Bhimratharohan an Important Ritual in Newar Culture

Bura-Buri Janko of American Couple at Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland, USA

Dr Rabin Man Shakya

Portland, June 30, (Nepal Oregon News): Newah-style Bhimratharohan or Junko taking place in Portland, USA? That must be a big cultural event for Nepalese community in Oregon. The event becomes more newsy when you come to know that the Bhimrotharohan couple is not from Nepal but from the US.

The Bhimratharohan of Mr. Marcus Thomas and Mrs. Betty Durham performed at Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland on Monday, June 25, 2018 as per the Bajrayana Buddhist rituals was an unprecedented and unique event in Portland, Oregon. When I say this is the unprecedented and unique event, I mean to say that this is the first Bhimratharohan of a  couple from the US performed in a Buddhist Mahavihara by a Buddhist Guvaju in the USA.

Bhimratharohan rituals of Marcus and Betty were performed by Buddhist Guvaju Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya of the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland. Present at the Bhimratharohan ceremony were the Americans as well as Nepalese Portlanders.

One of the very important ritual part of the Bhimrath ceremony is parading of the honored couple around the vicinity in a large procession. So Marcus and Betty were once again treated like a bride and bridegroom and were carried on a colorful chariot-like vehicle around the streets of Portland close to Nritya Mandala Mahavihara.

Talking to a journalist from Nepal Oregon News, Buddhist Guvaju Vajracharya said: "When a man or woman turns 77 years, 7 months, 7 days and 7 hours, there is a special ceremony to perform. The celebration may also be held for a couple when either the husband or wife reaches that age. The Bhimrath observance calls on the Goddess of long life -Usnisavijaya- to purify Karma and bestow the blessings of good health and a long life span."

When Prajwal was asked to throw light on the Bhimrath ceremony, he went on saying: "At the culmination of the Bhimrath festivities, the honored person or couple dressed in brocade raiment is paraded through the streets in a chariot (ratha) drawn by their children and grandchildren and feted with music, flowers, sacred water, vermillion powder and incense."

"The honorees' ears are pierced for the second time and their youngest grandchild places new silver earrings in their ears. Henceforth, they are released from religious and ritual obligations, for their sins have been remitted and their Karma purified," says Portland-based Buddhist priest Prajwal.

Well, little is known about the ritual significance of Bhimratharohan. So when I asked Prajwal to describe about it, he revealed that "the honored individual or couple ride a chariot drawn by flying horses, the magical steeds that would transport   them to paradise or to Nirvana, the afterlife destinations secured by the Bhimratha ceremony. The Newah priest overseeing the ceremony seals the blessings by performing a Homa Puja."

There is no doubt that Nritya Mandala Mahavihara has been playing a tremendous role to enhance Bajrayana Buddhist customs and traditions alive in the US. In fact, this is so far the only one Bajrayana Buddhist Temple in the USA.

 The Mahavihara which was established in 2009 in Portland by Prajwal Vajracharya and Helen Appell is also a study center  which includes the temple and a library and focuses on movement, sacred arts, meditation and teachings for anyone interested in devoting practice to reveal their nature.

The auspicious wedding, rice feeding ceremonies, Ihi ceremony, Bara Tayegu ceremony, Brata Bandha or Chuda Karma of local Nepalese Portlanders have also been performed at the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara from time to time.

Likewise, the Mahavihara serves as a major institution in the preservation, expansion and exploration of all Newar Buddhism and Newar culture.

Photos: Courtesy of Pradeep Bajracharya and Selina Shakya

(Rabin Man Shakya is one of the few  Nepalese journalists in America.)

Sithi Nakha Festival: Newah Environmental Day

By  Dr Rabin Man Shakya

Portland, June 10, (Nepal Oregon News):Today is Sithi Nakha, a big cultural festival of the Newah people,
that falls on the sixth day of the waxing moon in the month of Tachhala Thwo, Nepal Sambat 1141, a lunar calendar. Sithi Nakha is a popular Newah festival that is celebrated right before the start of Monsoon season in Nepal.

During the Dharani recitation in the zoom today, Guru Prajwal Vajracharya of Portland's Nritya Mandala Mahavihara also delivered a short talk on the culture and traditions of Sithi Nakha.

Stating that Newah people observe Sithi Nakha by eating Wo mari on this day, Guru Prajwal said that three different kinds of Wo mari were prepared by him for limited number of participants.

Home-made Wo

Newah people living in Nepal as well as living in different countries of the world celebrate Sithi Nakha by cooking and eating "Wo" mari (Fried lentil pancake). 

Meanwhile, Newah Cultural Society of Alberta (NCSA), Canada organized a special cultural event at Duggan Community Hall in Edmonton on June 16, 2018 to celebrate the Sithi Nakha and Bungdyah Jatra whereas Newah Organization of America  (NOA) Seattle Chapter observed the Sithi Nakha in community level by organizing a picnic.

Our family in Portland, USA also celebrates Sithi Nakha every year by making "Wo" mari on this day. It is to be noted that "Wo" mari contains high amounts of proteins, carbs, iron and other nutrient values.

Taking a trip down memory lane, I remember in the 1960s and 1979s (that was before going to the USSR for ten years and to the USA for good),  my late grandmother Ratna Devi Shakya and my late mother Man Shova Shakya used to make different kinds of "Wo", such as, May Wo, Moo Wo, Kasu Wo etc. But here in Portland, we have to live with Moo Wo and sometimes with May Wo too. During my childhood days, I still remember I frequently used to ask my late mom Man Shova Shakya "When is the 'Wo' eating day coming?" As children, we were always so excited to eat different kinds of 'Wo' on the day of Sithi Nakha.

In colloquial or conversational Nepal Bhasa, Sithi Nakha is known as Sinnakha. At least, that was how my late grandmother and mother used to call for what is the Sithi Nakha literally.

Mung lentils being soaked over-night for making Wo

For making Wo, one needs to leave the dried lentils to soak in water overnight. And then the fully soaked lentils have to be grinded or mixed in a grinder. Technology has made it much easier. But during my grandmother's days, making Wo was not that much fun. It was a very time-consuming process. At that time, the soaked lentils were squeezed and rolled manually in a firm stone slab with a stone roller.

Wo is ready! Any Takers? 

Of course, Newah families celebrate most of the Newah festivals, no matter where they live. They want to maintain Newah culture and Newah traditions and instill the Newah values on their children. They want to maintain the Newah identity.

Newahs and the Newah festivals are inextricably interrelated. When I say this, I mean to say Newahs and Newah festivals have symbiotic connection.

Nepal is the land of festivals and cultural carnivals. Festivals are important factors that enliven the Nepalese culture. When I say festivals are important factors that enliven the Nepalese culture, I mean Nepal is just famous and well-known across the world for its rich culture and festivals, among other things. Nepal's identity is deeply interrelated to its arts, culture, traditions and festivals, so to say.

There is no doubt that Sithi Nakha is the Newah version of World Environment Day (WED). Except, Sithi Nakha has been celebrated by the Newahs in Nepal for centuries while celebration of WED is totally a recent phenomenon.

This festival is the profound expression of devotion and commitment to the Earth. The planet Earth is  round in shape and the Wo mari offered to the planet Earth on this Day is also round in shape. I am so glad to know that lately the Nepal government has been carrying out different cleanliness and other environment awareness programs to mark the Day.

Sithi Nakha for Newah people is very important because it is on this Day the Newahs not only clean and sweep their homes,  nearby surroundings, Nanis, Bahals, they also purify, clean and mop wells, ponds, stone spouts, springs and other water sources in the neighborhood periphery.

Sithi Nakha is also the Day when Lord Varah is worshipped. Hindu Newahs celebrate this festival as the birthday of Kumar Kartikeye, son of Shiva while Buddhist Newahs observe it as the Mahaparinirvana Day of Prince Mahasatwo of the state of Panti.

According to the chronicles, Maharath and Satyabati were the King and Queen of state of Panti. Their sons - princes Maha Dev, Mahaprasad and Mahasatwo went for hunting at the Namo Buddha hills (then Gandhaman mountains).  While the elder brothers Maha Dev and Maha Prasad were busy chasing and capturing wild animals, young Mahasatwo confronted a pregnant tigress on the verge of dying due to hunger. The young prince was so overwhelmed, moved and emotional that he cut parts of his body to feed the dying tigress.

Later, when the elder brothers started looking for Mahasatwo, they found out remnants of the bones and also confronted the well-fed tigress. To pay tributes to the great soul, King Maharath erected a Boddhist chaitya on the Namra hills in 974 Kaligat Sambat.

According to the chronicles, Tathagata Bhagwan Buddha was in Namra hills to pay tributes to the great soul. The Shakya Muni chanted "Namo Buddha"  while paying tributes to Mahasatwo. Ever since, the Buddhist stupa is known as Namo Buddha. While still in Nepal, I remember  with great fondness the moments of our family's visit to Namo Buddha stupa situated at the picturesque Namra hills.

It is to be noted that on the day of Sithi Nakha, the Newahs of Kathmandu Valley also chant religious hymns to commemorate the sacrifices of Prince Mahasatwo.

Nonagenarian cultural expert and Man of Century Satya Mohan Joshi was quoted as saying in a Nepalese newspaper that the Newah community celebrate Sithi Nakha by cleaning water sources like wells, ponds and stone spouts and ending it with a grand Newah feast of six different varieties of Newah foods including Wo and Chatamari (Newah pizza).

The traditional significance of Sithi Nakha lies in the fact that it inculcates on the people the value of conserving water sources and keeping them clean and this has been practiced  for centuries.

It goes without saying that culture, traditions and festivals which are the embodiment of the nation and national glory are always in need of preservation and protection.

(Rabin Man Shakya is a Nepali journalist in USA)