THE TREASURE-TROVE OF NEWAR COMMUNITY OF NEPAL

Photo credit: onlinekhabar
 

THE TREASURE TROVE OF NEWAR COMMUNITY OF NEPAL

By Sumnima Shrestha
New Galaxy Secondary School, Pokhara

I come from a Newar community. However, many people in my country belong to different castes, cultures, and communities. These communities are well known for their unique art, culture, tradition, history, foods, costumes, and languages. Thus, culture plays a dominant role in Nepal, which is understood to be a multi-cultural and multi-lingual country. 

Every person therefore has to put enough effort to protect and promote his or her own cultural values. Without culture, our lives will be dull, empty, and prosaic. Our future generation must know about the cultural history of their respective communities. 

The Newari culture is one of the best-known cultures in Nepal. Moreover, it is rich and vibrant at the same time. The Newari people celebrate several festivals and Jatras, which have been observed since immemorial. 

Photo credit: onlinekhabar

In Newar community culture and traditions are followed right from a young age. Like Ihi, it is a culture where a young girl around 5-7 age has to marry Lord Vishnu and a fruit Aegle marmelos (bel) is kept as a witness. It is also called Bel-bibaha but actually, it is a marriage between a young girl and Lord Vishnu. It is done for 3 days. There are many things done in Ihi. After Ihi, when the girl is around 8-9 years old, Gufa is observed. In Gufa, a girl has to live alone in a room for 12 days. She will also have a friend called Barha Pasa. 

She will be married to Sun after 12 days. These two traditions are done because the girl will not be a widow ever because Lord Vishnu is immortal. And another unique tradition is Kumari. The Kumari tradition is done in Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur. Finding a Kumari is a lengthy and tiresome process. To become a Kumari, a young virgin girl is chosen by the Taleju goddess. Only Bajracharya and Shakya are qualified to become Kumari. A young girl must possess at least 32 perfections in her body and behavior to be qualified to become a kumari. 

Kumari should not show any expression on her face. If she does so, it indicates misfortune or a bad omen. It is said that a Kumari (Chanira Bajracharya) cried for 3 days and then stopped. Later, the royal massacre took place. 

Kumari is taken out in Indra Jatra. Indra jatra has its own history. It is celebrated because Lord Indra himself came to earth to pluck flowers (parijat flowers) for his mother. Since then Indra Jatra has been celebrated. It is celebrated for 5 days. 

Bisket Jatra is celebrated at the end of Chaitra for the upcoming spring. Dhime naach is performed during this Jatra in Bhaktapur. Many people eat bhoj, samaya baji (feast) in their family, and community. 

Gaijatra is performed in Bhadra for the people who passed away. Lakhe and Pari are seen in Gaijatra. Another best tradition is Mha puja. It is an expression of self-love. We cleanse our inner selves to remove evils from our bodies. Perhaps this festival is only observed by the Newar community in Nepal. 

Newari culture consists of many food varieties. Choila, wo:cha, aila, baji etc. Newari people have many parties, festivals, jatras. Newari people wear hakku patasi meaning hakku: black, patasi: sari. 

The Newar community is also known in the world for its unique artisanship. Much architectural grandeur seen in the Kathmandu Valley had been created by the ancestors of the early Newar community.

About the author


Sumnima Shrestha is a 10th-standard student at New Galaxy Secondary School, Pokhara. This is her first article published in Nepal Education Post. 

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