Showing posts with label Festival. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Festival. Show all posts
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Second greatest festival Tihar being observed
Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, October 17
The second day, the very important day of the Tihar (Deepawali) based on Vedic culture, was observed with the worship of Laxmi, goddess of wealth, education and power; and man's faithful companion, the dog with great revelry throughout the country today. Kag (Crow) Tihar was observed yesterday on the first day of the five-day Tihar festival.
Deepawali, after Dashain the second greatest festival of the Hindus, is commonly a five-day festival. However, this year it is of four days. Today is the Dog Tihar but Laxmi Puja also falls on the second half of the day, according to the Nepal Panchang Nirnayak Samitee.
People worship the dog in the morning by preparing special food for dogs and honouring them as Yamadut. Laxmi is worshipped in the evening with homes and streets lit up with clay-lamp and electric lights. People also clean their homes and surroundings to accord her a special welcome. "Laxmi Puja is the festival of lights and flowers, which symbilises the inner light, power and knowledge of human being," said Dr Madhav Prasad Bhattari, president of the NPNS.
Women fast the entire day and break their fast with Laxmi Prasad in the evening. The day is also called ‘Narak Chaturdarshi’ with Naraks being floated down the river at daybreak.Narak (hell) god of death are also worshipped in the festival.
Streets of Kathmandu valley are full of flowers and candles. People are busy in buying the items for the festival. "People worship birds, animals, nature, mountain, human being, death and gods during this festival," said Bhattarai. "This festival is the worship of soul and inner clearance as well as whole existence." Another characteristic of the festival is to enjoy by having sweets and exploding fireworks as an entertainment and celebration.
People will worship cow tomorrow. They worship mountain in the morning on Monday and the Bhaitika, the very day of the festival falls in the noon on the same day. The auspicious time for Tika falls at 11:53 AM on Monday, said astrologer Dr Bhattarai. Sisters put on Tika on the forehead of brothers on the Bhaitika and brothers to sisters. Those who don't have brothers and sisters go to have Tika at Ranipokhari in Kathmandu on Monday.
There is a three day government holiday from Laxmi Puja to Bhaitika throuhout the country. All the government and private offices, schools and campuses remain closed during the festival. People sing and dance by visiting different houses in the evening. "Playing Dhyausi and Bhaili is our culture emanated from thousands of years history. But people are misusing it by collecting donations on the name of the festival," said cultural expert Bhattarai. "This is corruption in the culture."
Deepawali festival coincides with the New Year of Newars (Nepal Sambat), Mha Puja and Chhath Parva, popular festival of the Tarai people. The birthday of Great Poet Laxmi Prasad Devkota also falls on the Laximi Puja day. So this festival is very important among the Nepalese people, said Bhattarai. "Non-Hindus also enjoy this festival by playing swing, cleaning houses and merry making in the society."
Kathmandu, October 17
The second day, the very important day of the Tihar (Deepawali) based on Vedic culture, was observed with the worship of Laxmi, goddess of wealth, education and power; and man's faithful companion, the dog with great revelry throughout the country today. Kag (Crow) Tihar was observed yesterday on the first day of the five-day Tihar festival.
Deepawali, after Dashain the second greatest festival of the Hindus, is commonly a five-day festival. However, this year it is of four days. Today is the Dog Tihar but Laxmi Puja also falls on the second half of the day, according to the Nepal Panchang Nirnayak Samitee.
People worship the dog in the morning by preparing special food for dogs and honouring them as Yamadut. Laxmi is worshipped in the evening with homes and streets lit up with clay-lamp and electric lights. People also clean their homes and surroundings to accord her a special welcome. "Laxmi Puja is the festival of lights and flowers, which symbilises the inner light, power and knowledge of human being," said Dr Madhav Prasad Bhattari, president of the NPNS.
Women fast the entire day and break their fast with Laxmi Prasad in the evening. The day is also called ‘Narak Chaturdarshi’ with Naraks being floated down the river at daybreak.Narak (hell) god of death are also worshipped in the festival.
Streets of Kathmandu valley are full of flowers and candles. People are busy in buying the items for the festival. "People worship birds, animals, nature, mountain, human being, death and gods during this festival," said Bhattarai. "This festival is the worship of soul and inner clearance as well as whole existence." Another characteristic of the festival is to enjoy by having sweets and exploding fireworks as an entertainment and celebration.
People will worship cow tomorrow. They worship mountain in the morning on Monday and the Bhaitika, the very day of the festival falls in the noon on the same day. The auspicious time for Tika falls at 11:53 AM on Monday, said astrologer Dr Bhattarai. Sisters put on Tika on the forehead of brothers on the Bhaitika and brothers to sisters. Those who don't have brothers and sisters go to have Tika at Ranipokhari in Kathmandu on Monday.
There is a three day government holiday from Laxmi Puja to Bhaitika throuhout the country. All the government and private offices, schools and campuses remain closed during the festival. People sing and dance by visiting different houses in the evening. "Playing Dhyausi and Bhaili is our culture emanated from thousands of years history. But people are misusing it by collecting donations on the name of the festival," said cultural expert Bhattarai. "This is corruption in the culture."
Deepawali festival coincides with the New Year of Newars (Nepal Sambat), Mha Puja and Chhath Parva, popular festival of the Tarai people. The birthday of Great Poet Laxmi Prasad Devkota also falls on the Laximi Puja day. So this festival is very important among the Nepalese people, said Bhattarai. "Non-Hindus also enjoy this festival by playing swing, cleaning houses and merry making in the society."
Monday, September 28, 2009
Dashain in my family
This Dashain on September 28, my mother, youngest brother Gaurav and two nieces begot by my brother Brihaspati at my home premises,located at Rampur, Palpa, Lumbini.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Vendors struggle hard to buy joy in Dashain
Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, September 18
The street vendors would be relieved from the hassles caused by the city police at least during the Dashain festival for selling goods on the streets. Despite against the traffic rules, it is a consideration for the ordinary people to earn happiness in the greatest festival of the Hindus.
"I have sighed relief at least during the Dashain as we are allowed to sell the goods on the streets for earning something to buy happiness in my family," said Leela Shrestha, 44, from Chainpur VDC-8 in Dhading district. "In other days, we were terribly troubled while selling goods on the streets," Shrestha said.
Shrestha spouse along with two sisters and three daughters have been living in a rented room in Kathmandu for more than a decade. They have maintained their livelihood and mediocre life in the expensive capital city by selling ready-made clothes on streets. They have been able to educate their children in the city from the toiling labours.
Shrestha couple said that the city police used to snatch away their clothes when they used to sell the items on the streets around Sundhara in other days. "We earn some Rs 300-400 each day," they echoed. "The consumers bargain very tightly even though we are selling the items at low price."
Consumer Ramila Devkota, who was shopping for her kids, said that the clothes sold in the streets were definitely cheaper than in the commercial houses. "However, we are accustomed to bargain tightly," she said laughing.
Another vendor Meghnath Siwakoti from Sunkhani VDC in Dolakha district has been continuing this profession for about eight years. "It is hard to celebrate the festival due to the skyrocketing price in the market," he said.
"This time, the sale is very low perhaps because of economic meltdown," said Siwakoti. "In the previous years, we used to make sale of upto Rs 5,000. However, I have hardly earned Rs 500 per day this year," he grieved.
Siwakoti, who is also the member of the Joint Business Association of National Trade, expressed qualm over the people in power doing whatever they like but only ordinary people were forced to abide by the law.
This time, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City has allowed the vendors, who number in hundreds of such sellers, to make though little money by bargaining with the tightfisted consumers. The KMC has made a routine from 1pm to 8pm to sell the goods on the streets effective from September 13 to 27. They will be permitted from 11am from September 19, which is the Ghatasthapana (First day of the festival).
"We provided them this special opportunity during the festival after the different organisations belonging to trade and business communities asked us for consideration," said DSP Dhanapati Sapkota, chief of the Implementation Division under the KMC. "We have also specially made arrangement of two places-Baghbazaar and Balkhu for selling goats. However, there is no restriction for other vendors," he added.
Kathmandu, September 18
The street vendors would be relieved from the hassles caused by the city police at least during the Dashain festival for selling goods on the streets. Despite against the traffic rules, it is a consideration for the ordinary people to earn happiness in the greatest festival of the Hindus.
"I have sighed relief at least during the Dashain as we are allowed to sell the goods on the streets for earning something to buy happiness in my family," said Leela Shrestha, 44, from Chainpur VDC-8 in Dhading district. "In other days, we were terribly troubled while selling goods on the streets," Shrestha said.
Shrestha spouse along with two sisters and three daughters have been living in a rented room in Kathmandu for more than a decade. They have maintained their livelihood and mediocre life in the expensive capital city by selling ready-made clothes on streets. They have been able to educate their children in the city from the toiling labours.
Shrestha couple said that the city police used to snatch away their clothes when they used to sell the items on the streets around Sundhara in other days. "We earn some Rs 300-400 each day," they echoed. "The consumers bargain very tightly even though we are selling the items at low price."
Consumer Ramila Devkota, who was shopping for her kids, said that the clothes sold in the streets were definitely cheaper than in the commercial houses. "However, we are accustomed to bargain tightly," she said laughing.
Another vendor Meghnath Siwakoti from Sunkhani VDC in Dolakha district has been continuing this profession for about eight years. "It is hard to celebrate the festival due to the skyrocketing price in the market," he said.
"This time, the sale is very low perhaps because of economic meltdown," said Siwakoti. "In the previous years, we used to make sale of upto Rs 5,000. However, I have hardly earned Rs 500 per day this year," he grieved.
Siwakoti, who is also the member of the Joint Business Association of National Trade, expressed qualm over the people in power doing whatever they like but only ordinary people were forced to abide by the law.
This time, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City has allowed the vendors, who number in hundreds of such sellers, to make though little money by bargaining with the tightfisted consumers. The KMC has made a routine from 1pm to 8pm to sell the goods on the streets effective from September 13 to 27. They will be permitted from 11am from September 19, which is the Ghatasthapana (First day of the festival).
"We provided them this special opportunity during the festival after the different organisations belonging to trade and business communities asked us for consideration," said DSP Dhanapati Sapkota, chief of the Implementation Division under the KMC. "We have also specially made arrangement of two places-Baghbazaar and Balkhu for selling goats. However, there is no restriction for other vendors," he added.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Smeared with ash, sages brace for Shivaratri
By Bishnu Prasad Aryal
KATHMANDU, Feb. 27: They come in all hues, appearances and semblance. Their rugged appearances, matted hair, and body smeared with ash make them the perfect disciple of Lord Shiva. There will be droves of them at Pashupati during Shivaratri, the night of Lord Shiva this Saturday (March 1), displaying strange and bizarre conduct and behaviour.
These people have renounced all the worldly pleasures and comforts and want to find solace by praying to Lord Shiva and in hemp and marijuana and making wild merriment a la replication of the Dynossiac culture of medieval Greece.
They are treated as guests and housed and fed for free. Elaborate preparations have been made to cater to thousands of their tribe who will be visiting the Pashupatinath temple for the festival.
The Pashupati Area Development Trust is making elaborate preparation to make the pilgrims feel at home and to provide them whatever they need.
Ram Prasad Dahal, co-ordinator of the publicity sub-committee under the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT), said more than 200,000 pilgrims and other visitors are expected for Shivaratri this year - twice more than last year. The number of people coming for Shivaratri had gone down in the last few years. But this year, because of the peace in the country, their number is expected to double.
He said there should be separate arrangements for accommodating the Sadhus and the beggars.
Sadhus are welcome lots. But there will be beggars as uninvited guests. Hundreds of beggars have already arrived - some of them in unimaginably wretched state. They are found all over the Pashupati area with hopes for generosity from the devotees who come there. For most of them it is good business.
Dahal said that the beggars always outnumber the Sadhus. Still by treating them as pilgrims we will do whatever we can.
The Trust keeps records of the sadhus so that they can be managed. Last year there were more than 900 sadhus, and over 1,000 beggars, according to the committee, who visited the Pashupatinath Temple during the festival.
In the last few gone years, the number of visitors was decreasing due to the violence and other hurdles. However, it is estimated that the number of sages alone will exceed 2,000 this year, said Dahal. More than 549 sages and yogis have already arrived. The Naga Babas (naked sages), one of the attractions of Shivaratri, from India have been coming from today, said Dahal.
The Sadhus are provided with logs for bonfire during the cold February nights and marijuana as a 'prasad' of Lord Shiva while they remain here. When they leave, they are bid farewell with rudrakshya, clothes and cash ranging from Rs. 200 to Rs. l,000. "Important sadhus are also presented with chamars (tails of Yak) and bells," said Dahal.
The accommodation facilities will be provided free to all the sages and beggars during the 3-day celebration lasting from Friday to Sunday. The PADT has allocated Rs. 1.2 million to purchase wood to perform bonfire as a ritual, informed Dahal.
The sages and the beggars will be settled separately, and that will be managed by the PADT and other organisations from the private sectors. All the necessary security facilities will be provided to the visitors. For that, security posts and camps will be set up mobilising the police and the army to control possible mob violence in the adjoining areas of Pashupatinath Temple.
A 301-member Main Committee chaired by Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Kuber Prasad Sharma, a 25 member monitoring committee co-ordinated by Ram Prasad Dahal and 13 other sub-committees have been formed to facilitate the devotees and visitors.
This feature news was published on THE RISING NEPAL daily, Kathmandu Friday February 28, 2003 Falgun 16, 2059.
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