Zoom Teaching on Asabhalu Ajima Zeroes in on Significance and History of Asan
Rabin Man Shakya
Portland, July 18 (Nepal Oregon News): Deity Annapurna is the Goddess of harvest. In Nepal, she is honored as Mother Earth. The female deity is white in color, has one face with three eyes and has a great snake as her vehicle. Her eight arms hold various implements in order to be of benefit to many different kinds of beings.
Prajwal Vajracharya -- who is a 35th generation Tantric Buddhist priest from Nepal and a ritual master of the Charya Nritya dance tradition -- said this during an online teaching on Annapurna Devi (Asabhalu Ajima) organized by Hong Kong Buddhist Studies Association on Friday, July 18, 2025. The remotely held teaching class on deity Annapurna Devi kicked off with the chanting of lord Padmanateshvara.
During the virtual teaching, Prajwal Guruji stated:"According to Newar Buddhist iconography of Annapurna Devi, the Goddess possesses eight arms with four right hands showing bowl, sword, Vajra and Aksha Sutra while her four left hands holding Bindu Mudra, Bell, Prayer Beads and Kalash (vase). 'Annapurna' is a Sanskrit word in which 'Anna' stands for food while 'Purna' means full or complete, the Guruji added.
Prajwal Guruji went on saying:"Deity Annapurna is believed to bring both material abundance and spiritual fulfillment, creating a balanced life. The Kalash (vase) made of silver -- inside the three story artistic brass temple at Asan's southeast corner -- has been worshipped as the Asabhalu Ajima for centuriies."
The Guruji explained the zoom participants about the religious relevance of Asabhalu Ajima, and significance and history of Asan.
Prajwal Guruji told the zoom participants a folklore relating to Asabhalu Ajima -- in which once upon a time a woman saw snakes and serpents coming out of her bamboo basket full of grass. She was very scared, and when a group of people asked her what happened, she just pointed out her finger and said "Ansa" meaning 'next to me'. When people went to the place she pointed, they found out a young girl sitting upon the bed of serpents. The young girl, in fact, was Ajima dyoh, the Guruji said. It is believed that Asan is derived from the word 'Ansa'.
Prajwal Guruji also expressed the belief about some kind of interconnections between 14th century Mahasiddha Surat Bajra Bajracharya, Asan Tole's Surat Shree Mahavihara and Asabhalu Ajima.
The Guruji said:"Everyday thousands of Kathmandu's locals walk around the Annapurna temple, touch a coin to their heads, throw it into the shrine and ring the bell above them. Many Tibetan Gurus have also come to Asan for offering worship to Asabhalu Ajima."
During the Mohani Nakha festival, the jatra of Asabhalu Ajima is organized every year for four days from Kaula Thwo Nawami to Kaula Thwo Dwadashi. Major festivals of Kathmandu like Kumari Jatra and Bung Dyoh (White Avalokiteshvara) Jatra have to pass through the Annapurna temple at Asan Tole. During the Yomari Punhi, the Newar people used to prepare regular Yomaris and Yomaris in the form of deities Kumar, Ganesh, Laxmi and Kuber to offer them to Goddess Annapurna, the Guruji said.
Dyoh Lwakegu is another one of the most important festivals of Asan. Three portable shrines containing the images of deities from Wotu, Tebahal and Kanga are brought to Asan from different directions for a celebration. Dyoh Lwakegu takes place on the second day of Pahan Chare festival, Prajwal Guruji said.
Prajwal Guruji further stated :"People also come to Asan Tole's Annapurna temple to light up 125 thousand wicks for achieving success in life and career. The six-spoked junction of Asan -- an ancient and medieval bazar -- is the historical, cultural, religious and commercial center of Kathmandu. Asan is one of the two legendary India-Tibet trade route that passes through Kathmandu."
During the remotely-held class, the Guruji demonstrated many pictures of statues and Thangkas depicting Annapurna Devi.
The Guruji further said:"The Raga for the Annapurna Charya dance is Kamadi and Tala is Jhapa." The Guruji also demonstrated step-by-step the Mudra and hand gestures of the charya dance devoted to Annapurna Devi. The Guruji also explained the meaning of lyrics of "Annapurna Charya dance".
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Dharma Rain Zen Center Organizes Portland Buddhist Festival
Portland, July12 (Nepal Oregon News): A Buddhist Festival was organized on Saturday, July12, 2025 by Dharma Rain Zen Center on its own premises in Portland. About 20 Buddhist centers and communities of Portland took part at the Buddhist Festival.
Nritya Mandala Mahavihara, Henjyoti Shingon Buddhist Temple, Dharma Rain Zen Center, Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple, Maitripa College, Mt Adams Buddhist Temple, Shambala Meditation Center, No-Rank Zen Temple, Prayer Wheels were among the participating communities.
The Buddhist Festival kicked off with an opening ceremony -- the Gathering Circle and then a procession of the Sangha members of the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara walked through around the Festival space. The procession was led by Prajwal Vajracharya, an authentic Newar Vajrayana Buddhist priest.
During the procession, Prajwal Guruji offered the ringing of the Bell, shaking of Vajra, and chanting of a Tantric Buddhist prayer for good of all the sentient beings, while Sangha member Anna Shustrova blew the couch, and Sangha members Ashley Low and Adam Bidema played the Kanta Dub Dub (Damaru).
On the occasion, Prajwal Guruji and other Sangha members of the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara performed Refuge Charya Dance and Sixteen Offering Goddess Charya Dance.
The 'Gathering Circle' was an opportunity for the "Maha Sangha" to come together and offer prayers and contemplations from our individual community to our shared Sangha.
The park of Dharma Rain Zen Center was decorated with different booths and tables hosted by various Buddhist monasteries and institutions. The Buddhist Festival was celebrated with the strength and diversity of our Buddhist communities of Portland.
The activities of the Festival Day were: Chanting and Singing with Zen Community, Social Meditation with Shambala, Mindful Movement with Wise Spirit, Engaged Buddhism Multi Sangha Discussion. Also, the other programs of the Day were Laughter Yoga, Dharma Rain Property Tour and workshops.
The Buddhist Festival was followed by a pot-luck lunch. Similarly, there was a Nepali Food Truck on site and everybody got the taste of Kathmandu's momos.
Dharma Rain Zen Center is a Soto Zen Buddhist community in Portland dedicated to supporting each other in the practice of meditation and the study of Buddhist teachings. Center's shared intention is to cultivate compassion, love, and wisdom in our own lives and in the larger community in which we live.
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Nava Graha Puja Performed at Vihara
Portland, July 14 (Nepal Oregon News): A Nava Graha Puja was performed with right vidhi vidhan at the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland on Monday, July 14, 2025 by Prajwal Vajracharya, a priest from one of the Vajrayana Buddhist lineages of Nepal.
The Nava Graha Puja was ritualized for Kuon Hunt, Dale Hunt and their grand kid Moss. The purpose of the Nava Graha Puja is to remove obstacles and to do away with negative effects in life.
Prajwal Guruji says:"Nava Graha is a Sanskrit word in which Nava means nine and Graha refers to planet. In Nepalese astrology, there are nine planets which have impacts on human lives. Planets in the horoscope have configurations which can create obstacles in life called Nava Graha Dasa."
The Guruji adds:"Though the planets have their effects, these malefic Dasas or negative effects can be minimized by performing the Nava Graha Puja (worship of planets)."
He goes on saying:"Nava Graha Puja engages the nine planets in a square Mandala with the Sun in the center, and in the process of acknowledging and honoring each of the planet, clears the cause of suffering relating to each."
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Other Regular Activities
Monthly full moon Naamsangiti chanting, weekly Dharani chanting (Tuesday evening), Sadhana practice, Buddha Bhajan practice (Wednesday evening) and Charya giti singing practice (Friday morning) -- all were conducted on a regular basis at the Mahavihara and online.
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