Naamsangiti, Das Paramita and Daan Gatha Chanted by Newar Portlanders
Dr Rabin Man Shakya
Portland, Sept 8 (Nepal Oregon News): One of the important festivals of the Newah Buddhists "Panjaran" was celebrated here at Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland, USA.
Panjaran is also Panchadan which means giving away different kinds of alms, such as, grains and fruits like rice, paddy, salt, peas, bananas, radish etc to people from Vajracharya and Shakya communities.
On the occasion, various Buddhist Tutas like Mahayana Sutra, Naam Sangiti, Bandeshree, Dasparamita, Daan Gatha and Siddhi Muni were recited by chief pujari Guruju Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya, linguist Daya Ratna Shakya, Guruju Pradeep Vajracharya and journalist Dr Rabin Man Shakya inside the Buddhist temple at the Mahavihara.
After the reciting of Holy Tutas, as per the Buddhist tradition, different kinds of alms, such as, rice, peas, bananas, apples and money were given away by Mahavihara's Guruju (preist) Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya, Jaya Shakya, Dina Shakya and Anastasia Roderick to Portland"s local Newah Buddhists.
Raw rice was offered to the Panjaran participants from the Gulpa, just like in Nepal, in front of the large statue of Lord Buddha.
At the end of the Panchadan program at the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara, Portland's Panjaran participants were offered the Khir lunch in the " Kayan Yagu Dema" (traditional Newah plate made of brass).
Panjaran ceremony in Portland was reminiscent of Panjaran activities in Kathmandu.
Nritya Mandala Mahavihara has moved to centerstage in Nepalese cultural scenario in Oregon by organizing a lot of programs and ceremonies related to festivals and culture of Nepal.
Prajwal Guruju of Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland said that Portland's Buddhist Mahavihara also keeps the tradition alive by carrying on Tuta Bwonegu for a month until the end of the month of Gunla.
Tuta Bwonegu is a month-long practice of reciting Bajrayana Buddhist Tutas among the Newah Buddhists of the Kathmandu Valley during the month of Gunla (August-September).
There is no doubt that Nritya Mandala Mahavihara has been doing praiseworthy and commendable job by trying to keep the tradition and culture of Nepal alive in the USA.
It is to be noted that the establishment of Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland in 2009 AD has paved the way for local Nepalese Portlanders to carry on with lots of ritual and cultural ceremonies like the way it is done in the Kathmandu valley.
The forthcoming "Sawa Lakh Dipa Prajwolan" (the lighting of one hundred twenty five thousand oily wicks) to be organized at the Mahavihara on Saturday, Sept 15, 2018 is a testimony to it.
Panjaran is also Panchadan which means giving away different kinds of alms, such as, grains and fruits like rice, paddy, salt, peas, bananas, radish etc to people from Vajracharya and Shakya communities.
On the occasion, various Buddhist Tutas like Mahayana Sutra, Naam Sangiti, Bandeshree, Dasparamita, Daan Gatha and Siddhi Muni were recited by chief pujari Guruju Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya, linguist Daya Ratna Shakya, Guruju Pradeep Vajracharya and journalist Dr Rabin Man Shakya inside the Buddhist temple at the Mahavihara.
After the reciting of Holy Tutas, as per the Buddhist tradition, different kinds of alms, such as, rice, peas, bananas, apples and money were given away by Mahavihara's Guruju (preist) Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya, Jaya Shakya, Dina Shakya and Anastasia Roderick to Portland"s local Newah Buddhists.
Raw rice was offered to the Panjaran participants from the Gulpa, just like in Nepal, in front of the large statue of Lord Buddha.
At the end of the Panchadan program at the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara, Portland's Panjaran participants were offered the Khir lunch in the " Kayan Yagu Dema" (traditional Newah plate made of brass).
Panjaran ceremony in Portland was reminiscent of Panjaran activities in Kathmandu.
Nritya Mandala Mahavihara has moved to centerstage in Nepalese cultural scenario in Oregon by organizing a lot of programs and ceremonies related to festivals and culture of Nepal.
Prajwal Guruju of Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland said that Portland's Buddhist Mahavihara also keeps the tradition alive by carrying on Tuta Bwonegu for a month until the end of the month of Gunla.
Tuta Bwonegu is a month-long practice of reciting Bajrayana Buddhist Tutas among the Newah Buddhists of the Kathmandu Valley during the month of Gunla (August-September).
There is no doubt that Nritya Mandala Mahavihara has been doing praiseworthy and commendable job by trying to keep the tradition and culture of Nepal alive in the USA.
It is to be noted that the establishment of Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland in 2009 AD has paved the way for local Nepalese Portlanders to carry on with lots of ritual and cultural ceremonies like the way it is done in the Kathmandu valley.
The forthcoming "Sawa Lakh Dipa Prajwolan" (the lighting of one hundred twenty five thousand oily wicks) to be organized at the Mahavihara on Saturday, Sept 15, 2018 is a testimony to it.
(Rabin Man Shakya is a Nepali journalist in America)
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