Nepalese Community Observes Mha Puja, Nepal Sambat 1139 in Portland, USA
Dr Rabin Man Shakya
Garlands of flowers were offered on the photo of Shankhadhar Sakhwa, the founder of Nepal Sambat, and also on the photo of late Padma Ratna Tuladhar, the first initiator of Nepal Sambat Bhintuna Rally in Nepal.
The traditional ceremony of group Mha Puja in Portland was ritualized by Buddhist Guruju Prajwal Vajracharya, chief pujari and co-founder of Nritya Mandala Mahavihara (which is the only one Newar Buddhist temple in USA) by performing different Pujas and chanting Mantras.
(Guruju Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya ritualizing the Mha Puja ceremony in Portland, USA. Also seen in the photo is octogenarian Buddhist activist Shanta Ratna Shakya from Nepal who was on a visit to the USA.)
The Mha Puja rutuals were intended for the prosperity and longevity of life for participants. The Mha Puja program was participated by about 80 people from Portland and from outside of Portland and outside of the US.
In what has become a good tradition, the annual Mha Puja and Nepal Sambat New Year celebration provides the Newah as well as non-Newah community members a fun way to share greetings and interact with each other. Obviously, Mha Puja celebration which is quintessence of Newar culture, is also a sure way to enliven and enhance the Newah traditions and customs, demonstrating the aspirations of the Nepalese Portlanders to keep up the Newah traditions alive.
The Mha Puja program in Portland focused on the rituals and traditions of the famous Newah festival. The main highlight of Mha Puja is the worshipping of the Mandala to purify the soul and mind. Actually, in Nepal Bhasa, the language of the Newah people, Mha Puja literally means the worship of the self. Therefore, observing of collective Mha Puja by Nepa Chhen in Portland is avery constructive and praiseworthy tradition.
(Mha Puja participants sitting cross-legged in front of the Mandalas)
Over eighty Mha Puja Mandalas were drawn on the floor for each participant. Cheerful Nepalese Portlanders were seen sitting cross-legged in front of their respective Mandalas. Notable participants on the occasion were octogenarian Buddhist activist Shanta Ratna Shakya (currently in the US for a visit), Daya Shakya, vice president of WNO and Diwakar Maharjan, president of NRNA-NCC-USA Oregon chapter, Rajesh Maharjan, president of Nepaa Chhen and journalist Dr Rabin Man Shakya of Nepal Oregon News, physicist Dr Mahendra Man Shakya from California and Yuko Okomoto from Japan. Most of the cultural and ritual procedures were followed while performing the collective Mha Puja.
As instructed by Buddhist Guruju Prajwal Vajracharya, the Mha Puja Mandala was worshipped by each participant by offering flowers, by sprinkling and stamping colored paste "sinha" on the Mandala. All the Mha Puja participants were given a dab of colored paste "sinha" on their foreheads, provided sacred thread "kwokha" and a bag of Masala Pwo and fruits. Then, the Nepalese Portlanders were presented with hard boiled egg, dried anchovy fish and wine which was poured down from a Newah-style "anti" into a small "khola" and got refill three times in a row followed by a lavish dinner.
(Mha Puja participants being given a dab of "sinha")
At the end of the Mha Puja program, president of Nepa Chhen Rajesh Maharjan felicitated different new guests by wrapping Khada on them. Those felicitated were from Nepal, Qatar, Japan and the US.
(Nepa Chhen president Rajesh Maharjan wrapping Khata on senior Buddhist activist Shanta Ratna Shakya, currently on a visit to the US)
(Personalities who were honored by wrapping sacred Khata)
(Enjoying the Mha Puja event)
A collective Mha Puja and Nepal Sambat 1139 celebration was organized by Nepa Chhen at
Nekusing Memorial Theater in Portland, USA on Thursday Nov 8, 2018.
Garlands of flowers were offered on the photo of Shankhadhar Sakhwa, the founder of Nepal Sambat, and also on the photo of late Padma Ratna Tuladhar, the first initiator of Nepal Sambat Bhintuna Rally in Nepal.
The traditional ceremony of group Mha Puja in Portland was ritualized by Buddhist Guruju Prajwal Vajracharya, chief pujari and co-founder of Nritya Mandala Mahavihara (which is the only one Newar Buddhist temple in USA) by performing different Pujas and chanting Mantras.
(Guruju Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya ritualizing the Mha Puja ceremony in Portland, USA. Also seen in the photo is octogenarian Buddhist activist Shanta Ratna Shakya from Nepal who was on a visit to the USA.)
The Mha Puja rutuals were intended for the prosperity and longevity of life for participants. The Mha Puja program was participated by about 80 people from Portland and from outside of Portland and outside of the US.
In what has become a good tradition, the annual Mha Puja and Nepal Sambat New Year celebration provides the Newah as well as non-Newah community members a fun way to share greetings and interact with each other. Obviously, Mha Puja celebration which is quintessence of Newar culture, is also a sure way to enliven and enhance the Newah traditions and customs, demonstrating the aspirations of the Nepalese Portlanders to keep up the Newah traditions alive.
The Mha Puja program in Portland focused on the rituals and traditions of the famous Newah festival. The main highlight of Mha Puja is the worshipping of the Mandala to purify the soul and mind. Actually, in Nepal Bhasa, the language of the Newah people, Mha Puja literally means the worship of the self. Therefore, observing of collective Mha Puja by Nepa Chhen in Portland is avery constructive and praiseworthy tradition.
(Mha Puja participants sitting cross-legged in front of the Mandalas)
Over eighty Mha Puja Mandalas were drawn on the floor for each participant. Cheerful Nepalese Portlanders were seen sitting cross-legged in front of their respective Mandalas. Notable participants on the occasion were octogenarian Buddhist activist Shanta Ratna Shakya (currently in the US for a visit), Daya Shakya, vice president of WNO and Diwakar Maharjan, president of NRNA-NCC-USA Oregon chapter, Rajesh Maharjan, president of Nepaa Chhen and journalist Dr Rabin Man Shakya of Nepal Oregon News, physicist Dr Mahendra Man Shakya from California and Yuko Okomoto from Japan. Most of the cultural and ritual procedures were followed while performing the collective Mha Puja.
As instructed by Buddhist Guruju Prajwal Vajracharya, the Mha Puja Mandala was worshipped by each participant by offering flowers, by sprinkling and stamping colored paste "sinha" on the Mandala. All the Mha Puja participants were given a dab of colored paste "sinha" on their foreheads, provided sacred thread "kwokha" and a bag of Masala Pwo and fruits. Then, the Nepalese Portlanders were presented with hard boiled egg, dried anchovy fish and wine which was poured down from a Newah-style "anti" into a small "khola" and got refill three times in a row followed by a lavish dinner.
(Mha Puja participants being given a dab of "sinha")
At the end of the Mha Puja program, president of Nepa Chhen Rajesh Maharjan felicitated different new guests by wrapping Khada on them. Those felicitated were from Nepal, Qatar, Japan and the US.
(Nepa Chhen president Rajesh Maharjan wrapping Khata on senior Buddhist activist Shanta Ratna Shakya, currently on a visit to the US)
(Personalities who were honored by wrapping sacred Khata)
(Enjoying the Mha Puja event)
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| A group photo of the Nepalese ladies during the Mha Puja event. (Rabin Man Shakya is a Nepali journalist in America) |
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