Pahachare
Taken from Nepal, the Seat of Cultural Heritage
by Tank Vilas Barya
Taken from Nepal, the Seat of Cultural Heritage
by Tank Vilas Barya
Each home looks festive with feasting including flattened rice, spiced buffalo meat roasted in the fire, raw garlic, rice beer and alcohalic drinks. Among the above items, raw garlic and rice beer play outstanding roles in the feast. It is not an unusual sight to come across tipsy persons on that day. The next day relatives and married daughters are invited to the parental house along with the husbands of the married daughters for a family feast with the intention that sisters may meet in good fellowship.
The festival of Pahachare is particularly marked with the cleaning of Luku Mahadeo, the hidden Shiva in the hole fill of filth and garbage. The unsanitary place is not only cleaned but also washed, anointed and worshipped with the offerings of smoking incense, flowers, vermilion and food including garlic, meat and rice beer. The hidden place of Luku Mahadeo is kept flickering through out the whole night with a votive oil wick lamp. It is believed that the lamp black collected from the wick is effective in curing eye disease and improving the eyesight when applied around the eyes of women and children. Why Shiva had to hide in the filthy hole is explained by the following:
Once the demon Bhasmasur had pleased Lord Shiva by observing penance in his name for several years as a result of which he was qualified for any boon he desired from Shiva. Because the demon wanted to exercise power over his enemies so he asked for the boon from Shiva that when he touch the head of any person they would be turned to ashes. Shiva was pleased to grant him the boon. But the demon, doubting the efficiency of the newly acquired boon, wanted to touch the head of Shiva himself by way of trial. And Lord shiva, seeing his life in danger escaped to hide himself in a hole in the midst of garbage and filth.
Now Lord Vishnu came to know that Shiva's life was in danger. So he came to the rescue of Shiva in the guise of a lovely dancing girl and asked Bhasmasur what he was searching for in the filthy place. The lovely girl requested him to follow and dance with her. The vulnerable Bhasmasur could not reject the girl's request who gave him intoxicating drinks to make his mind befuddled. When Bhasmasur replied in the negative to the girl's request if he could dance, she advised him to watch and imitate her every movement. While the demon was trying to mimic her dance clumsily, she put her hand on her head asking him to do the same. This gesture cost the life of the demon since his imitation of touching his own head reduced him to ashes so that Shiva's life was out of danger.
This is part of Newa tradition which is still observed in the Kathmandu Valley today. This ritual provides busy family members with an excuse to get together and socialize. In Newari, Paha means guest and Chahare means special day. This way, married daughters and their husbands get to visit her parent's house for a festive occasion.
This page is designed by Raju/Sumitra Maharjan on August 21, 1996.
