'Charya Nritya is a Unique Newar Buddhist Tradition'
Rabin Man Shakya
Portland, Jan 30 (Nepal Oregon News): A Wisdom and Compassion Happy New Year Celebration program was organized byHong Kong Buddhist Studies Association (HKBSA) in collaboration with Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland, USA on Friday, Jan 30, 2026.
The Year of Wisdom and Compassion Celebration program consisted of events like presentations, dances, medtations, Bhajans and Sadhana etc.
The program kicked off with the chanting of Saptabidhan Puja -- Seven Limb Prayer -- by Guruji Prajwal Vajracharya, Adam Bidema together with other participants at Vihara and on the zoom.
On the occasion, Refuge dance was performed by Prajwal Guruji and Adam Bidema together with other participants at the Vihara and on the zoom.
Refuge dance is a performance of Buddha Bandana Dance through Charya Nritya. Buddhist practitioners take refuge daily in the Buddha, the teacher, the Dharma, the teachings and the Sangha, the community. In Charya Nritya, a practitioner takes refuge through embodiment of these 'three jewels' -- the Buddha as the teacher of meditation, Shakya Muni Buddha; the Dharma teachings as Manjushree weilding his wisdom sword and text, the Sangha as the supportive community in the form of lord of compassion.
Making a presentation, Dr Tina Ho of the Hong Kong Buddhist Studies Association (HKBSA) said:"Charya Nritya is a unique Newar Buddhist tradition that teaches us how to use the physical body to awaken the mind through the unification of movement, visualization and awareness.."
A Sixteen Offering Goddess dannce was presented on-line by the members of the Hong Kong Sangha: Thomas Tse, Sue Cheung, Diana Cheung, Fiona Yiu and Mei Mei Suen.
The Sixteen Offering Goddess dance, also known as Sodasha Lasya in Sanskrit, are sixteen dance postures representing various musical instrument offerings as well as other sense offerings. They are personified as the sixteen goddesses of sensual enjoyment who show honor to the central deities of the Mandala through their pure offerings.
Similarly, Mahamayuri Mudra Zen Dance was offered by Shira Chan on the zoom. Mahamayuri is a revered Bodhisattva and wisdom king in Vajrayana Buddhism, known as a protective goddess, often called the Peackok Wisdom King. She symbolizes the power to eliminate poison, disease, and disaster often depicted as a benevolent, multi-armed figure riding a peacock.
