Dr Rabin Man Shakya
Portland, Oct 14 (Nepal Oregon News): A senior age "Janko" religious ceremony or Bhimratharohan of Ms Chandra Lal Mali was held at Raju and Minu Mali's residence at Hillsboro, Oregon on Friday, Oct 11, 2019.
Ms Chandra Lal Mali is the mother of Raju Mali and Ganga Sharma. Raju Mali is the founder president of Nepali Association of Oregon (NAO) whereas Ganga Sharma is also the former president of NAO.
Ms Mali's other children are Jamuna, Bernadine, Helen, Nancy and Urmila. Ms Mali also has over a dozen grand children plus some great grand children.
The whole Janko related ritual and puja were performed for about five hours. Janko rituals of Ms Chandra Lal were performed by Buddhist Guruju Prajwal Ratna Bajracharya of the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland.
Janko related rituals like Gurumandala Puja, Homa Puja, Naag Puja, Kalash Puja and Bali Puja were ritualized by Prajwal Guruju. Prajwal Guruju went onto Samadhi to perform the Janko related rituals to bestow blessings to Ms Mali. Similarly, she was given a symbolic holy bathe to qualify her in divine life amid the presence of her family. Likewise, Baran Chhuyegu and Sagan Beegu rituals were also performed. Mangala Strota was also recited during the Sagan Beegu rituals.
Ms Chandra Lal was given a ride on a chariot drawn by flying horses, the magical steeds that would transport her to paradise or Nirvana, the afterlife destinations secured by the Bhimratha ceremony. Prajwal Guruju sealed the blessings to her by performing Homa Puja. During the Janko ceremony, Ms Chandra Mali was released from religious and ritual obligations, for her sins have been remitted and her Karma purified.
During the Janko ceremony, Ms Mali received respect "Tuti Bhagi Yayegu" from all members of her family. Present at the Janko ceremony were the office bearers and members of Nepali Association of Oregon, Nepaa Chhen and NRNA-NCC-USA Oregon Chapter.
One of the very important ritual part of the Janko ceremony is parading of the honored person around the vicinity of the neighborhood in a colorful procession accompanied by a Newah style music team playing Dhime Baja. The Janko parade was accompanied by Guruju Prajwal, honoree's family members and a lot of Nepalese Portlanders and was feted with music, flowers, sacred water, vermillion powder and a lot of incense sticks.
So Ms Mali was once again treated like a bride and was pulled out on a chariot around the neighborhood. Janko ceremonies of senior Nepalese people were held in Portland in the past also. In one case, the honored Janko personality was driven in a vehicle-like chariot and in another case, the chariot was carried out on shoulders as per Lalitpur parampara.
This time, Ms Mali was on the small-four-wheel chariot just like in Kathmandu and was pulled away by her children and grand children.
Replying to a query of Nepal Oregon News, Buddhist Gubhaju Prajwal Bajracharya said:"When a man or a woman turns 77 years, 7 months, 7 days and 7 hours, there is a special ceremony to perform. The Bhimratha observance calls on the Goddess of long life - Usnisvijaya - to purefy Karma and bestow the blessings of good health and a long life span."
Similarly, asked by Nepal Oregon News about the importance of Janko ceremony, Nepali community leader in Portland Daya Shakya said:"A special ritual the Bhimratharohan (ascending a chariot of wellness 'bhim' and fearless) is organized to honor a person of the age 77 years, 7 months, 7days and 7 hours according to own faith either Hindu or Buddhist. A symbolic ritual of citation entering to higher level of human being and a qualified person to ride a spiritual vehicle of fearless divine personality is recognized."
A gala dinner party was organized on Saturday the next day at the Multnomah Arts Center in Portland to celebrate Ms Chandra Mali's Bhimratharohan.
(Rabin Man Shakya is a Nepali journalist in USA)
It was great to be part of such a special ceremony from our family. Happy Janko bajai!
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