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Fragile threads, yet so strong
- JANAI PURNIMA
KATHMANDU, AUG 24 -
Indra, the Hindu god of rain, on Tuesday rained cats and dogs on all those wanting to celebrate janai purnima. Yet, to the god’s chagrin, enthused Kathmanduites successfully celebrated the festival with great relish.
In fact, the warm scent of Kwati ko jhol (special soup prepared with nine different kinds of beans), smelt even better when the rain-laden winds blew. Janai Punima, one of the significant festivals of Nepal, also known as “Rishi Tarpani”, falls in the last fortnight of August.
This day, Brahmins and Chhetris country get sacred threads (janai) anew sanctified by Brahmin priests who chant the Gayatri Mantra. Other communities tie yellow-red threads around their wrists as a symbol of protection.
The Newar Community, however, marks the beginning of the nine-day festival Gunhu Punhi this day. “The community coats the threshold of their houses with mud and offers food to gods. Then they offer food and bougainvillea (gunakeshari flower) to frogs in the fields on a banana leaf,” said culture expert Padam Shrestha.
According to a myth behind the celebration of janai purnima, lord Bishnu, once punished his boastful devotee, Bali, by tying him with the sacred thread and sent him to hell. Myth says that since then identical sacred threads (janais) are tied around wrists or other parts of the body by Hindu folk to get rid of their sins.
In celebration of janai purnima, a grand religious fair takes place at Gosainkunda, a holy Lake in Rasuwa district. Thousands of devotees gather there to take a dip in the lake in the belief of purging their sins.
Another religious mela takes place at Kumbheshowar (Banglamukhi temple) in Patan, which is also believed to be related to Gosainkunda of Rasuwa. An idol of lord Shiva is placed in the middle of the pond of Kumbeshwor where people are allowed to swim on that particular day.
According to Badri Sharma, a priest of Banglamukhi temple, the fair of janai purnima which is organised jointly every year by the Banglamukhi Tol Sudhar Samiti and Guthi Sansthan, sees thousands of people huddling together to tie the holy knots. “The threads are not merely threads,” he said. “They bear great cultural importance, in that they establish ties between gods and humans.”
Meanwhile, in the Terai community, sisters tie Rakhi (a thread band signifying seeking protection) around their brothers’ wrist. Brothers in turn, give gifts to their sisters as an assurance of protecting them from all impediments in life. Though the festival was popular in terai region earlier, people in hill regions of Kathmandu, Palpa and other places have adopted it.
“This festival holds special meaning to me as it strengthens the bond between brothers and sisters,” said Ranjana Mishra, of Dhanusha district, currently living in Kathmandu.
Posted on: 2010-08-25 08:06
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