Gathamuga
In
Christianity there is a festival called holy evening that is Halloween in which
trick or treating activities included like Halloween costume parties, visiting
haunted attractions and so on. Costumes are traditionally modeled after
supernatural figures such as vampires, monster, ghosts, skeletons, witches and
evils and celebrated on 31st October.
Similarly
there is a fest called Gathamuga in Newar community in Kathmandu, Nepal that is
celebrated on between July and August according to the Lunar Calendar. Newar community is group of people with the
harmony of both Buddhist and Hindu religion. But aspect of this festival is different
from the Halloween fest.
Even
the people of Nepal have misunderstood about this fest and unknowingly called
as Ghantakarna as well. Actually demon called Ghantakarna have different story
and he was atheists. And also believed that most likely he was in Vanarasi, India
where there is pond called Karnaghanta and near of this pond there is idol of
Ghantakarna. There is a traditional difference between Ghantakarna and Gathamuga.
After
the rise of Shah Regime country make Nepali language as an official language of
the country. And the people translated Gathamuga word in Nepalese language in
their own. Like Ga means Bell, Tha means play and Muga means Hammer and people
understood Gathamuga fest as Ghantakarna.
Actually
Muga means junction. Kilagal,pyangotha,
Naumuga, chikamuga these names are still used in street of the Kathmandu since
the medieval period and all these streets are junction of the street.
Historically
Kathmandu valley was an immaculate
lake that exists above it for thousands of years and
later on water slowly drained out from the southern part of the Kathmandu. It
was believed that this place was land of cultivation of its great agriculture
potential. Due to small population in the valley it was not possible to
cultivate all the land at the time same time during monsoon season. With the
help of tantrism, farmers invoked onto themselves supernatural spirits that
gave them superhuman physical strength and enabled them plantation work done.
Once job done it was important to get rid of these spirits after they had
fulfilled their role otherwise it will be problem in the valley. Hence
according to the tantric ritual it was fixed the day to celebrate Gathamuga as per Lunar
calendar (shrawan Krishna Chaturdasi) between July and August. Gathmuga means junction
where the spirits are active in street intersections.
A
festival is celebrated in a mirthful atmosphere to bid farewell to these
helpful spirits until their contribution is sought again a year later. People
in Newar community on this day make a dummy with fearsome-looking made of wheat
straw in a symbolic manner, are erect at every junction of the street. A local vagabond,
painted in monstrous colors on his body, is assigned the duty to look after the
strange statuette all the day. As a payment
for his work, the person is fed beaten rice with yogurt to his heart’s content.
Passerby and nearby shops give him small change. Later on this dummy takes into
the nearest river. People also believe that wearing iron ring on this day saves
from evil spirits. At night the eldest man of each house perform tantric ritual
offering to spirits called Sinajya Byangkegu that farewell for the spirits.
Offering of bitten rice, husk and raw buffalo lungs along with Gathamuga Swan
(flower) known as Dronapuspa in Sanskrit is placed at the junction of the
street and three pronged irons onto the main door of the house so that the evil
spirit cannot come into the home. And also douse all rooms of the house with
thick smoke from white and black mustard seed burnt over coal fire on small
clay pot. The procedure symbolically depicts driving away any remnants of
malicious energy from house, the mustard smoke doubles ups as strong
insecticides that undoubtedly helps eliminate unsolicited ticks and pests. .
People
also believe that witches and black magicians will make tantric rituals on this
day at mid-night to gain special supernatural power. Gathamuga marks the
beginning of the festival season in Nepal Mandela (Kathmandu valley).
