, त्यही । गाउँको सिरानमा काटछाट गरेर मिलाए जस्तो एकनासे सल्लेरी बन थियो । त्यसका बीच–बीचमा केही सालका सुलुत्त परेका बोट । सल्लेरी वन नाघेपछि भिरालो डाडामा विद्यालय टाढै टल्कन्थ्यो, मालिकार्जुन प्राबि तेलीगाउँ । साता अघिनै बगाले हेड सरले फर्मान जारी गर्नुहुन्थ्यो, ‘विद्यालय खुलेपछि सबै जना नयाँ ड्रेसमा आउनु ।’ अरु बेला भए हेडसरको फर्मानले आतंकित तुल्याउथ्यो । तर, त्यो गौराको छुट्टीको ‘बिशेष घोषणा सभा’ भने सबैका लागि सुरुची र प्रितिकर थियो । पहिला–पहिला हजुरबा गौराको नयाँ लुगा र अन्य खान्कीको ब्यवस्था गर्न झुलाघाट पुग्नुहुन्थ्यो । दार्चुला र बैतडीको यो भारतीय सीमा बजार आउजाउमै दुई दिन लागथ्यो । त्यहाँका ‘सेटजी’ हरुकोमा बर्षौदेखिको कारोबार सम्बन्ध थियो । जाँदा घयूका ग्यालिन बोकेर जाने र आउदा झोलामा नयाँ लुगा र मिस्रि तथा नरिवल जस्ता खानेकुरा लिएर आउनुहुन्थ्यो, उहाँ । तिनै चल्तिमा पनि थिए, त्यो बेला । हजुरबा गएको...

Holi in Darchula, Nepal Holi or Fagupurnima is the festival of color, celebrated in purnima tithi of Falgun month according to calender of Bikram Sambat (first week of March, in AD). This is 8 day festival started with installation of Chir (tall pole with colorful strips of cloths), at the eight days of waxing moon in March and concludes the full moon day. People throw colored powder and water at each other during the days. According to Hindu mythology, the festival is observed to celebrate the extermination of a demon Holika (sister of Hiranyakashipu) who tried to burn Prahlad, a devotee of lord Bishnu.   According to the area and ethnicity this festival is enjoyed in different way. We are showing you a video of Holi in traditional way in Darchula, Nepal.

The greatest significant of this festival is to receive Tika from their parent's hand. Scriptures say "If we take Tika from our parents' hand on Dashain or Bijaya dashami, our wishes will be fulfilled by the God soon because it describes that there's no God above our parents for us". That's why the dispersed families try to unite together at their home in this festival. Not only from their parents; also have they received Tika as a blessing from the elders' hand as well. Before some people crowd to Narayanhiti Royal palace to receive the Tika from the King's hand on Dashain. People renovate their houses and its compounds nicely and make it more shinning at this time; and everywhere the streets also looks very neat and clean than the usual time. In the village, the houses are besmeared by red mud and white chalk, which looks quite brightened and beautiful. People rush to buy new clothes and festival requirements in the market and the whole market ...

Beautiful, Funny and memorable cultural  Dance in marriage ceremony in Bandugarisain, Doti, Farwest Nepal. Here we can see Hudkeli and Chhaliya dance. [Video Provided By Shankar Balayar] Hudke Natch

The auspicious nine-day 'Nawaratri' or 'Navratri' festival dedicated to the nine manifestations of Goddess Durga has begun from today. Since early morning, devotees flocked to temples to offer prayers to Shailputri (Daughter of the Mountain) and Navdurga. Goddess Shailputri is the first among the nine forms of Devi Durga. Goddess Durga is worshipped under nine different names for the nine days of Navaratri. According to holy book of Hindus, Every day she assumes a new character. The Goddess is worshipped as Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skanda Mata, Katyayani, Kalratri, Maha Gauri and Siddhidatri, altogether nine names in nine days. During these nine days, temples are packed with devotees from  early  morning and all day long. The festival is celebrated with immense zeal and enthusiasm all over the Nepal and India. The word ‘Navratri’ or ‘Nawaratri’ literally means ‘nine nights’. The nine-day festival symbolizes the t...

   Gaura is the festival which falls in month of Bhadra, according to Nepali calender (August/September). Especially Most of the middle- west and far west parts of Nepal celebrate this festival.  It starts from the day of Krishna Janmastami (birth of Lord Krishna), and lasts for three days observing by worshiping Shiva and Parvati along with Ganesh.  The deuda dance is major part of this festival in which participants hold hands and form a circle as they stepped to traditional music.  Apart from the many ceremonies that happen during this festival, it is the occasion for married women to put on the sacred thread. The deuda dance is a major part of the festivities in which participants hold hands and form a circle as they step to traditional music. Gaura Parva in Far-west Nepal Deuda is one type of music having variety of genre including Thadi Bhakha, Raheri and other, presented in western region of Nepal. Specially this type of music pr...

(The sacred Night of Lord Shiva) Shiva Ratri, virtually meaning ‘‘the night dedicated to Shiva’’ falls on the fourteenth day of the waning moon in late February and early March. On this occasion, Hindu devotees crowd at all the Shiva shrines of the country. Flowers offered are marrgosa leaves. They take bath in holy rivers, perform penance and keep vigil throughout the right singing ancient hymns and praying Shiva with his 1008 names. The temple of Pashupatipati in Kathmandu is visited by millions of devotees from different parts of Nepal and pilgrims of India. They camp around the temple and all the lodges and guesthouse is filled with the pilgrims. The religious fervour intensifies as the might falls. Oil-fed lamps and electric bulbs illuminate the whole area. The sweet smell of incense rhythm of hymns and chaotic dinon the crowd all together give the impression of a different age, remove from ours. Behind all there is the strong belief that such rituals will secure oneself a pl...

Nepal is a multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-ethnic country. As a result the number of festivals exceeds that of the days of a year. For some foreigners, these festivals are mysterious, colorful and pleasant. Moreover, they have a great deal more about them. They emerge from the depth of the socio-cultural aspects of life. The festivals have mythological, religious and historical backgrounds. The ceremonies, as a whole, reflect a way of life, unique in its own place. They mirror the value system established by age long socio-cultural and religious conventions; they strengthen the social and family relations; they show the awe and reverence of the unknown people; they make it clear how Nepalese people pay homage to every element of nature; they mark the change of seasons and rejoice sowing seeds and harvesting.   The original annual dates for the festivals were fixed according to the lunar calendar long ago, so they do not coincide with the solar calendar currently used...

STACHU OF GODDESS PARVATI,GOD GANESH & KUMAR (The Birthday of warrior- God Kumar) This festival is celebrated in late May and early June to mark the birth day of Lord Shiva and Parvati’’s son Kumar, the great warrior god, who is believed to have ended the anxiety of 33 millions gods by defeating Danavas, the demons. The actual festival procession jatra is held on the day following his birth, the seventh day of the waxing moon. His idol is taken out from the temple of Jaisidewal in north- west of Kathmandu and is kept in an ornate, gift reefed palanquin. The procession bearing the palanquin moves around the city streets, where on lookers and the devotees offer worship. The festival comes to the conclusion when the idol is kept in the temple again.                                                                  ...

Celebrating Dumji Festival This festival is celebrated  mostly in Sherpa communitiein in the month of Ashad (June-july). This merry festival is observed with great enthusiasm in Helambu and Khumbu region. In this festival, Lamas perform rituals. All the Sherpas, including Lama, dance with the mixed feelings of solemnity and mirth.                        Source:  Nepal Tourism Board

This festival falls on the fourteenth day of the dark lunar fortnight in a November or early December. It is observed to bring peace to the departed soul of the ancestors and to honor the memory who through no fault of his own because a fearful demon and was killed as a result. Thousands of pilgrimage from the various parts of the country gather around the temple of Pashupatinath the day before the festival and perform penance and keep vigil throughout the night. In the morning they scatter a hundred varieties of seeds’’ in Kailash and Shleshmantak areas forest of Pashupati under the belief that if they sow seeds now their dead ancestors would reap the fruit.                                                                                 Source:  Nepal Tourism Board 

Mani rimdu, very important festival of the Sherpas, falls on the full moon day of Mangsir (November- December). Masked lamas of Khumbu region perform various religious rituals amidst dancing and singing.                                                                                                           Source:  Nepal Tourism Board

Fifteen days before and fifteen days after full moon of late August or early September comprises the sacred month or Gunla. These thirty days are holy for Buddhist population. This is a very interesting festival of dificult fasting, solemn prayer, religious music and singing. Soyambhunath of Kathmandu is in the centre of all these activities.                          Source:  Nepal Tourism Board

The official New Year, according to the solar calendar, is celebrated throughout the country. The day falls on mid April. New Year day is celebrated with merriment. People extend best wishes to each other and organize music and dance programs. Vikram Sambat is the New Year day, after the name of Vikramaditya, the emperor of India sub- continent, more than 2000 years ago. In Bhaktapur, a historical town 12 km. east of Kathmandu, the New Year day is celebrated in grand manner observing religious rituals. The festival is called Bisket and it has its origin in the ancient history, legends and mythology. Some linguists believe that the word Bisket originated from two Newari words ‘‘bi’’ for snake and ‘‘syako’’ for slaughter. People relate different stories about the festival; however, they are more or less similar. To sum up the differential stories, serpent demons and the marriage of an extraordinary princess believed to have taken place in the pre- historic time. On the day before the New...

(The full moon of Lord Buddha’’s Birth) Purnima, the day of the full moon in late April and early May, is the greatest festival of the Buddhists and most of the Hindus, as the day is believed to have heralded the ‘‘triple Blessings-‘‘Buddha’’s birth, his enlightenment and his entering to Nirvana. The stupa of Swoyambhunath in Kathmandu, erected some 2000 years ago by a Buddhist monk, becomes the centre of ceremonial activities during the festival. Butter lamps and electric bulbs illuminate the whole area. Thousands of devout Buddhists from the different parts of the country come to the place to spend night fasting in Buddha’’s name and chanting prayers for the enlightenment. Solemn ceremonies procession of monks and other devotees take the idol is again returned to the place from where it was brought there. In addition solemn processions of the same kind can be seen throughout the country on the day.                         ...

(Procession of king of the gods and Kumari) This eight day festival formally begins on the twelfth day of the waxing moon in September. On the night this festival begins, members of the family in which death has taken place within one year go around the town limits of Kathmandu burning incense and putting lamps along the routes. In the morning of the first day of the festival, priest and the court astrologers direct people to erect a huge tall pole as the symbol of Indra’’s standard in front of the Hunaman Dhoka Palace and worshipping it. Soldiers in ancient get up and other soldiers are also present on the occasion. As the pole is tugged and pulled, many guns roar in solute music blares and the on looker’’s reaches fever pitch. Idols of Indra are brought from the temples and placed on high scaffolds. Similarly, large wooden marks of Vairava are displayed. Religious dances and like Devinach, Lajipat Lakhe, Vhairava and Bhakku and Mahakali Nach are performed according to the religious r...

(The chariot ride of Red Machhendranath) The festival starts on the last week of May or early June. It is celebrated to offer worships to Machhendranath, the mearciful patron god of the valley of Kathmandu and the god of harvests. This spectral festival reflects important aspects of socio-cultural life of the valley and it lasts for several days. Rath of tremendous size, about 48ft tall, is prepared at Pulchok and hauled through the city of Patan in several stages and it is finally taken to Jawalakhel in an auspicious moment carefully calculated by astrologers. The festival culminates when the sacred waistcoat (BHOTO) is displayed for the entire populace to behold. There are many myths related with the festival, however the most influential one suggests that the festival is celebrated to commemorate the arrival of Lord Machhendra to protect the people of valley from a fearful draught. The deity is believed to have brought rain with the help of serpent deities. Source:  Nepal Touris...

The last day of the dark fortnight in August of early September is the auspicious day for honoring fathers. Sons and daughters offer sweets and other delicacies to their father and son to receive blessings. Those whose fathers have died perform abstemious purification rites necessary to bring peace to departed soul. On this day people flock to a sacred shrine of Shiva at Gokarna. They take bath in a river nearby and perform religious rites to honor the memory of their father and to bring peace and tranquility to the departed soul. Those with living fathers also do not fail to go there. This festival reflects the strength of family bonds in Nepal.                                                                                 Source:  Nepal Tourism Board 

This festival falls on late November or early December. It is celebrated to commemorate the memory of the marriage of Sita and Ram, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The purpose of the incarnation was to kill Ravana, the ten-headed demon and this marriage has special significance in the Hindu mythology as Ravana, according to Ramayana, was to kidnap Sita. Thousands and thousands of pilgrimage crowd Janakpur, where the temples of Ram and Sita are situated. On the first day of the weeklong festival, they dress the idol of Ram as a bridegroom and carry in a reenact tment of Hindu wedding ceremonies. Not only the Nepalese but also the pilgrims from India in large numbers take part in the procession.                      Source:  Nepal Tourism Board