100 Years Old Newari Sweets Shops in Patan
Tucked away in a narrow alley in culturally and architecturally rich Patan area, these 100 years old Newari sweets shop ‘Shree Ghanashyam Mithai Bhandar’ and ‘Shree Nanda Mithai Bhandar’ are largely known to locals and regulars. Owned by two brothers, it is now the fourth generation who are running these sweets shops. These places look very…
Biska Jatra
Biska Jatra is a chariot parade festival primarily celebrated in Bhaktapur to mark the coming of spring. The festival is observed for eight nights and nine days. On the first few days of Biska Jatra, the deities Bhairav and Bhadrakali are worshiped in their respective chariots amid various special tantric rituals. On the fourth day,…
Rato Machhindranath Festival: Bathing Ceremony Concluded Amid Lockdown
Amidst a nationwide lockdown, Mahasana (bathing ceremony) Rato Machhindranth (Red Macchendranath) and Kumari Puja completed quietly in Patan. Although few people gathered there, they maintain social distancing. In a presence of few hundred devotees, who wore masks and maintained their social distancing, the festival begins reports Sulabh Shrestha in Deshsanchar. As per the ritual, priest…
Khokana Tourism Festival -2020 kicks off
Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa at the Khokana Tourism Festival Inauguration in Lalitpur Kathmandu: Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa has formally inaugurated Khokana Tourism Festival 2020 in Lalitpur district on Friday, which is slated for February 21 to 23, with the slogan “Save the local skills and culture”. Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the festival,…
Some Newari Words & Phrases
English Nepal Bhasa Good Morning/afternoon/evening/night Jwa-ja-la-paa What Chuu This Thwa That Wa Yes Khah No Ma-khu What Chuu When Ga- ba-le Where Ga-na Which Gu-gu(goo) Who Su(soo) Why Su-yaa Whose Su-yaa Whom Gu-mha How(in what way) Ga-the (-the as in theft) How (to what degree) Gu-li Best Wishes Bhin-tu-naa Welcome La-sa-ku-sa Thank you Su-bhaay Left…
Useful phrases in Newari
English Nepal Basa May I step inside? Du-ne wa-ne jii laa? Do I have to take off my shoes? Laa- kaa twah-te maah laa? Yes/no Maah/mwah What god is kept in there? A-na chhu dyah ta-yaa tah-gu du? Can I take a picture? Tas-bir kaa-ye jii laa? What’s that temple? Wa chuu de-gah? We come…
Mha Puja: The New Year’s Day
Nepal Samvat’s New Year’s Day (Kartika Sukla Pratipada) coincides with a Newars family celebration, both Buddhist and Hindu, called mha puja (literally, body-worship or self-worship). While the puja is obviously influenced by the puranas and tantras, it is a distinctive Newar festival, quite distinct in shape and content from Govardhan Puja’s Hindu festival. Usually noted…
Sankhadhar Sakhwa
The Nepal Sambat movement achieved its initial success on 18 november 1999 once the govt declared the founding father of the nepal sambat calendar, a merchandiser of Kathmandu named Sankhadhar Sakhwa (संखधर साख्वा), a national hero. Sankhadhar Sakhwa : The leader of Kingdom of Asian nation Nepal, he’s a Nepalese giver. He cleared the debts of all…
History of Nepal Sambat
The Origins Nepal sambat was founded on October 20, 879 A.D. during th reign of Thakuri King Raghavadeva (ca. A.D. 879-942). According to a mid-fourteenth-century Sanskrit chronicle an epoch-era was dedicated to Lord Pasupati (Pasupatibhattarake samvatsara pravartkritah) during his reign. This has led some historians to surmise that “the foundation of the era was due…
Naag Panchami – The story behind the snake worshiping festival in Nepal
Nag Panchami is the Nag-snake festival to worship. The snakes are frightening reptiles as some of them are toxic. The so-called Nag snakes are generally toxic cobra snakes. To be secure from the snakes, the festival is celebrated. Kathmandu’s individuals go to Lake Taudaha, Naagpokhari to worship the Naag. Naagdaha also regarded one of the…
Patan (Yala)
Once a Kathmandu Valley autonomous and powerful kingdom, Patan became a melting pot of two important religions, Hinduism, and Buddhism. The religious temple of Krishna (Hindu), which lies in the center of the city; in the very own city, whose entire city architecture has been devoted to the philosophy of the Buddhist Dharma-Chakra (Wheel of…
Sankhu (Sakwo) Village
Sankhu is one of Kathmandu Valley’s oldest outskirts villages. Sankhu is one of Kathmandu district’s oldest typical Newari village. It was created at 1801 Kaligat Sambat KS (700 years ago that Roman mythology), according to the ancient novel (Manisaili Mahabadan). It is distributed around five VDCs (Pukhulachhi, Suntole, Bajrayogini, Indrayani, Lapsephedi). Sankhu’s population is about…
Lakhey Dance
Lakhey Dance is Nepali community’s famous dance. Lakhey is regarded as a legendary devil who, by chasing away other devils, kept his domain. According to the legend, Lakhey punishes him who infringes his domain. This dance is conducted every year in the month of September during the Indra Jatra festival that falls. We members exercise…
GAI JATRA (Sa Paru)
Literally Cow Festival, this is an eight-day jovial festival. Everything that creates joy and laughter is part of the highlights of the festival to dance, sing, pantomime. On the festival’s first day, individuals whose family members died in a year-round parade of a decorated cow around the town dressed as cows or hermits together with…
The Gunla Feast and Its Importance
he festival, which starts from the south Shukla Paksha, is performed separately by Buddhist Buddhist worshipers and worships the Buddha separately. During this period, it is customary to revolve around various Buddhist monasteries, Chaityas and Chokas in Daja Baja, Neku, Mwaial and others. Particularly the atmosphere around the Swayambhu Mahayachtis plays a leading role in making music…
Bagh Bhairab Festival Kritipur
On the first day of Bhadra (Nepali Calendar), the Bagh Bhairab Festival is celebrated. Devotees used to round Bagh Bhairab Temple for 108 times for successful and healthy blessings on the occasion of the Bagh Bhairab festival. Pic Source: Narayan Maharjan
Gathemangal Festival
Gathemangal is a festival held every year in the month of June / July on Shrawan Krishna Chaturdashi. Gathemangal or Ghantakarna Chaturdasi is a term co-relatively used for worshiping and offering sacrifices to demons as a festive. In the Newar group, Gathemangal is celebrated and observed in various areas of the Kathmandu Valley. There is…