Second and More Advanced Teaching on Padmanateshvara Charya Nritya Held
Rabin Man Shakya
Portland, June 6 (Nepal Oregon News): Padmanateshvara is a representation as well as a manifestation of the divine power of dance and song within Newar Buddhism, seen as a means to achieve spiritual liberation and connect with the cosmic energies.
Co-founder of Nritya Mandala Mahavihara and senior Charya Nritya Guru Prajwal Vajracharya said this while presiding over the second and more advanced presentation on Padmanateshvara Charya Nritya which was organized on the zoom by Hong Kong Buddhist Studies Association on Friday, June 6, 2025.
Prajwal Guruji - who is himself a well known Charya dancer and an international teacher - started the remotely held class by offering Padmanateshvara chanting.
Laying emphasis on the importance of Padmanateshvara, the 35th - generation Vajrayana priest said:"Padmanateshvara is considered to be the quintessence of the performing world in Nepal. The artistes, singers and dancers seek blessings from this deity."
Before the starting of a big cultural performance, it is a tradition in Nepal to perform worship to Nasa Dyo or Padmanateshvara to make sure the cultural event will be productive, meaningful and successful, the senior Charya Nritya pedagogue asserted.
Prajwal Guruji mentioned that Padmanateshvara is the source of artistic inspiration, joy, compassion and equanimity.
The online teaching was an opportunity for the participants to learn more about the Padmanateshvara charya dance. Furthermore, Prajwal Guruji went on saying:"Padmanateshvara is a significant deity in Newar Buddhism, specially associated with the practice of Charya Nritya and Charya Giti which involves dancing and singing as a path to liberation."
Prajwal Guruji reiterated:"Padmanateshvara is considered the main deity for those who follow the path of Charya Nritya practice in Newar Buddhism."
During the zoom teaching, Prajwal Guruji also zeroed in on 108 forms of Avalokiteshvara and said that Padmanateshvara is one of the manifestations of Avalokiteshvara in Newar Buddhism.
Throwing light on various Avalokiteshvaras, the Guruji mentioned that Padmapani, Amoghpash, Aryavalokiteshvara, Shrishtikanta, Anandadi, Six-syllabled Lokeshwar, Hariharvahan, Rakta Arya, Loknath and Sahasrabhuja Lokeshwar are among them.
While demonstrating different pictures of ancient statues and Thangkas of Padmanateshvara in different postures, Prajwal Guruji explained the virtual participants about the Abhanga, Sabhanga, Tribhanga and Atibhanga postures.
The Guruji stated that ancient statues of Padmanateshvara have been found not only in Nepal, Tibet and India but also in countries like Bhutan, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Mongolia, Pakistan and Afghanistan etc.
The Guruji also explained the meaning of the lyrics of the Charya giti. The Raga of Padmanateshvara charya dance is Lalita and Tala is Ghapa, the Guruji further informed the participants. The Guruji also demonstrated step-by-step the Mudra, hand gestures of the Charya dance devoted to Padmanateshvara.
Prior to teaching of the actual Padmanateshvara charya dance, the Guruji and the zoom participants offered the Refuge dance. After that, the Guruji also performed the Charya Nritya 'Padmanateshvara' for the participants to follow.
Prajwal Guruji's second and practical teaching on Padmanateshvara charya nritya presented a detailed and comprehensive description of the 10-handed deity. The first teaching on Padmanateshvara held on May 16, 2025 was more theoretical but the second and advanced teaching focused on the practical aspect of the Padmanateshvara charya nritya. Altogether, 15 people had taken part at the Charya dance teaching. At the end of the online presentation, Prajwal Guruji replied to queries of the participants.
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Anna Shustrova -- Embarking on a Long Journey of Charya Dance
Portland, June 28 (Nepal Oregon News): Anna Shustrova, who is a successful and talented Charya dancer, a student of Prajwal Guruji, earned her Master of Arts Degree in Philology from Russian State University for the Humanities in 2003 in Moscow. Anna has also successfully completed the course 'Software Quality Assurance' from Portnov Computer School in Los Altos, California in 2014. She is currently the Senior Project Director at PLUS QA in Portland.
Anna, who is a long-term Buddhist practitioner, was born in the family of engineers in Moscow, Russia when Russia was still a part of the USSR. She made a visit to India in 2007 and to Nepal in 2023. In 2012, she moved to the US where she met Prajwal Vajracharya, and started practicing within Newar Buddhist tradition. She also performed her solo dance in 2015 during Maitreya Loving Kindness Relic Tour and many performance at the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara.
In fact, ever since Anna moved to the US from Russia in 2012, she has been continuously and relentlessly embarking on 'a long journey of Charya dance.' Through these Charya experiences, she has come to embrace her spiritual and compassionate ties to the Newar Vajrayana Buddhism.
Anna Shustrova was interviewed by World Newah Organization - Daily Broadcast (WNO-DB) on Saturday, June 28, 2025. The WNO-DB zoom interview was moderated by Daya Shakya and coordinated by Naresh Shakya.
During the online chit-chat, recalling her childhood, Anna shared that she was even a young pioneer (Soviet version of Boy and Girl Scout) and fondly remembered that she used to wear blue and white uniform with a red scarf. Replying to a query what triggered her interest in Buddhism, she said:"That happened years later when I was at the University. And one of the courses we were asked to choose a topic from the list provided by our professor for research paper and they just happened to select Buddhism. And as I dived into the material, something resonated. I realized that many of the core teachings such as the concept of reincarnation, Four Noble Truths of sufferings and cessation, and then just the power of one's mind to achieve the highest state of consciousness. So those aligned closely with the beliefs that I already held intuitively. And what began as an academic assignment gradually turned into a personal exploration. I started reading more about Buddhism on my own. Attending lectures and teachings whenever possible and slowly integrating its philosophy into my worldview, my life. It was not a dramatic shift but rather a quite recognition of something familiar like rediscovering in the past."
Shedding light on Buddhism in Russia, Anna stated:"While Russia's official religion is Orthodox Christianity, there are actually three autonomous republics in Russia - Kalmikia, Buryatia and Tuva where Buddhism is a traditional religion. The people of those republics traditionally practice actually the form of Tibetan Buddhism, so Buddhism is not so unfamiliar to Russia in general."
Digging into the past how she met Prajwal Guruji, she said:"When we arrived in the US in 2012, we had one Russian friend -- Alexei Dobry -- who used to be the Pujari at the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara. I happened to be there at the Vihara during its Fourth Anniversary. I vividly remember, like, sitting at the corner of the temple and noticing this cheerful smile in a Nepali man's face with simple clothes, and he was moving around with his camera taking photos. And I was, like, surprised to learn from a friend that actually this guy was the head priest of the temple. It was not how I thought the priest should look like. So, it completely, like, challenged my idea of what the priest is. And, later that evening, I stayed for the dance offering and I saw Charya dances being performed live for the first time. And, it was just mesmerizing, like, seeing the Buddhist deities that I knew already from my studies and come alive. And my friend nudged me with her elbow, like, hey - you should be doing that, and I was like - oh, no, no. First, it looked very difficult -- Sanskrit and all the movements and I realized it will require huge dedication if I enter this path, and of course, huge efforts. And, secondly, just the idea of performing alone in front of the audience terrified me."
Saying that Russian and Sanskrit both are part of Indo-European languages which means they share common links, Anna added:"When studying the Charya dance, many words - they repeat from one dance to another because ultimately Charya songs are the descriptions of the deities. And, you know, deities - they have kind of similar forms. They all have eyes - two or three. They have hands, some deities have multiple hands. They wear crowns. They hold similar objects or sometimes similar colors. So when you learn one Charya dance and song, well, you learn about 50 percent of the next or any future Charya dance. So in my case, my first Charya dance was Green Tara, and it was extremely difficult to learn that very first dance."
How many Charya dances have you performed so far? Daya asked Anna. To this, she replied:" So far, I have performed 19 Charya dances -- Refuge charya dance, 16 Offering Goddess Dance, Green Tara, Yogini Mandala, Vajrayogini, Vajravarahi, Singhamukhi, White Tara, Vasundhara, Mahakala, Pancha Buddha, Akash Yogini, Annapurna, Kurukulla, Nairatma, Manjushree, Padmasambhava, Rakta Ganesh etc."
Emphasizing the importance of initiation, Anna said:"Charya nritya is a spiritual tradition, a quite initiation. In Charya dance, it's very important to get Diksha or initiation. You see, there are two aspects in Charya nritya. One is performmance -- cultural dance, but another side is -- this is spiritual tradition. So you are not just the moves. You are supposed to manifest the deity. It all comes from the rigorous practice, and you start practicing after you receive the initiation from the Vajracharya Guruju."
During the WNO-DB virtual conversation, Anna further said:"Newar tradition is so rich, so beautiful. And besides dance tradition, I had the opportunity to learn several other aspects of Newar Buddhist heritage from Prajwal Guruji -- Nitya Puja, Gurumandala Puja, Naamsangiti, Dharani reciting etc. In Newar Buddhist tradition, the ritual philosophy, art, music and community life are blended in together, integrated as a kind of one living expression of the Dharma."
At the end of the virtual dialogue, Anna replied to the queries of the zoom participants.
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Nepal-US Cordial Ties Stressed
Portland, June 29 (Nepal Oregon News): At an interaction program organized on Sunday, June 29, 2025 in Portland by Nepali Association of Oregon (NAO), Nepali Ambassador to USA His Excellency Lok Darshan Regmi has emphasized that Nepal-US relations has always been cordial since the diplomatic relations were established between the two nations in 1947.
Deputy Chief of Mission at the Nepali Embassy in Washington DC Mr Sharad Raj Aran provided important information on consular services and answered to questions of the audience.
Speaking on the occasion, co-founder of Nritya Mandala Mahavihara (NMM) Prajwal Vajracharya said that the Mahavihara is the only temple consecrated and established in 2009 in Portland after 350 years in the history of Newar Buddhism.
The Mahavihara has been preserving and sharing the traditions of Buddhist practice, arts and culture held by Newar Buddhists of Nepal. Very soon, the Vihara is going to be transformed into a Newar Buddhist Museum, Vajracharya informed the community gathering.
Daya Shakya, patron of World Newah Organization, shed light on the historical connection between Nepal and Oregon, whereas Kush Shrestha, Advisory Board Member of NAO, elucidated on the Association's role in providing educational scholarships to the needy people in Nepal.
The interaction program which was conducted by former NAO president Bharat Baskota was also addressed by Mohan Gurung, former president of Nepal Seattle Society, Narayan Gurung, chair of NAO, Laxman Darlamee, Board of Director for NRNA-NCC-USA, Dr Ekraj Dahal, chair of Intel Nepali Group, Rabin Man Shakya, Sangha Member of Nritya Mandala Mahavihara and Punam Glee, NAO's secretary
Meanwhile, Daya presented his book 'Newarology Matters' to the Ambassador on the occasion while His Excellency gave away certificate and trophy to Renuka Magar for her win at the Golf Tournament organized by NAO.
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Graduation Reception Held at Portland Baha
Portland, June 28 (Nepal Oregon News): Sangha member Anirudra Muni Shakya's daughter Isha Shakya's high school graduation from Franklin High School, Portland was celebrated at the Vihara amidst a reception on Saturday, June 28, 2025.
On the occasion, Prajwal Vajracharya extended congratulations to Isha and said that high school graduation is one of the important milestones in life.
Isha's dad Ani and mom Sharon as well as other Sangha members also extended congratulations to the high school grad.
The dinner reception was attended by the Sangha members of the Mahavihara and the Nepali community members.
The graduation party at the Vihara was an evening full of laughter, memories and socializing with family and friends.
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Rituals Held at Vihara for a Devotee from Thailand
Portland, June 21 (Nepal Oregon News): Prajwal Vajracharya - a 35th generation Tantric Buddhist priest from Nepal - performed a sacred and esoteric ritual at the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara for a devotee from Thailand.
The Newar Buddhist ritual Gurumandala Puja was performed to bring back to Jade Emperor.
The Gurumandala Puja Vidhi purification ritual is the most common ritual practiced in Nepal. At all important moments in life, from birth to death, this important Newar Buddhist ritual is performed to remove obstacles and bring spiritual blessings.
The Jade Emperor known as 'Yu Huang Dadi' in Chinese is a significant deity in Chinese mythology and Taoism. He is often considered the ruler of heaven and the supreme deity who oversees all cosmic and earthly affairs.
According to mythology, he governs the heavens and is responsible for maintaining order in the universe. The Jade Emperor is often depicted as a wise and just ruler who rewards good behavior and punishes wrongdoing. Many festivals and rituals are held in his honor especially during the Lunar New Year.
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Sithi Nakha Observed at Vihara
Portland, June 1 (Nepal Oregon News): Sithi Nakha - one of the big cultural festivals of the Newar people, that falls on the sixth day of the waxing moon in the month of Tachhala Thwo, Nepal Sambat 1145, a Lunar Calendar - was celebrated at Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland, USA on Sunday, June1, 2025.
The Puja was offered to the Lun Hiti (golden spouts) at the Vihara by Prajwal Guruji. Similarly, lentil cakes 'Wo' mari were also offered to the Pujaris of the temple on the occasion.
Sithi Nakha is a popular Newar festival that is celebrated right before the start of Monsoon season in Nepal.
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.
The festival is the profound expression of devotion and commitment to the earth. The planet Earth is rounnd in shape and Wo mari offered to the planet Earth on this Day is also round in shape.
Sithi Nakha for Newar people is very important because it is on this Day the Newars not only clean and sweep their homes, nearby surroundings, Nanis, Gallis, Bahals, they also purify, clean and mop wells, ponds, stone spouts, springs and other water sources in the neighborhood periphery.
(Nepal Oregon News writer Rabin Man Shakya, who is a Newar journalist in USA is also a Life Member of World Newah Organization)