Holly Festival 2013

I have collected some interesting photos of Holi festival. I will post after some days.

Indra Jatra

This festival falls on the fourteenth day of the bright moon fortnight of Bhadra (sept): but it starts on the twelfth day of the bright fortnight: then all together it lasts for eight day. The main day of the festival is believed to be the fourteenth day of the fortnight. On the twelfth day of the Bhadra bright fortnight a thirty-two feet’s long pole is erected at the Hanumandhoka palace in Basantapur. This pole has been brought always traditionally from the forest of Bhaktapur. After adjusting the long pole Lord Indra’s idol is worshipped. The lord’s idol keeps tying round by the threads. There’s an interesting anecdote regarding to this Tying Indra:

Once Lord Indra’s mother was on her religious worshipping program and she was in need of flower called parijat. His mother then sent him to search the flower; then lord Indra went to search of that flower; and finally he saw that flower there in the garden of Hanumandhoka. He then thought of stealing the flower; and went to steal the flower. Suddenly a soothsayer Baidhya saw him and captivated him there and he was released only after eight day when his mother came there to request the soothsayer. So this festival lasts for eight days. The lord’s idol is kept at certain Guthiyar’s house and it’s brought only once in a year when the festival starts.

The fair starts only when lord Indra is worshipped there highly in a traditional manner. Many people crowd there to look the starting day of the festival. Since that day the Hanumandhoka palace looks very unusual; until the ending of the fete different kinds of mask dances from different parts of the valley are demonstrated.

On the fourteenth day of the bright fornight of the festival which is called the main day of the festival; Kumari the Living Goddess’s chariot is rounded around the main through fares of the city. Also two bachelor small boys from shakya Newari cast are kept each on the separate chariot as a fenture of God Bhairab and Ganesh; then they are also rounded along with the kumari’s chariot. The chariot procession starts only when President of Nepal worships there by offering some monetary donation (Dakchhina) and takes the Prasad (oblation) from there .The chariots are rounded altogether two days and ends on the second day. Many kinds of traditional mask dances are shown along with the kumari Jatra Viz. Halchowk’s Aakahs Bhirab dance; Bhaktapur’s Mahakali dances; Kilagal’s Pulukishi dances are the famous ones. The Royal Sword (Khadga) also is shown along with the jatra and the army Band also parades together along with the chariot; the typical Nepali traditional band “The panchai Baja” also walks in the chariot voyage playing the music. The main through fares of the voyage are Lagantole, Bhimsenthan, Marutole, chikamangol, Jaishideval, Jyabahal, Bramantole, Kilagal, Bhotahiti, Asan, Indrachowk and etc palaces.

On the second day night, the Dangi procession is carried out which is believed to be the mother of lord Indra. Along with the Dangi the devotees scatter Sadbij (miscellanous items of a few cereals) in the name of their deceased souls; this is also called to go to see the dead soul’s path traveling towards the heaven.

On the eight day, the last day of the fete the three chariot compulsorily should travel via kilagal because a long time back when there were many kings in the valley; a king’s queen wished to see the Nanichaya’s Jatra means the kumari’s fair; so it’s believed that since that time, the voyage uses to travel via there compulsorily because the queen used to stay in kilagal. On this day too His Majesty the king comes to take the Tika from these living deities in Hanumandhoka.

Kushe Aunshi

This festival falls in the month of Bhadra dark fortnight (Sept.) similar to the mother’s reading day “Matatirtha Aunshi”; is the father’s reading day. As per the Hindu mythology father should be respected as a God. So on this day people respect their fathers bending the forehead on their father’s feet, which is called Dhog. After Dhog, they offer sweetmeats and clothes as per their capacity for the father’s respect. In reality too, our parents are equal to the God. If they had not given us the birth, we couldnot get this grand opportunity to look this wonderful world; that’s why they are like our Gods. Holy scriptures say, “There’s no God above our parents”. Human being’s life is the super most life among the one million eight hundred forty thousand (840, 0000) lives created in this cosmos. Mythology explains that there are one million eight hundred forty only after the completion of these all 840, 0000 lives’ cycle. Without virtue this life is very hard to get again; that’s why it’s said that if we do not do virtue in this time, we don’t get this life again. So this day also is very important as the Matatirtha Aunshi and the Gurupurnima day.

People who doesnot have father they go to offer “pinda” ( a round ball of cooked rice) at Gokarna temple in Kathmandu; where Gokarneshower Mahadev’s temple is located. After the completion of the religious rite there; they donate money and cereals to the Bhramin priests; and the poor in the name of their deceased father for salvation and virtue.

On this day people uproot Kush grass, which is believed to be the feature of Lord Vishnu by taking a holy bath early in the morning. The Kush grass in an indispensable item to conduct any kind of Hindu religious rites viz. Puranic functions and Yangyas. This Kush grass can be used throughout the year for any kind of religious rites; and if this day has fallen on Monday then this grass can be kept to use until next twelve years’ any kind of religious functions.

Religious people make this grass’s mat and keep it safely to sit on it and use while conducting the sacred religious functions; which is called the “Kushashan”. Because of believed as a feature of Lord Vishnu this grass has been respected as a pious item in the Hindu mythology. So this kushe Aunshi festival has a very special religious importance to the father’s respect in the Hindu religion. The sweets’ shops display various verities of sweets to sell the customers in the market and the whole market looks like a celestial exhibition fair of sweets. The markets look exactly like this in the “Matatirtha Aunshi day and in the Tihar” festival also.