Sa:Paru 2082 My Bhaktapur Jatra Experience

On the day of Saa:Paru 2082 B.S, I went to Bhaktapur to see the festival. This was something I had wanted to do ever since I came to Kathmandu, studied Tourism and culture, and began working as a guide. Even though I have been guiding for five years, I had never had the chance to witness and experience Saa:Paru in person.

Just as I was about to go, the owner of my rent house (maa) where I stay called me to help with some repair work. My plan was to finish office work in morning and head to Bhaktapur in afternoon. I return to Teku, finished the work by 12:00 pm, and headed towards the bus park. Around 12:30, I caught the bus to Bhaktapur. At the bus park, I met one of my students, who was also going to Bhaktapur, so we traveled together.

We first reached Siddhapokhari. I called Bibek Duwal and Shreya Malekar, who were at Golden Gate. On the way to Durbar Square, we saw Gaijatra processions, people playing musical instruments, dancing to the ghintang ghisi beat, and many taking photos and videos. About 10–15 minutes later, we reached Shreya’s location, and Bibek joined us shortly after.

With my Sudent's BTTM of BKT

We then entered Durbar Square and visited the Taleju Bhawani Temple. Bibek and Shreya as our Local Guides, explaining the unique art and craft of the area. I also added historical stories from the Tirahuta Kingdom - about Yaksha Malla, Jayasthiti Malla, Taleju, Harisingh Dev, the Toran, wall paintings, and more…..

Inside the temple area, I saw a lone Heron by the pond. It seemed lost in grief, gazing at what I imagined to be its dead mate floating in the water. I could only watch - it was a silent, emotional moment for me.

It was my first time inside this section of temple, and I was thankful to my Local Guides for bringing me there. I admired the wood carvings and wall paintings that hold Nepal’s history and traditions, though I was saddened to see some writings scratched onto the artwork by careless visitors.

After that, we called Dinesh Sir (Phd Scholar) and went to Shreya Malekar’s home for a Newa-Voj. Out of respect for tradition, I only ordered the vegetarian set - just in case family deity might be displeased otherwise. The Voj included - Monica, Bibek, Gitanjali, Dinesh Sir, and his nephew. Many thanks to Shreya and her family for the warm hospitality.

Once we finished eating, we wandered back towards Durbar Square, enjoying the festival atmosphere. In the festival’s attractions, alongside the vibrant Ghintang Ghisi dance, there were also performances of  Mak Pyakhan (traditional Monkey Dance). I had always wished to see these, and this time, my wish came true. I noticed the Bhaktapur Municipality organizing an open-air competition to evaluate different dance groups right in the middle of the festivities. I thought it was a great initiative - combining culture with performance evaluation, and I plan to share this example with my students when I teach culture class.

For me, the experience was both culturally thrilling and adventurous-especially when the massive Bhairav pole (lingo) passed close to us, and the crowd surged so much I wondered if I might get crushed! The energy of youth, the ghintang ghisi chants, the dances, the laughter…….everything filled Durbar Square. Camera drones hovered above the crowd, and it felt like the spirits of the departed were also there, dancing under the blue and black sky. Sweating under the heat, I secretly wished for rain to cool us down - it would have made the experience even more magical.

Now, you might wonder- what is the story behind Saa Paru? Well, that is a tale I’ll share in Nepali language …

सापारु / गाईजात्रा 

प्रत्येक वर्ष भाद्र कृष्ण प्रतिपदादेखि अष्टमीसम्म आठ दिन मनाइने पर्व सापारु/गाईजात्रा हो। यो पर्वको सुरुवात मल्लकालदेखि भएको मानिन्छ। एक वर्षभित्र दिवंगत भएका आफन्तको सम्झनामा गाई वा गाईको भेषमा सजाइएका मानिसलाई नगरपरिक्रमा गराइन्छ। यस अवसरमा दूध, फलफूल, रोटी, चिउरा, दही, अन्न तथा द्रव्य दान गर्ने प्रचलन छ। गाईजात्राको समयमा उपत्यकाका विभिन्न स्थानमा सांस्कृतिक झाँकी, साजसज्जा, तथा गाईको भेषमा सजिएका बालबालिकाको र्‍याली निकाल्ने चलन छ। आठ दिनसम्म गाईजात्रा, खड्गजात्रा, रोपाइँजात्रा आदि नामले सप्ताहव्यापी रुपमा पर्व मनाइन्छ।  यो जात्रा काठमाडौं उपत्यकामा मात्र नभई बनेपा, धुलिखेल, दोलखा, खोटाङ, चैनपुर, भोजपुर, धरान, इलाम, वीरगञ्ज, गोरखा, विराटनगर, हेटौँडा, पोखरा, बेनी, लमजुङ लगायत नेपालका धेरै शहरमा मनाइन्छ।

ऐतिहासिक पृष्ठभूमि: भक्तपुरमा गाईजात्राको सुरुवात राजा जगतप्रकाश मल्लको पालामा भएको भनाइ छ। नेपाल भाषामा ‘गुन्हु पुन्ही’ उल्लेख भएको कारण भक्तपुरमा यस पर्वको लामो इतिहास देखिन्छ। काठमाडौंमा भने सायद राजा प्रताप मल्लको पालादेखि सुरु भएको हो।  १७औ  शताब्दीमा आफ्ना छोरा चक्रभतेन्द्र मल्लको हातीको कुल्चाइमा मृत्यु भएपछि रानी भुवनलक्ष्मीको दुःख कम गर्न प्रताप मल्लले जनतालाई आफ्ना दिवंगत आफन्तको सम्झनामा गाईजात्रा निकाल्न आदेश दिएका थिए। साथै, एक हप्तासम्म स्वतन्त्र रूपमा बोल्न पाउने अनुमति दिँदै प्रहसन र व्यङ्ग्य कार्यक्रम गर्ने परम्पराको थालनी भएको जनश्रुति छ।

धार्मिक आस्था: संस्कृतविद्हरूका अनुसार गाईजात्राको सुरुवात मल्लकालीन नभई लिच्छविकालमै भएको हो, जब साँढे जुधाएर पर्व मनाइन्थ्यो। गोपालवंशमा "सायात" शब्द पाइन्छ, जसमा ‘सा’को अर्थ गाई र ‘यात’को अर्थ जात्रा हो।  नेपाल भाषामा ‘सा’ भनेको गाई र ‘पारु’ भनेको प्रतिपदा हो। मृत्यु भएकाको सम्झनामा नगरपरिक्रमा गर्दा गाईको पुच्छर समाई वैतरणी पार गर्न सकिन्छ भन्ने धार्मिक विश्वास छ।

सापारुको विशेषता: साँ (गाई) बनाउने तरिका नगरअनुसार फरक हुन्छ। काठमाडौंमा मृतकका नातिलाई साँ बनाइन्छ भने भक्तपुरमा ताहासाँ, ताहामचा, माटोको साँ, वा साना नानीहरूलाई महादेव–पार्वतीको भेषमा सजाइन्छ। ताहासाँ भक्तपुर बाहेक अन्य नेवार शहर जस्तै बनेपा, धनकुटा, गोरखा आदिमा पनि बनाइन्छ।

यस दिन साँझ परालको भैरवनाथ र भद्रकालीको ताहामचा ल्याएपछि जात्राको मुख्य कार्यक्रम समाप्त हुन्छ। सापारुको भोलिपल्ट ‘दिकु’ (खाली) हुने गर्दछ। तेस्रो दिनदेखि टोलटोलमा ख्याल (नाटक), देवी प्याखं, भैल प्याखं, माक प्याखं, गाईचा प्याखं आदि देखाइन्छ। साँझमा यी नाच–नाटक प्रस्तुत गरिन्छ भने दिउँसो माक प्याखं, नागाचा प्याखं, र घिन्ताङ घिसी जस्ता नाटकीय प्रस्तुति गरिन्छ।

#ambassadorhimalaya 

#culture #Saparu 

#upadeshkunwor 

(story source: Kantipur Newspaper, GR Ranjit )