Dr Rabin Man Shakya
Nepal Oregon News
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| Disseminating the value of Newar culture and tradition in America: Chariot of Living Goddess 'Kumari' being pulled on the Portland streets at a participation by Nritya Mandala Mahavihara during the Starlight Parade in June, 2023. |
Portland's Nritya Mandala Mahavihara (NMM) is the backbone of the Newar Vajrayana Buddhism in the USA and its co-founder Rev Guru Prajwal Vajracharya is the mainstay of Newar Vajrayana Buddhism in the West.
The Nritya Mandala Mahavihara -- which is the only Nepalese Buddhist temple in the USA -- has moved to centerstage in Nepalese community in Oregon by organizing scholarly presentations on rituals, culture and traditions of Nepal, by promoting Charya dances, Charya giti, by observing age-old festivals of the Kathmandu valley and by keeping alive the wonderful traditions and culture of the people of Nepal.
Promoting, preserving and protecting traditional and cultural values of Nepal are not easy work always, but Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland is giving it a shot. Its establishment in 2009 by Helen Appell and Prajwal Vajracharya has paved the way for Nepalese Portlanders and beyond to carry on with lots of rituals and cultural ceremonies like the way it is done in the Kathmandu valley.
Many Nepalese Portlanders have mentioned it as one of the quintessential aspects of Rev Prajwal Guruju's unrelenting commitment for preservation of Charya dance, Newar Vajrayani Buddhist rituals and Nepalese arts and culture. In fact, Nritya Mandala Mahavihara has made celebrating the Newah festivals and observing lifecycle rituals centerpiece of its activities.
Nepalese Portlanders see Nritya Mandala Mahavihara as the cultural and religious bulwark, a temple of veneration and an outlet for their cultural and socio-religious activities. After all, Nritya Mandala Mahavihara is definitely the pioneering Newar Vajrayani Buddhist heritage in the USA. Needless to say, preservation and promotion of esoteric Buddhist Charya dances was the raison d' etre of the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara.
Actually, the short history of 12 years of Portland Buddhist Baha is the history of Charya dance and giti school, history of Newar rituals and Nepalese festivals and history of various creativities.
Even during the coronavirus pandemic, when other Nepalese community organizations were slowing down, the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara is abuzz with various rituals, events and programs every day, every week and every month:
--Yenya Punhi Observed at the Portland Baha --
Portland, Sept 21, (Nepal Oregon News): Yenya Punhi which is one of the biggest street cultural festivals of Kathmandu was celebrated here on Sept 20, 2021 at the Nepalese Buddhist temple in Portland, USA with the recitation of Manjushree Naamsangiti.
It is to be noted that the Mahavihara has been organizing Manjushree Naamsangiti Recitation on every full moon day of the month. Also, Naamsangiti is recited daily at the Mahavihara during the month of Gunla (Nepal Sambat Lunar Calendar).
Naamsangiti on the occasion was recited by Rev Guru Prajwal and 10 people at the Mahavihara, while 10 other participants from Hong Kong, India, California and Oregon also took part in the zoom.
At a time when a lot of heritage, historical and religious scriptures are on the verge of extinction, disseminating the sacred tantras and preachings is essential to keep them alive, said Rev Prajwal adding:"That is why our Mahavihara is dedicated to protect, promote and preserve these sacred things."
-- Mid-Autumn Moon Festival Vajra Dance Offerings --
Portland, Sept 23, (Nepal Oregon News): Mid-Autumn Moon Festival Vajra Dance offerings were performed by activists and Sangha members of the Dance Mandal Hong Kong Charya Nritya Sangha on Sept 22, 2021 in the zoom.
Speaking on the occasion, Rev Guru Prajwal Vajracharya of the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara threw light on the importance of Charya Nritya and said that Charya dance is a meditational dance that tells stories of the inner qualities and awakening of Buddhist deities.
Prajwal Vajracharya is highly revered and respected in Hong Kong as the main lineage holder outside Nepal.
Various Charya dances were performed on the occasion in the zoom: Singhamukha (Dr Tina Ho), Vajrayogini (Eliza My), Yogini Mandala (Saldon), Prajnaparamita (Ling Ling Lee), Manjushree (Kerry Ho), Kurukulla (Eliza My and Simone Ng), Vajrasattva (Eliza Lau and Lau Monita), Tara (Sophie and Chin Chin). Likewise, refuge and 16 offerings dances were also performed during the virtual program.
Singhamukha dance on the occasion was performed by Dr Tina Ho of the Hong Kong Sangha. Dr Ho says:"The lion faced dakini (Singhamukha) symbolizes an enlightened female like a lion king. Her red body represents love and compassion. There is also the skull rosary/mala which represents the understanding of the various feelings and moods of sentient beings (51 mental factors) and snake (naga) represents the treasure."
-- Macha Janko Ceremony Held --
Portland, Sept 10, (Nepal Oregon News): A Macha Janko (rice feeding) ceremony of Aayush Lohani (son of Anjip and Soniya Lohani) was held at their home in south east Portland on Sept 9, 2021.
The rice feeding ceremony was solemnized by Guru Prajwal Vajracharya.
During the Macha Janko rituals, a Mandap was drawn and Gurumandala Puja was performed by Guru Vajracharya. The Guru chanted mantra, offered worship to Lord Ganesh. Sukunda, Vajra, Gan (bell), and other ritual objects were used during the Macha Janko ceremony.
The rice feeding ceremony is a celebration in Nepal in which a child is first fed rice, according to Guru Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya, the chief priest at Portland's Nritya Mandala Mahavihara.
Macha Janko or rice feeding ceremony is an important part of lifecycle rituals, said Pundit Vajracharya who is also a scholar on Newar Vajrayana Buddhism.
-- Rev Prajwal Vajracharya Bereaved --
Portland, Sept 16, (Nepal Oregon News): Mahendra Ratna Vajracharya, brother of Rev Guru Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya, passed away in Kathmandu on Wednesday, Sept 15, 2021. He died of cardiac arrest. Late Vajracharya was 58.
Antyesthi samskara (funeral sacrament/ funeral pyre) was held on the same day at Indrayani Karna Deep on the banks of river Bishnumati in Kathmandu with full ritual traditions.
Late Vajracharya was born to mother late Asta Maya Vajracharya, a housewife and father late Ratna Kaji Vajracharya, a Buddhist scholar and ritual master.
Late Mahendra Vajracharya who had graduated as a Shastri from Varanasi, India was also a Sanskrit scholar. He also edited a magazine 'Dhi' devoted to Tantric philosophy.
Guru Prajwal Vajracharya was in mourning for a week. Guru Prajwal performed Durgatiparishodhana dharani for liberation of the deceased soul everyday for a week in front of the Buddha at the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara.
Nepal Oregon News is saddened to know about the untimely demise of Rev Guru's brother, and extends heart felt condolences to the Guru and other family members. May the departed soul be reborn in the Sukhavati Bhuvan.
-- Charya Singing Practice Every Friday --
Portland, Sept 24, (Nepal Oregon News): Charya Giti practice is one of the many important activities being carried out by Nritya Mandala Mahavihara. Charya Giti is a complicated and esoteric classical singing that requires a lot of dedication and patience.
Charya Giti practice is organized every Friday at 8 AM in the morning in the zoom, and participants include people as far as from Hong Kong, Germany, Canada, India, Washington, California and Oregon and so on.
Charya Giti practice is a deity yoga practice in simple Sanskrit, for which Guru Prajwal will provide lyrics. These songs focus on the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Dakinis and philosophy of Vajrayana Buddhism.
--Dharani Chanting on Tuesday Once a Week --
Portland, Sept 28, (Nepal Oregon News): The Nritya Mandala Mahavihara has been organizing weekly Dharani recitation in the zoom on each Tuesday at 6.30 PM for last couple of years with the objective of publicizing the importance Dharani. This is the only chanting program of this kind in the West, and helps to preserve this special heritage.
Typically used to prevent misfortune, remove obstacles, heal and protect, Dharani are also used in lifecycle rituals and practices.
-- Sadhana Practice Each Wednesday --
Portland, Sept 29, (Nepal Oregon News): Sadhana is a Sanskrit word that means spiritual exercise. Sadhana practice can bring positive change into one's life and has many benefits for mental as well as physical health. It can also be performed in order to attain detachment from worldly things.
Sadhana is a spiritual practice in which the practitioner invokes divinity, identifying and absorbing it into himself. It is the primary form of meditation in Vajrayana Buddhism. This Sadhana time also includes a Dharma talk by Guru Prajwal.
--Buddha Bhajan Recitation on Every Wednesday --
Portland, Sept 29, (Nepal Oregon News): Buddha Bhajan Recitation is another interesting addition recently in the activities of the Mahavihara. The Buddha Bhajans are recited and led by Buddha Laxmi Shakya of San Diego, California.
The Buddha Bhajans start at 7.30 PM on every Wednesday and the virtual program is usually attended by 15 - 20 people every week.
The zoom program is followed by a Dharma talk by Rev Guru Prajwal that throws light on the importance of Buddha Bhajans like Dasha Paramita, Lumbini Yatra, Namo Buddhaye, Najato, Vasundhara Sharanam and Buddham Sharanam Gachhami and so on.
-- Virtual Talk on Yogic Song and Sacred Dance --
Portland, Sept 30, (Nepal Oregon News): A virtual talk on "Yogic Song and Dance" was organized on Sept 30, 2021 by Yangchenma Arts and Music, California.
The talk on yogic song and sacred dance was presented by Nritya Mandala Mahavihara's Prajwal Vajracharya and Joshua Proto.
The talk by Guru Vajracharya and Proto is an introduction to the upcoming four-week course "The Path of Yogic Singing and Sacred Dancing: Purification and Healing with Vajrasattva."
Addressing the zoom gathering, Guru Vajracharya said:"In the Newar Vajrayana Buddhist tradition of Nepal, it is taught that there can be no liberation without singing and dancing -- the physical body and the voice are the tools of transformation with which we awaken and free our minds."
Talking about the importance of Charya Giti and Charya Nritya in the Dharma, Joshua Proto said that he was excited to share his insights from both practices to help participants discover the sound of their voice and the embodied wisdom it contains.
The talks presented a detailed introduction to yogic song (Charya Giti) and ritual dance (Charya Nritya) as practiced in the Newar Vajrayana Buddhist tradition for the purpose of healing body, energy, mind and emotions.
(Rabin Man Shakya is a Newah journalist in USA)
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