Dr Rabin Man Shakya
Portland, May 23 (Nepal Oregon News): Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya -- one of the senior most Charya Nritya gurus in the world and a prominent ritual master of both the Charya Nritya dance tradition and other ritual forms performed by the Newar Vajracharya lineage -- participated at the Himalayan Fair at Live Oak Park, Berkeley, California on Saturday - Sunday May 21 and 22, 2022.
On the occasion, Rev Guruji Prajwal performed two meditational and esoteric Buddhist Charya dances at the Himalayan Fair on both days: Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) Charya dance and Padmanateshvara charya dance.
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| (Prajwal Vajracharya performing Padmasambhava Charya nritya dance at the Himalayan Fair.) Padmasambhava nritya is one of the important and precious Charya nritya dances in Newar Buddhism, according to Prajwal Guruji. Padmasambhava, who was a powerful and influential Tantric Buddhist, was called upon to Tibet in the eighth century to disseminate Buddhist philosophy and teachings in Tibet. Om ah hum vajra guru padma siddhi hum is the Vajra Guru Mantra related to Padmasambhava. Padmasambhava is a totally enlightened being, a fully awakened one, a Buddha, says Prajwal Guruji adding Guru Rinpoche is wrathful and smiling, wrathful like Vajrapani. Padmasambhava, who usually wears a red hat, is dressed with various attires of different colors usually the yellow one. The deity is seated on a lotus with colorful petals. |
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| (Prajwal Vajracharya offering Padmanateshvara charya nritya dance at the Himalayan Fair.) Padmanateshvara (Nasa Dyo) is the deity who represents performance arts, the yidam of Charya Nritya - the Lord dancing on Padma. Padmanateshvara's (who possesses ten hands) initial gesture is to indicate the wisdom of the heart, with the second one he touches heaven, with the third the earth. All the other symbols he holds in his different hands refer to the Buddha Dharma, and about one making decisions to follow this path. The initiation into Padmanateshvara is to incarnate the wisdom by dancing, and by dancing, share it with all, says Guruji Prajwal Vajracharya. |
Charya Nritya is a Newar Vajrayana Buddhist ritual dance with a history going back to more than 1,000 years. Charya Nrityas are performed by Newar Buddhist priests known as Vajracharyas as part of their esoteric meditation practices and rituals.
The Himalayan Fair offered a wide spectrum of award-winning stage performers. The entertainment featured a wide range of international groups performing traditional music and dance with vibrant ethnic, religious and traditional costumes.
Live Oak Park in Berkeley was transformed into a bustling Himalayan Bazaar with thousands of visitors.
There were numerous booths and stalls showcasing Himalayan Arts and Crafts, Himalayan Food, Travel and Trekking and Kids Booth and one of them was also a booth of World Newah Organization, an umbrella organization of Newar people living across the world.
Founded in 1983 by Arlene Blum, the Himalayan Fair is an annual celebration of the arts and culture of the Himalayan region and its people.
The Fair offered a rare occasion to experience a Himalayan festival including some of the best world music and traditional music and dance from the Himalayas along with amazing food, shopping and people.
Arlene Blum led the first female expedition, up the world's 10th highest peak -- Annapurna in 1978. Blum was part of the Bicentennial Everest Expedition in 1976, setting an altitude record for American women.
Arlene's climbing feats are preceded by a career as a biochemist at the University of California, Berkeley. Arlene founded the Himalayan Fair with a Tibetan Buddhist Monk -- Lama Kunga of the Ewam Choden Center.
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2566th Buddha Jayanti marked in Portland with Various Events
Portland, May 26 (Nepal Oregon News): Buddha Jayanti is a very auspicious day for Buddhists all over the world. 2566th Buddha Jayanti was celebrated at the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara (NMM) in Portland, USA on Sunday, May 15, 2022 amid various programs.
A procession was taken out around the temple at the Mahavihara accompanied by children who played kids' music. Buddha Purnima celebrations started at the Mahavihara with the chanting of Maha Manjushree Naamsangiti by Guruji Prajwal Vajracharya and other Sangha members in person and in the zoom. Before the Naamsangiti chanting, devotees gave bath to Baby Buddha.
108 butter fed diyos (candle-like lights) were illuminated during the religious ceremony. Likewise, Refuge Dance (a performance of Buddha Bandana Dance through Charya Nritya) was also performed 108 times continuously by American and Nepali devotees.
Several Buddhist Bhajan songs were presented on the occasion by Joshua Proto, Casey Redman, Mario Mastrangelo while music on drum was played by Satya Vayu (an American).
At the end of the function, a talent show was held. Sangha member Naveena Shakya recited a poem entitled 'Buddha Was Born in Nepal' which was written by her in 2018 and was published in a Buddhist magazine in Nepal. Poonam Ghimire, a physics instructor at the University of Portland also presented a short poem. Ganga Sharma, secretary of Nepali Association of Oregon (NAO) lauded talent of Buddha Bhajan group. Carline Schossau spoke about arts and presented a gift to the Mahavihara. Likewise, Daya Shakya, president of NAO also recited poems of famous Newah poet Durga Lal Shrestha in the zoom.
The program was followed by a Kheer dinner (rice cooked in milk with sugar, cashews, cloves, cardamoms, raisins, coconuts etc) along with Sel Roti, Barfi, Maarpa and other Newah delicacies.
According to Guruji Prajwal of the Mahavihara, about 100 people attended the Buddha Jayanti program in person at the Mahavihara while 25 other people from Nepal, USA, Hong Kong and Canada took part at the event in the zoom.
Talking to Nepal Oregon News, Guruji Prajwal said:"Lord Gautam Buddha was born to the Queen of Kapilvastu Mayadevi and King Shuddhodhan in 623 BC as Prince Siddhartha on the full moon day of the Nepali month of Baisakh."
Guruji Prajwal, who is a scholar of Newah Vajrayana Buddhism, said:"Born and brought up in the royal palace, Prince Siddhartha left his palace and consort and newborn son in quest of liberation of mankind at age 29."
Guruji further added:"Siddhartha Gautam attained enlightenment in Bodhgaya after meditating in various places for nearly six years."
Prajwal who is a priest and ritual master of the Vajrayana Buddhist tradition of Nepal went on saying:"Lord Gautam Buddha's birth, enlightenment and Nirvana took place on the full moon day of Baisakh. That is why the Buddha Jayanti Day is very sacred and auspicious for the Buddhists."
"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," the Guruji said.
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Buddha Jayanti Cleaning Campaign Organized
Portland, May 9 (Nepal Oregon News): Nritya Mandala Mahavihara is the only one Newar Buddhist temple in the West. One of the most important peculiarities of this Newar Vajrayana Buddhist temple is that it was built with materials brought to Portland all the way from Nepal.
Doors of the temple, the windows, the Toranas, all the offering Goddesses, idols of Buddha, Bodhisattvas, Dakinis, Chaitya (stupa) were brought from Nepal for the Newar Buddhist temple in Portland. They have to be preserved and protected taking into consideration the differences of climatic conditions in Kathmandu and Oregon.
Keeping the temple clean is very important, says Prajwal Vajracharya, co-founder of the Mahavihara adding:"The cleanliness drive is carried out twice a year -- for the temple's anniversary and for Buddha Jayanti celebration."
Stressing on the need for a clean and green temple, Vajracharya says that cleanliness is crucial for us because it builds up a healthy environment around the temple.
The Buddha Jayanti cleaning campaign which, which was volunteered by the temple family members, was launched on Saturday and Sunday - May 7 and 8, 2022. The volunteers who offered help for cleaning activities were provided with lunch by Prajwal Guruji.
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Ihi Rituals of Three Newar Girls Organized
Portland, May 4 (Nepal Oregon News): Three girls from Newar community attended an Ihi ceremony at California Bay area on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at the house of Niroj Tamrakar.
The Ihi ceremony of Urna Tamrakar (daughter of Niroj and Karishma Tamrakar), Neebha Nakarmi (daughter of Gautam Nakarmi and Geeta Chitrakar) and Shaleen Basukala (daughter of Binay Basukala and Sushmita Joshi) was ritualized by Prajwal Vajracharya who is a a senior priest and ritual master of the Vajrayana tradition of Nepal.
Prajwal Vajracharya says:"This ritual has been in practice since hundreds of years. The Ihi ceremony is an important part of the Newar tradition where the young pre-adolescent girls make a commitment to the Bel fruit (wood apple). The Bel fruit has a peculiar quality of remaining fresh forever and healthy and long lasting. Also, wood apple tree can bring conscious mind."
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Rice-feeding Ceremony Held at the Temple
Portland, May 7 (Nepal Oregon News): One of the important purposes of the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland, USA is to preserve and promote Newar culture and traditions. Life cycle rituals are crucial parts of our Newar culture. The significance of Macha Janko (rice-feeding ceremony) which is the first important life cycle ritual in a life of a person has to be seen against a backdrop of such important traditions.
The rice-feeding ceremony is a celebration in which a child is first fed rice, according to Prajwal Vajracharya, chief pujari at the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland, USA.
Throwing light on the significance of Macha Janko rituals, Prajwal Guruji said:"Although centuries old tradition, modern science has established the fact that child's digestive system is capable of processing solid food when he or she is approximately six months old which is why Macha Janko is held for when a baby boy or baby girl turns six months old, but it can vary between a daughter or a son."
Meanwhile, a rice-feeding ceremony or Macha Janko of Avnee Maharjan (daughter of Pravin and Ambika Maharjan) was held at the Mahavihara temple. The religious rituals were performed by the Guruji at the temple.
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Weekly Activities in Vihara Continue
In May, as usual and as always, Dharani chanting on zoom was conducted once a week every Tuesday. Similarly, Sadhana practice and Buddha Bhajan singing practice were held on each Wednesday. Likewise, the practice of singing Charya giti was performed on every Friday.
( Rabin Man Shakya is one of the few Nepalese journalists in America)
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