After autumn leaves disintegrate from tree branches and land on the ground! Seasons passed away yet the urge of re-growing is alive. Regrowing for the human civilization and being, re growing for the planet and welfare, and re-growing to combat the virus and adversities.
Welcome to the Maghe Sakranti of the year 2021 Ad and 2077 BS. This year is passing in hide and seek, inside the home and outside in masks, sanitizers have completely changed the colors of our hand and the terror of this invisible virus prevails.
May this Maghe Sakranti transform the situation, today the Sun is changing its direction from Dhanu Rashi to Makar Rashi so this particular day is also called Makar Sakranti.
Today is Maghe Sakranti, the first day of the month of Magh, an important month of mid-winter. Today the Sun enters Capricorn from Sagittarius and this day is celebrated as Maghe Sakranti, Tiluwa Sakranti, or Makar Sakranti or Maghi with its characteristics and cultural significance.
Sesame has a special significance in Sanatan Sanskar, whether it is for home chanting as a charu or for worship and charity or any patriarchal and good deeds, sesame is indispensable. Today, it is famous for sesame laddu. Laddu made by frying sesame seeds and covering it in sakhkar is a special dish of today. That is why Maghe Sakranti is also called Tiluwa Sakranti.
On the other hand, we have read in geography about the North Pole and South Pole. The direction of the Sun and Earth is also calculated and measured based on the relative positions of those poles. From today the direction of Sun is moving towards North, It is believed to be decreasing and spring, as well as summer, is increasing. So this day is also called Uttarayan. We will come to that later.
Let's first rejoice Maghi.
Let's talk about the religious and mythological beliefs of this day. In the Mahabharata, Bhishma Pitamah who was lying in the death bed because of the Arjun's arrow, wished for death today. This day is so auspicious for salvation and spiritual gravity, that is why Bhisma who had a boon to make a wish for his death choose this day for ending his life.
Today, there are crowds of pilgrims bathing in various ghats, rivers, and shrines, Devghat of Nawalparasi, Chatara of Sunsari, Kaligandaki bank, Setiveni of Parwat, Bagmati bank of Kathmandu Shankhamul, etc.
In Madhes, Maithil and Tharu communities celebrate this festival with great harmony. In the Tharu community, this day is celebrated almost as New Year in the form of Yale Dugan.
Today, it is believed that the Kirat dynasty invaded the Kathmandu Valley and achieved victory and the same victory celebration is considered to have started as Kirat Samvat.
In the Newar community, Maghe Sankranti is celebrated with the name 'Ghuchaku Salhu'. They make laddu by mixing sesame seeds in Sakhhar and eat and donate it. Today, a historical Makar fair is held in Panauti near Kathmandu Valley, this fair started from the regime of King Mandab.
Maghe Sankranti is also a major festival of the Magar caste in Nepal. Maghe Sankranti has been recognized as the national festival of the Magars. In the Magar community, the archery game is played today. In this festival, the Magars duly worship the daughters and ancestors for three days.
May this Maghi be as sweet as the Til ko laddu, my best wishes.
The descent begins: Uttarayan Aramva
The position of the sun changes twice a year. These two changes are understood as north and south. The time when the Sun appears from Capricorn to Gemini during 6 months is called Uttarayana and the time when the Sun enters from Cancer to Sagittarius is called Dakshinayan.
During the Uttarayan, the path of the Sun's orbit is gradually moving north. According to the scriptures, Uttarayan is considered a symbol of positivity, and Dakshinayan is considered a symbol of negativity. According to the scriptures, 6 months of Uttarayan is one day for the gods and 6 months of Dakshinayan is one night for the gods.
According to mythology, people who die during Uttarayan attain salvation, while those who die during Dakshinayan must be reborn, which is why these two positions of the sun are considered the path to salvation from the human world. During theUttarayan, the days are long and the nights are short. It is considered appropriate to do special auspicious deeds like marriage, house entry, fasting, etc. in Uttarayan. Good luck everyone
Makar Snan aramva
Makar Snan has officially started by burying Lingos (bamboo poles in the bank of Devghat), the confluence of Krishnagandaki and Trishuli rivers. On the eve of Maghe Sankranti, after the bamboo linga is buried in Dobhan, the ritual of Makar Snan officially begins. Since the Sun enters Capricorn from Sagittarius on this day, this day is called Makar Sakranti and the bath starting from today is called Makar bath.
Utmost wishes, the winter is waving goodbyes and summer is all set.
Rashtriya Yog Diwas
Since yoga, which was researched and sought by sages in the foothills of the Himalayas during the Vedic period, is on the verge of extinction in Nepal. The Government of Nepal has started celebrating National Yoga Day to raise public awareness to revive the importance of Yoga. A meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Government of Nepal on 28 Shrawan 2072 BS, made a formal decision to celebrate the National Yoga Day on 1 Magh and handed over the responsibility of coordinating it to the Ministry of Education.
The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science and Technology have merged to form the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology. Nepal is celebrating the seventh National Yoga Day in 2077 BS.
There are about 600 yoga teaching institutions in Nepal so far. Most of the people who come to practice yoga in these institutions are foreigners. Yoga tourism can be promoted by establishing yoga and meditation centers in the middle of Nepal's hilly and mountainous regions. In ancient times, mental peace, stability, and health were achieved through yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda.
The importance of Yoga has increased in the post-covid time, for mental stability and patience one must practice Yoga.
Nepalis who have completely forgotten about it under the influence of the modern age have started to be attracted towards yoga after it came to be used more for treatment and happiness in Europe and America. Yoga is now becoming an integral part of tourism in Nepal. If the Government of Nepal invests with due care, there is a lot of potential for yoga tourism in Nepal. Since yoga is a Vedic medical system, in the Atharva Veda, it is said that yoga is the practice of 'Yogashchittavritti Nirodh', i.e., preventing various things that come to mind. The Ayurvedic text Charak Samhita, written in 1600 BC, mentions the development of the mind-conquering Satvavajaya medical system in the forests of the Himalayan region by sages through yoga, meditation, and penance.
Yoga is the science of knowledge that can reveal all the possibilities within a human being. In the early days, yoga was for all, but in the middle Ages, it was understood to mean yoga only for beards, hair-bearing monks, and saints. Yoga is now associated with health and wellbeing and Yoga is for all.
Tol Lhosar
It is the oldest of the three Lhosars. Tol Lhosar is considered to be the origin of other Lhosars and Tol Lhosar has its philosophy and significance. Tol means time or cycle of time and mobility.
Therefore, this Lhosar is also called the time cycle year. People from the mountainous districts of Humla, Jumla, Dolpa, Mugu, Manang, and Tibet, and Bhutan in Nepal celebrate Poush Shukla Pratipada with huge excitement and due respect. Especially the way Sonam Lhosar is celebrated is very similar to the celebration of Tol, only dates are different.
Losar is a combination of the two words 'Lo' and 'Sar'. According to the language, 'Lo' means year and 'Sar' means new. Especially this festival is celebrated to welcome the new year. Tol Lhosar is a festival celebrated especially by the community in the Himalayan region.
In the Himalayas, let the weather, sun the clouds be with you. Let there be snow in the mountains and let everyone be happy in the snow.
Suyog Dhakal
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