By Rabin Man Shakya
As we get ready to go into the New Year 2025, it is obvious that there could not be a better time to take a close look at the year we have had and to get inspiration for what we could do better in the upcoming year. For the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara, the year 2024 will be remembered as one of the profound transformation, marked by some significant community events and activities. In fact, speaking about the community activities, the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara - which is the only Nepalese Buddhist temple in the USA and which was established in Portland, USA in 2009 by Helen Appell and Prajwal Vajracharya - has moved to centerstage in Nepalese community in Oregon by observing age-old festivals of the Kathmandu valley, by promoting Charya dances, by celebrating lifestyle rituals and by keeping alive the traditions and culture of the people of Nepal.
The most significant event of the year for the Vihara was Prajwal-Teya wedding solemnized by founder of the Mahavihara and Vajrayana priest Helen Appell as per Newar Vajrayana tradition on Jan 27, 2024. Another equally important and wonderful event of the year was Teya giving birth to Dewa on May 22, 2024 on the eve of the Buddha Purnima Day. Celebrating Newar food, festivals and culture is a regular event for the Vihara. It celebrated many, many festivals like Gun Punhi, Yenya Punhi, Yomari Punhi, Panjaran, Paru Bhoye and so on at the Vihara in 2024. Every Purnima Day was celebrated by reciting Naamsangiti at Vihara and on the zoom. Dharani Mantra chanting was conducted once a week Tuesday evening on the zoom for the whole year in 2024, while Sadhana practice and Buddha Bhajan singing practice were held on each Wednesday throughout the year. Likewise, the practice of singing Charya giti on-line was performed in the mornings every Friday in 2024 as usual.
Lifecycle rituals like weddings, Chudakarma and Macha Janko ceremonies etc were held by Prajwal Guruji at the Vihara and outside. The first Chudakarma ceremony was solemnized at Portland's Newar Buddhist temple on Feb, 17, 2024. Similarly, celebration of 2568th Buddha Jayanti in June and Seventh World Newah Day in March brought joy to the Nepalese Portlanders and Sangha members. Slide presentation on 'Female Buddhas and Sacred Sexuality in Vajrayana Art and Practice' by Prof Dr Miranda Shaw at the Vihara on April 24 was another important event in 2024.
When Prajwal Guruji and Teya were in Nepal for a month in October, 2024, multiple events took place there in Kathmandu, Patan and Pokhara: Rice feeding ceremony of Dewa, Charya Dance performance at Aksheswor Mahabihar, Yoga festival in Pokhara, programs organized separately by YMBA-Nepal and Lotus Research Center.
Other important events of the year 2024 were the virtual presentations by Prajwal Guruji with Guru Viking, zoom presentations for Hong Kong Buddhist Studies Association on Pancha Tara, Chakrasambhara and Mahamudra in Newar Buddhism, and of course, the 15th anniversary of the Nritya Mandal Mahavihara in November.
Furthermore, there were powerful Hindustani classical music concerts by well-known US musicians like Steve Gorn, Benjy Wertheimer and Michael Stirling separately at different dates and months at the Vihara in 2024. You will have to go through annual newsletter book to acquire further information about major and minor details of all the programs and events in 2024 at the Vihara.
