Why We Celebrate Bhintunaa ?

In the Newar language 'Bhin' means good and 'Manan tunaa' means expect or wish. So, the word 'bhin manan tunaa' means good wishes. Colloquially, it is pronounced 'bhintunaa'. In script it is written either iBantaunaa or iBa A question may arise why we celebrate this bhintunaa. Basically, it is the celebration of New Year (nhu:dan), not the celebration of good wishes. Why did this celebration become so important in Newar culture? In Nepal, during the previous system of government, there was a tendency to abolish all ethnic awareness among the Nepalese people. In the Kathmandu valley, the Newars were sensitive to keep alive their ethnic awareness. Similarly, in the eastern region, the Rai and Limbu people were unhappy about the ignorance of the Kirat culture, and in the west, the Magar, Gurung and Tamang language and culture were vanishing gradually, and so on. The result of this disappearing of Nepalese resources made scholars around the world curious about the Nepal Study Program. However, the government had no plan to preserve the multi-ethnic diversity other than a few programs shown under the curtain in the Royal Nepalese Academy (RNA).

Nepal was under darkness for 104 years during the Rana rule. Later the partyless Panchayat system ruled for 30 years. During these periods, all ethnic promotion was totally ignored. Activities like radio broadcast was banned. Studies of the Newa language was listed as an unnecessary subject and many Newar language activists were sent to jail just because they were aware of their own culture and language. The Public Service Commission discouraged the study ethnic languages by not hiring or blocking the promotion of people who had already studied the Newa language.

Despite all these activities, the beginning of the new century 1100 Nepal Era (NE) contributed a special enthusiasm among the Newars. It was a signal of dawn after many years of darkness. By virtue of the beginning of the new century, the blowing of a trumpet delivered a message of cultural awareness among the Newars. In spite of governmental negligence, the Newars spoke out for the recognition of Nepal Sambat (The Original Calendar of Nepal) and the Nepal Bhasha ( i.e. Newar language). It was the year 1980 in November that a special New Year parade was organized by inviting many cultural groups among the Newars to celebrate the new century 1100 Nepal Sambat (Era). During this occasion, people started to send greetings to government officials well as to the King of Nepal, organizing the motorbike and bicycle rallies, farmers' tractor rally, decorating many parts of the tri-cities of the Kathmandu metropolitan area with the help of communities, a mass running, literary seminars, displays of rare books and arts, and publishing new journals. All these activities were indirectly inspired under the Nepal Bhasa Manka Khala, a leading organization of Newars. This spirit of Newarism has continued ever since. Eventually, it became a tradition to celebrate the new year in Newa towns and cities in Nepal. This spirit of recognizing their own culture flourished among many Newar localities, not only within the Kathmandu Valley but also outside the country. Similarly, the Newars who have migrated to the United States brought the same spirit of awareness along with them. As Newar population increases in the U.S., they realize the need for an association to preserve the Newar culture in the U.S. The Nepa Pasaa Puchaa America has taken the lead to:

1. Conserve the cultural heritage, the traditions and the customs of Nepal;
2. Participate and develop the Newa culture in arts, literature, music, dances, custom and rituals of the Newa people in modern world;
3. Enhance mutual understanding between the people of Newa culture and other cultures;
4. Appreciate and respect the uniqueness of each culture ;

The NPPA has been conducting the Bhintunaa celebration. On this occasion many people from different parts of the country join in the typical Newa party or Bhoye.

In Nepal, most of the Newars celebrate the New Year by organizing the Mha Puja (Body Worship) a spiritual ceremony to worship one's own body, and receive the blessings from the elderly to keep healthy and prosperous for the next whole year. This is an interesting tradition of the Newars. In this ceremony, all the members of the family sit down in row and make a mandala (multi-layer circles) for each person with water, stone powder, unhusked rice (paddy) puffed rice, black lentil, black beans, brown rice and oil. In the center of the mandala a dot of oil, that is considered to be the substance of which the soul or chitta (mind) is made. It is believed that each of these mandala represents the spiritual world of heavenly beings. When the soul is surrounded by all these mandala there is a great deal of protection from any kind of dangerous disturbances. So each member of the family has to perform the ceremonial worship in the mandala. Then each of them receive the tika (mark on fore head) and the sagun ( holy food) consisting of cooked whole egg along with unbroken whole fish and some alcohol. To receive such a holy food on such an auspicious occasion is very lucky in the Newar culture. After this sagun is eaten, a delicious feast is offered to each of them after which the New Year ceremony becomes over.

The story of New Year and Nepal calendar is well know in Kathmandu Valley. The legendary story behind this calendar on how this era came into existence goes like this.. About 1117 years ago, during the Lichhvi King Raghava Dev reign, a famous astrologer determined a special period of time during which the sand of the holy river Lakhu Tirtha would turn into gold. The King was informed of this prediction and immediately made special arrangements to bring the sand from the river at the auspicious time, trying to avoid telling the truth to anyone. When the group of Maharjan Newas were carrying the sand, a person named Saakhwal from Kilagal, Kathmandu saw them bringing sand, and asked them to sell it to him for his construction work. He convinced them to sell the sand and take the another batch for the palace.

Eventually, the sand taken to the palace was not turned into gold. The King was upset at the astrologer's wrong calculation. On the other hand, the astrologer was also upset because of mathematical truth turned out to be a wrong. So, he burned all the texts and later died. On the other side, the merchant who bought the sand was amazed looking at the shiny heap of golden sand on the floor. He could not believe what happened. This miraculous event was told to the palace. It was inquired whether the sand was taken from the holy river. The King blamed his bad luck for not having the golden sand. With the golden sand the merchant decided to help poor people and pay off all their debts throughout the country and declare the freedom from debt, and established a new era for the people. Since then the era of Nepal Sambat appeared in the history of Nepal. Now it is already 1117 years. The King also recognized this calendar as the original calendar of Nepal at that time. This calendar begins on the first day of the new moon of Oct-Nov and ends on the dark moon day. The first fifteen days are called 'thwa' and second fifteen days are called the 'gaa'. The months are as follows:

1. Kachhlaa 2. Thinlaa 3. Poelaa 4. Silla 5. Chilla 6. Chaulaa 7. Bachalaa 8. Tachalaa 9. Dillaa 10. Gunlaa 11. Yanlaa 12. Kaulaa

Many of the Nepalese people still follow this calendar to observe the traditional holidays. However, the government uses the Bikram Sambat which originated in India.

Thus in order to remember the person who gave economical freedom to the Nepalese people the 'nhu dan' (New Year) is celebrated with great enthusiasm among the Newars everywhere. That is why the Newars celebrate the bhintunaa festival every year. Since the beginning of the new century 1100 the slogan "Nhudan Yaa Bhintunaa" became very common in the Newar community.

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