In the Newari community today, it is customary to celebrate Mha puja and value self-existence. In the Newari language, there is a predominance of small words like Mha, Mha means self,, and puja is worship, so today is respecting self and acknowledging the preciousness of life.
Sometimes, I feel that this is one of the most scientific and social cultures, as today Newa people take time to value self and re-realize the value of living.
May this day translate the message of hope to everyone in the globe, COVID-19 has several impacts and adversities but there is a silver lining, we just have to wait, live and smile.
Today is also the day to enlighten the self and give the impression of liveliness. If we examine the use and history of the word mhan in the Newari language, we find that its use is widely used in prefixes and suffixes in generic sentences.
Mha Fu la?
How are you?
Mha means the word for body and consciousness, Mha is not used in unconscious and inanimate objects. Highlighting this consciousness and self-element, it is customary in the Newar community to celebrate Mhapuja today.
In the Newari community, worshiping and self-realizing self and the divine within one's own body is practiced onon this day. According to the belief that there can be no peace without peace in the body, today an attractive mandapa symbolizing Ashta Chiranjeevi and Ashta Aishwarya is worshiped and one feeds oneself by placing various food items on the mandapa.
Gai Goru Puja, Haltihar
Today cow, oxen, traditional wooden plow (Hali or halo), and other agricultural implements are worshipped. With the onset of winter in the agricultural doors of Nepal, it is customary to take out the tools such as plows, and spades that have been kept after the rainy season for worship. Hali means plow, so this Tihar is called Hali Tihar, we worship agricultural tools on this day.
Another big highlight of the day is Deusi. Yesterday's Bhaile's Vaka and today Deunse's Vaka. Of course, due to the Corona tragedy and the health crisis, these interesting things will not continue this year, but we will rejoice in the memories of the previous year and cultivate hope for forthcomings.
Deunse is a pre-historic storytelling and singing tradition, where a group of people visits a neighbor's doorstep, courtyard, and organize a musical and lyrical event for a short time. This is a traditional way of storytelling, those Deunse narrates several stories of ancient King Bali and other ancient pauranik characters. Later Deunse receives foods, grains, money, and thanks from the house owner, the ceremony ends with the flow of best wishes and blessings to the house owner, family, and society.
Utmost wishes for the coming years.
Suyog Dhakal
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