Wednesday, November 7, 2012

TWO NEPALI FESTIVALS


Kathmandu 2012
Decorated religious statue
Indra Festival first night offering
I arrived in Kathmandu this year on September 27th, the first day of the Indra Jatra Festival. This is a Newari Festival; The Newari were the first settlers of Kathmandu Valley. It began during the Lichhavi period, 300 BC to 12 AD by King Gunakandev.  Later in 1786 AD, the last Malla of Kathmandu, Prak ash Malla started the Kumari Jatra I tribute to the Goddess Teleju Bhawani.  Each of these two co-coinciding festivals began because of two individual myths (read metro section of the Kathmandu Post September 28, 2012

This year for the first time, the Lingo – a tall wooden pole (phallic symbol) that is erected yearly in remembrance of the Jatra fell on the ground during the first attempt to raise it.  Also, a Singha (lion) statue related to the Kumari Jatra fell the ground.   Both mishaps are considered bad omens for the country.
Parading of  the Kumari Goddess 

Meanwhile, on the third day of the Indra Jatra there is a procession of the Kumari Goddess through Durbur Square.  This procession is repeated three days in a row.  Then the little goddess is returned to her temple on the edge of the square to be sequestered there with no companionship her own age and educated only in Sand script until she is taken out and paraded around the square the next year for three days at five PM with masses of crowds looking on (I have been told that the temple keepers ply her with local wine on these days so the crowds will not be so overwhelming for this sheltered child).  

Current Kumari Goddess
She is considered to be the Goddess Taljut Bhawani and represents the goddess from early childhood until puberty, when a new child is chosen to take her place and she is sent off back into the boson of her family and the general community.  I have also been told that because of their lack of socialization skills with no companions their own age, and limited education, most former Kamuri Goddesses have a hard time adjusting to modern society and most often do not marry.  In the past, it was a great honor to a family to have their daughter be chosen to be the Kumari Goddess – generally chosen from daughters of the Goldsmiths community – but of late families have been more reticent to have their daughter take up the mantle of the young virgin goddess.
Lunch with my friends in the Hotel Ganesh Himal garden
Besides battling the festival crowds, I had a very enjoyable time with my friends who are the owners of the wonderful Hotel Ganesh Himal, whose gracious rooms and lovely garden is a real haven in the middle of the sometimes almost primitive mass of porters, bicycle rickshaw drivers, honking horns, speeding cycle riders, baggers, and hawkers who crowd the streets of Thamel and the surrounding area.

Rickshaws ready for customers
A shop
Street scene
Electrical lines
A Sadu
STREET SCENES IN KATHMANDU                                      

A typical labourer


Nawari couple





As usual I acquired a bronchus and left for Delhi, India sooner than I had planned.  Saying good bye  to my dear friends, I was off again to Cottage Yes Please in Pahar Ganj and the Max Private Hospital.  A place I seem to frequent often of late during my Nepali/ India visits (see next post).  

1 comment:

  1. The power of the mind, even the collective one - with not one but two mishaps everyone will definitely be expecting some major problems now. Rather sad about the young girl goddesses.

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