Nepalese celebrate new year
--Rajeeb Tamrakar
Nepalese at home and abroad celebrated Nepal Era 1128 amid various fanfares on Saturday.
In Nepali capital Kathmandu, hundreds of thousands of people took part in processions and motorcycle rally organized by various groups and clubs to mark the New Year.
Nepal Sambat, a unique calendar which is named after the country is based on lunar calendar.
According to legends, the calendar started during 881 AD when Shankhadhar Shakhwa, a local merchant from Kathmandu, paid off the debts of common people on his own, thus emancipating thousands of people from serfdom.
However, after King Prithivi Narayan Shah, the ancestor of the present monarch of Nepal, captured Kathmandu in 1769, he made Bikram Sambat the official calendar of the country, putting an end to the official use of Nepal Era which was until then in continuous official use for 888 years, from 881 to 1769 AD.
Speaking to Xinhua on Saturday, a prominent Newar leader, Padma Ratna Tuladhar, said that the Nepali government should use Nepal Era as the national calendar along with Gorgian calendar. At present the Nepali government is using Bikram Era as the official calendar. Stating that Nepal Sambat should be used as official calendar by the government, he said, "When we have our own calendar, there is no sense in using Bikram Era which is named after an Indian king." He also urged all Nepali people not to consider Nepal Sambat merely the New Year belonging to the Newar ethnic community but take it as the national calendar. Meanwhile, leaders of various political parties of Nepal extended greetings to all on the occasion of Nepal Era. Prime Minister Koirala, while addressing a mass meet organized after the rally Saturday morning, said that the occasion must be innovated as the vehicle to bolster social unity.
Koirala recently announced that he would be using Nepal Era in his official letter pads.
Meanwhile, people belonging to the Newar community are performing "Mha Puja" on Saturday. "Mha Puja" which means self- worship in the Newari language is a unique ritual of worshipping one's own body. Considering body and soul as two different entities, Newars worship their own body to thank the body for rendering services throughout the year.
Worshipping one's own body is also a way of worshipping gods residing within every human being. As per the rituals, Newars purify their body on this day and then worship their own body sitting in front of a ritual octagon made of rice flour which is then decorated with flowers and puffed paddy. They give themselves blessings to remain healthy and happy for the rest of the year.

यो पृष्ठ छाप्नुस्

प्रतिक्रिया दिनुस्