KATHMANDU, August 20: Each festival has its own significance and meaning in people’s lives. Saturday saw people from different walks of life coming together for themselves and others. While young cycle enthusiasts participated in ‘Ride Kasthamandap To Khokana’ to show support for the ongoing restoration and renovation of Khokana town, troupes of musicians from the Bahals of the Kathmandu Valley celebrated Gunla festival praying for everyone’s safety from floods and landslides during the monsoon season. Moreover, the Pancha Daan festival was also observed on Saturday by making donations to achieve Nirvana. An act of benevolence is the common thread binding all these celebrations.

Ride Kasthamandap To Khokana: A tour for reconstruction

More than 100 people were set with their gears at Kasthamandap in Kathmandu Durbar Square area to cycle a 20-km rally from Kasthamandap to Balku, then Chobar to Chanlakhel and to Bungamati, ending their tour at Khokana, on Saturday.

The third edition of ‘Ride Kasthamandap To Khokana’ was organized with the aim to promote tourism in Khokana and Bungamati, and to help in the restoration process of the Valley’s one of the oldest traditional cities that sustained damages in the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake.

Eight-year-old cyclist Suyog Man Singh Basneyat was there with his father. He said this was his 14th time participating in a cycle rally. About his participation, Suyog shared, “I like cycling and it is fun to cycle with other people. Cycling is good for health and my dad supports me during my cycle tours.”

Talking about the event organized by Concept Nepal and Khokana Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Committee, Pawan Shakya, president of Concept Nepal shared, “This is our third edition of the cycle ride that aims at promoting tourism in Khokana, which is a cultural heritage site.” According to him, a cycle ride is a yearly event that is scheduled on the first Saturday of the month of Bhadra. 

When the cyclists reached Khokana, they were welcomed by the local women by putting tika (vermilion power) on their foreheads. They were then entertained with Lakhey dance, while the local Shikali Band performed live. The event came to a close with participants joining in a Newari Bhoj. 

Pancha Daan: Donation for Nirvana

Pancha Daan falls on Bhadrakrishna Triyodashi according to the lunar calendar. The festival is celebrated in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Kirtipur and Panga among other places. Buddhist Newars such as Shakya, Bajracharya, Maharjan and Tuladhar, among others, donate various things to the Newar priest clans — Bajracharya and Shakya — who visit various Bahal, Bahi, Twa, Chuka and Nani.

Pancha Daan is also known as Maha Daan, believed to be the greatest donation one could make in a lifetime. 

Numerous Buddhists prayer flags were hung at Maitripur Mahavihar, Kwa Bahal, Thamel on Saturday. Those willing to give donation were seated on the plinth of the square that surrounded the Mahavihar. Meanwhile, Newar priest clans entered the square one by one, in an architecturally magnificent and historically significant Vihar to receive donations. 

According to Raj Kaji Bajracharya, secretary of Maitripur Mahavihar, more than 400 people visited the Mahavihar on Saturday. He shared, “On this day, anyone can give donations. It is believed that donating on this day helps the giver get one step closer to Nirvana. According to the Buddhist teachings, those who achieve Nirvana are liberated from rebirth.”

Moreover, various groups also donate cash during Pancha Daan festival for the reconstruction and renovation of cultural heritage sites.

According to Raj Kaji, Maitripur Mahavihar received Rs 170,000 from Bajracharya Club for the renovation of the Mahavihar on the occasion of Pancha Daan last year. Bajracharya Club had collected the money during the festival before donating it to the Mahavihar.

Gunla Festival: prayer for safety

Gunla is the name of a month in the Newari calendar. Gunla festival is celebrated by Buddhist Newars, where 18 groups of the musical troupe from different 18 Bihars of Kathmandu visit various temples and shrines.

The month of Gunla, which begins two days after the celebration of Gathemangal, is also underway in the Kathmandu Valley. This year, Gunla began on July 23 and will conclude on Tuesday. Various Newar communities, such as Manandhar, Maharjan and Shakya, among others, visit temples and shrines playing traditional musical instrument and offer prayers on the occasion.

They pray for the gods’ blessings to survive the disastrous month, when natural calamities like landslides and floods are common.

Moreover, the troupes visit Swayambhunath every morning for a month, playing traditional musical instruments like Dha, Taa, Nyakhi, Bhushya, Chuchya and Basuri (flute).

According to 27-year-old Saroj Manandhar, member of Thahiti Manandhar Guthi, each troupe has their own tunes and the Manandhar clan goes to Bungamati to celebrate Baparu, which means the troupe has completed half of their ritual of going to Swayambhunath. 

He shared, “Only Manandhar clan visits Bungamati for Baparu.” The music they play is meant for everyone’s safety during the rainy season. Playing musical instruments in the early morning is meant to wake people, and it works as an alarm to save them from natural disasters such as floods and landslides.

Traveling uphill to Swayambhunath means that the devotees are surrendering to god and asking him for help.