Pahachahre

"Paha" means guest and "Chahre" means Chaturdashi. This day is also called "Pishach Chaturdashi". There is an ancient tradition of celebrating the Chartudashi of Chaitra Krishna Paksha with joy and excitement in Newa civilization.

This is also the last Chartudashi of this year. This Chartudashi is considered as a religious end and faith destination for diseases and calamities that may occur during the early summer and dry season.

This day is revered by the Neva community of both Hindu and Buddhist backgrounds. Today idols of Ganesh, Bhairav, Bhagwati, and Ashta Matrika are revered with special khat journey. This evening is celebrated with special worship of the hidden Mahadev (Lukumahadya :).

This is the pisach form of Mahadev, who eats whatever he finds in a dirty place. On this day, this form of Mahadev is taken out of there and worshiped by offering clean garlic plants, traditional alcohol, and other food items. This festival is called Pisach Chaturdashi because of the worship of this pisach form of lord Mahadev.

Another significance of this Chartudashi is the Ghode Jatra that will take place tomorrow.

Today, in the Newar community, people wear a traditional mask (Mukundo) and dance. Several processions are seen on the streets and Kathmandu streets are seen to be busy in their traditional fiesta of Pahachaharey. Today, the Newa community organizes a grand banquet and invites their daughters, relatives, and friends to their homes. That is why today there is a belief that love, affection, harmony, and unity between family relationships are strengthened.

It is said that there was a feud between King Pratap Malla of Kathmandu and King Srinivas Malla of Patan around 787 Nepal Sambat. It is said that a horse was run in Bholakhya: Tol in Patan so that the people of Patan would not go to see the horse procession in Kathmandu.

I will talk about these issues on the day of the Ghode Jatra tomorrow.

Suyog Dhakal