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Nepal's
Religious Festivals |
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| Indra
Jatra |
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Hundreds
of devotees thronged the Kathmandu Durbar Square at local Basantapur
to observe the beginning of Indra Jatra, the eight-day festival, celebrated
primarily by the Newar community of the capital. Devotees from different
parts of the Kathmandu valley gathered to watch the Indradhwajotthan, hoisting
the Lingo (a wooden pole), which symbolizes the beginning of the festival.
Lingo,
also known as Yonshi in Newari, will be erected at an auspicious
time according to the lunar calendar. This particular Lingo was brought
from Nala, Banepa. A he-goat is worshipped and is blindfolded. The first
tree, which the blindfolded goat strikes, is cut off and brought to Basantapur.
Before
erecting the Lingo, Sarduljung Gulm of Hanumandhoka Palace, Royal Khadga
(a traditional sword) and a horse are brought from Narayanhiti Royal Palace,
representing the King, who is regarded as the reincarnation of Lord Bishnu.
The Lingo is then erected amidst beats of traditional drums called Pachhima,
played mainly by Manandhar community, along with the traditional Royal
military band. Priests, assigned from the Royal Palace, did all the worshipping.
This
whole process is done in a festive mood, combined with Lakhe (a traditional
mask dance) at another corner of the Hanumandhoka Palace by the people
of local Kilagal. Indra Jatra is celebrated in respect of god Indra and
his adventurous deeds performed in the Valley. According to the mythology,
when Indra and other gods were defeated by the mighty demon, Lord Bishnu
granted the victory flag to them, they fought under that flag and demons
were defeated. From that very day, the festival is celebrated and the victory
flag (Indradhwaj) is hoisted to commemorate the victory.
On
the Indra Jatra eve, the god Bhairab of every house is cleaned. Similarly,
Aakash Bhairab at Hanumandhoka is cleaned and only one part of
the wooden curtain is opened, according to Yam Tuladhar, one of the caretakers
of Aakash Bhairab temple. The huge head of Aakash Bhairab, which remains
closed for a whole year, is displayed from today for eight days after the
Lingo is erected. Also the statue of god Bhairab and Indra are displayed
outside the temple.
The
beginning of the Indra Jatra is also celebrated as Mateya Wonyu (Lighting
oil lamps), during which the family members of those deceased in a year
go around different parts of the Valley lighting lamps in their memory.
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Kathmandu:
People celebrate Indra Jatra with enthusiasm
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Hundreds
of devotees throng the local Basantapur and Indrachowk to have a darsan
(glimpse) and prasad of the facial image of Bhairab displayed at different
places of the area during the Indra Jatra festival. The gathering of the
local people has been continuing from the beginning of the Indra Jatra
which was marked first by hoisting a lingo (pole). A large number of people
visit local Indrachowk to have a glance of Aakash Bhairab and Swet Bhairabdisplayed during the festival of Indra Jatra. On the occasion,devotees
take jaand (local beer) and samaya-baji distributed among the devotees.
There
is a tradition that from the first day of the festival images of God Bhairab and Indra, the rain god, are displayed at different places of the Durbar
Square area in commemoration of the rain god Indra. The Newar community
considers Indra and Bhairab as one god with two appearances. The tradition
also has it that the image of Bhairab is brought out from each house or
temple for display during the festival. It is believed that by displaying
Indra and Bhairab, they are extending thanks to the rain god for good harvest.
On
the occasion, the huge facial image of Swet Bhairab is also put on display
which otherwise remains closed for the whole year. From the first day of
the festival the huge head will remain opened for the festival. According
to the scripture placed under the image of Bhairab, the image was made
during the reign of King Rana Bahadur Shah.
The periphery behind the temple
was a cremation ground (deep in the Newari language) during the rule of
King Rana Bahadur Shah. Whenever King came out of his palace, he used to
see the cremation of dead person every day. He used to return thinking
the scene as a bad omen. Then to do away with cremation there, he installed
Swet Bhairab just in front of the main gate. The temple is just in front
of Degu Telaju temple. The entrance still remains there just behind Swet
Bhairab. It was a belief that white is good omen and therefore is considered
god.
The
legend also has it that people used to get frightened of great facial image
so it is closed throughout the year. There is also a belief that Swet Bhairab
wore precious jewelry so it was kept in close wooden curtain for security.
One Gurju (priest of Buddhist clan) worship Bhairab every day inside the
wooden curtain. In special puja one goat, one ox and one duck are sacrificed.
The method is given in the Shila Patra (traditional book), he says.
On
the eve of Indra Jatra, care-takers will clean up the image and sacrifice
the animals from one window among the nine closed windows. They open the
window amidst the beats of traditional musical instruments of dhime and
jogi on the first day of Indra Jatra.
At
Kumari Jatra, that falls on the third and fourth day of Indra Jatra, the
ghuthiyars (care-takers) of Swet Bhairab will prepare the samaya bagi (mixture
of five traditional food items) and jaand (traditional beer) as prasad.
In Aakash Bhairab also they prepare the same prasad. Great competition
takes place among the people to get few drops of prasad (jaand) of Swet
Bhairab. They don't take prasad from Aakash Bhairab because there is a
tradition that all the jaand poured from the mouth of the image is sent
to Patal Lok (below the earth).
In
this way, people celebrate the festival in the Hanumandhoka area along
with Lakhe, Bhairab and Devi dances with full enthusiasm. The beats of
traditional musical instrument are also heard in the periphery when the
evening falls.
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March
2008
The
Government in Nepal decided to observe 18 different festivals of various
religions and communities as public holidays and insert them as national
holidays in the government's official calendar.
The
festivals to be observed as public holidays include Eid and Bakr Eid of
the Muslims, Christmas, the Nanak Memorial Day of the Sikhs, Udhouli and
Ubhouli of the Kirants, Goura of the far west and the Tamu and Sonam Lhosars. |
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