Local people celebrating Panauti Jatra at Panauti
Panauti is one of Nepal’s oldest cities, established by AnandaDev Malla. It is a traditional Newari town with magnificent temples as an example of medieval art and architecture. It is the temple of Indeswor Mahadev. During Jestha Sukla Purnima each year Jya Punhi (Panauti Jatra) is observed. Panauti citizens commemorate and pay homage to their protected deities for almost ten days: Indeshwori Mahadev, Bhadrakali, Unmatta Bhairav and Brahmayani. The idols are separated from their temples, mounted in a palanquin or ceremonial chariots and carried or pulled according to a specified route in the different quarters of the region.
In other words, on the fourth day of the festival, the fourteenth day of the bright fortnight in the evening a Duin-ca-nya-ya-ke-gu festival is held. A group of a priest, a woman and a porter cross the bridge across Punyamati River to go along with Goddess Bhadraali to make Tantric offerings to Goddess Brahmayani. The festival is called ‘duin’ in memory of the women team member. The fifth day if the festival is called Mu-jatra meaning the day of greatest importance. On this day, most Panauti city residents make the sacrifice of male goats or ducks to Goddess Brahmayani and Bhadrakali and worship gods and goddesses located within the city.
The sixth day is the day of the full moon known as Jya Punhi. The palanquin and chariots bearing different figures of the god are carried around the region. The festival is conducted in Layaku dabali, where Unmatta Bhairav and Bhadrakali’s chariots clash, and later Indreshwor Mahadev’s palanquin collides with Bhadrakali’s chariot symbolizing the sacred sexual relationship. On the ninth day of the month, on the first day of the holiday, all the deities taken out of their shrines are carried back to their respective temple.
Watu wa eneo hilo wakisherehekea Panauti Jatra huko Panauti Panauti ni moja ya miji ya kale zaidi ya Nepal, iliyoanzishwa na AnandaDev Malla. Ni mji wa jadi wa Newari wenye mahekalu yenye kupendeza kama mfano wa sanaa na usanifu wa enzi za kati. Ni hekalu la Indeswor Mahadev. Wakati wa Jestha Sukla Purnima kila mwaka Jya Punhi (Panauti Jatra) huadhimishwa. Wananchi wa Panauti wanakumbuka na kuwaheshimu miungu yao inayolindwa kwa karibu siku kumi: Indeshwori Mahadev, Bhadrakali, Unmatta Bhairav na Brahmayani. Sanamu hizo hutolewa kwenye mahekalu yao, na kupandwa kwenye magari ya ibada, na kubebwa au kuvutwa kulingana na njia maalum katika sehemu tofauti za eneo hilo. Kwa maneno mengine, siku ya nne ya sherehe, siku ya kumi na nne ya wiki mbili zenye kung'aa jioni sherehe ya Duin-ca-nya-ya-ke-gu hufanyika. Mtakatifu, mwanamke na msafiri wanavuka daraja la Punyamati River pamoja na Mtakatifu Bhadraali ili kumtolea Mtakatifu Brahmaji sadaka za Tantra. Tamasha hilo linaitwa <unk>duin<unk> kwa kumbukumbu ya mwanachama wa timu ya wanawake. Siku ya tano ikiwa tamasha hilo linaitwa Mu-jatra ikimaanisha siku ya umuhimu mkubwa zaidi. Siku hii, wakazi wengi wa Panauti hutoa sadaka ya mbuzi wa kiume au bata kwa mungu Brahma na Bhadrakali na kuabudu miungu na miungu iliyoko ndani ya mji. Siku ya sita ni siku ya mwezi kamili inayojulikana kama Jya Punhi. Magari-moshi na magari yenye sanamu tofauti-tofauti za mungu husafirishwa kuzunguka eneo hilo. Sherehe hiyo hufanyika katika Layaku Dabali, ambapo magari ya Unmattha Bhairav na Bhadrakali hushindana, na baadaye palanquin ya Indreshwar Mahadev hushindana na gari la Bhadrakali linaloashiria uhusiano mtakatifu wa kingono. Siku ya tisa ya mwezi, siku ya kwanza ya sikukuu, miungu yote iliyoondolewa katika mahekalu yao hubebwa nyuma kwenye hekalu lao.