Buddha Purnima Celebrated at Nepalese Temple in Portland, America with Various Programs

Dr Rabin Man Shakya

Portland, May 20 (Nepal Oregon News): Buddha Jayanti or Buddha Purnima is a very auspicious day for Buddhists all over the world. Twenty five sixty third (2563) Buddha Jayanti was celebrated at the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland, USA on Saturday May 18, 2019 amid various programs. 

A number of Nepalese community members from Portland and neighboring cities took part in the event. Also present at the Buddha Jayanti celebration were a number of American Buddhists as well as Americans interested in Buddhism.

Buddha Purnima celebrations started at the Mahavihara with the chanting of Naam Sangiti Tuta by Guruju Prajwal Vajracharya and other Nepalese and American participants. During the Naam Sangiti, everyone gave bath to Baby Buddha.

On the occasion, colorful Baby Buddha Procession was taken out around the temple at the Mahavihara accompanied by the music players who played various Newah music instruments.

Also, during the Buddha Jayanti festival, a Five Buddha (Pancha Buddha) play directed and conceptualized by Axi Tristan Codrescu was staged at the Mahavihara. The play was performed by seven children and five ladies. At the end of the play, Prajwal honored the participants by giving away Vajra Necklace. Guruju Prajwal also told stories to children about Siddhartha Gautam Buddha.

108 butter fed diyos (candle-like lights) were illuminated during the ceremony.

Likewise, Refuge Dance (a performance of Buddha Bandana Dance through Charya Nritya) was also performed 108 times continuously by American and Nepali devotees. Guruju Prajwal Vajracharya honored the dancers on the occasion  by wrapping Khata (traditional scarf) on them and by giving Eight Auspicious Symbols to them.

Refuge charya dance

At the end of the function, a talent show was held. Prajwal, Uppa Shakya and Anastasia Roderick performed the Pancha Buddha charya dance. Danish Lok Nath threw light on the importance of Buddhism. He played a classical musical instrument. Likewise, Jameela performed Bengali rituals along with a Bengali song, and Sarah sang an English song about peace and happiness. 

(Danish Lok Nath performing on a rare musical instrument.)

A group of Nepalese ladies and gentlemen also performed Sheel Prarthana and Tri-Ratna Bandana on the occasion. 

(From left to right: Gyani Maharjan, Devi Laxmi Maharjan, Padma Laxmi Manandhar, Naveena Shakya, Dina Shakya, Anjali Bajracharya, Ekamananda Bajracharya and Pradeep Bajracharya performing Sheel Prarthana and Tri-Ratna Bandana.)

The program was followed by a Kheer  dinner (rice cooked in milk with sugar, cashews, cloves, cardamoms, raisins, coconuts etc) along with Jeri-Swari, Maarpa, and other Newah delicacies. The celebration of Buddha Purnima in a number of countries across the world highlights the significance of Buddhism as a major religious force in the world with an estimated 480 million adherents. 

This is again a testimony that Shakya Muni Siddhartha Gautam Buddha who was born in Nepal is adored and respected worldwide as the apostle of peace and light of Asia, and his teachings about peace and non-violence are  relevant today more so than ever when so many nations are mired in violence and civil wars. 

The four noble truths and eightfold path are the most important teachings of Lord Buddha. Buddhism, in fact, is not just a religion, it is also a way of life, a realism of non-violence and peaceful co-existence. 

After all, why do Buddhists all over the world celebrate Buddha Purnima? As a matter of fact, Purnima means full moon day. For Buddhists, every full moon day of the month is sacred and pious. The full moon day in the month of Baisakh has an additional and special significance. On this particular day, Siddhartha Gautam was born, attained enlightenment and Mahaparinirvana. 

The four noble truths are the most basic formulation of the Buddha's teachings: All existence is Dukkha (suffering). The cause of Dukkha is cravings. The cessation of Dukkha comes with the cessation of craving. Noble eightfold path is the means to end the Dukkha.

(Nepal Oregon News writer Rabin Man Shakya is a Nepali journalist in USA)

Slideshow about Nepal Visit Organized at Nritya Mandala Mahavihara at Portland in USA

Dr Rabin Man Shakya

Portland, Nov 12 (Nepal Oregon News): A slideshow presentation about experience of visit to the Kathmandu valley, Pokhara and Tansen was organized at the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland on Saturday  May 11, 2019.

Jeanean Rauch and her 12 year old son Andrew traveled and worked in Nepal for ten weeks. Ms Rauch shared pictures and stories from the trip. They lived at the Kevin Rohan Memorial Eco-Foundation which is an NGO in the kathmandu valley.

The Foundation was established in 2008 in Khahare, a village near Kathmandu. After the accidental death of their seven-year old son, Krishna and Leela Gurung decided to establish a foundation to remember him and to develop a project to make a better world that they would have liked Kevin to live in.

The Foundation has a health clinic,  a Waldrof-inspired  school, biodynamic workshop, sustainable carpentry workshop, and are building bottle houses for sustainable housing solutions.

The mom and her son were in Nepal during the Nepalese festival of Tihar and American holiday of Thanksgiving Day.

The slideshow presentation was a nostalgic deja vu for some Nepalese Portlanders, and lots of interesting and esoteric information about Nepal for American guests.

The mom and her son witnessed Kag Puja, Kukur Puja and Govardhan Puja in the Kathmandu valley. There were pictures and stories about a rice feeding ceremony for a newly born child. Also, they celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday with a Nepali family.

The slideshow offered a wide spectrum in terms of Nepalese lifestyle, Nepalese festivals, ceremonies and rituals, the Himalayas, trips to religious and historical places like Boudha Nath, Monkey Temple and Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha.

And it looked like they loved Daal Bhat Tarkari, Momo dumplings and other Nepalese delicacies. 

Answering to a query of this scribe, Jeanean said she liked the Nepalese cuisines, Nepalese hospitality, helpfulness of the people, their generosity and spiritualism. But she also added that she did not like the deteriorating pollution, crowdy and noisy bus rides and dirty rest rooms.

Many American guests who were present at the program have been to Nepal. The good thing about the program is that the slideshow impressed upon a kind of interest and curiosity about Nepal on those who have not yet been to Nepal.

The slideshow presentation was followed by a delicious potluck dinner.

(Rabin Man Shakya is a Nepali journalist in America)

Talk on Traditional Newah Music by a Nepali Music Expert Held at Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland, America

Dr Rabin Man Shakya

Portland, April 28, (Nepal Oregon News): The history of Newah music dates back to 6th century which is mentioned in a Shilalekh  (historical inscription) "Baditra Gosthi" or Baja Guthi found at Lele, Patan in Nepal.Dr Subhash Ram Prajapati, a music expert and a musician himself, said this at  a program  organized at the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland, USA on Saturday April 27, 2019.

Newah traditional music is an integral component of broader South Asian musical history, Prajapati added.

The talk also examined the historical narratives, cultural traditions and recent changes in traditional music from Nepal.

During his presentation, Prajapati focused on the ancient and mediaeval music of Nepal, its history and culture.

Gunla Bajan, for example, is a tradition which is as old as almost 800 years from today, Prajapati said, referring to "Gunila" mentioned in Gopal Rajvanshavali.

Prajapati also answered to the questions of the guests during the program.

At the end of the talk, Prajapati gave a performance on various drums of the Nepalese traditions accompanied by fellow musicians.

Prajapati gave live rendition on Newah drums like Dhimay, Dhaa, Paschima and also Madal. Other musical instruments like Taa (a Newah cymbal) and Naykhin were also played.

However, it was musician David Suhay who stole the show by playing "Woh Chhu Galli, Thwo Chhu Galli" and "Resham  Phiriri" on the violin.

About 60 Newah Portlanders and local Americans were present at the program which was followed by a sumptuous potluck dinner.

Prajapati has recently completed his Ph D in Ethnomusicology from the University of Washington.

His research focuses on traditional, folk and fusion music from Newah communities on a global perspective of musical changes.

(Rabin Man Shakya is a Nepali journalist in USA)