Jal Binayak

Manjushree At Jalabinayak After the abolition of Monarchy from the country, great many changes have taken place. The development efforts have now truly come in the hands of people. The thrown off historical site of Chobhar George has been turned into the Great Manjushree Park. The area of the park was being excavated to quarry lime-stones for cement industry for more than two decades in Seventies and Eighties of the last century. Once the factory was closed down a decade before, it came to our shelter and we decided to transform it into the historical park and develop into a recreational area.

The park is spread over in an area of 13.4 hectare of which 6 hectare is covered by forest. It has all sort of geological genesis-caves, George, depressions, lake area, hills meadow and river. It is one of the points from where one can even see Mt. Everest on clear days and mornings before sunrise.

The naming is not done haphazardly. There is reason. Chobhar George is one of the important points of Kathmandu Valley from where all the water of the valley drains out to join the River Ganges of India and finally merges into Bay of Bengal. If we block the water merely raising 60 meter, then whole Kathmandu civilization goes under water. Legend has it to say that the valley was once the big lake. Kathmandu Valley being the lake has been proved Geological study also.

Bodhisattva Manjushree came from China, Shanxi, Wutai and cut at Chobhar and drained out the water from the lake then made the valley habitable. The start of human habitation in Kathmandu is thus credited to Lord Manjushree. We Nepalese simply used to believe Manjushree came from China. The tradition of belief is more than thousand years old. We did not know more than that. Now because of developed information technology ( IT ) we came to know more about Manjushree and Wutai Shan where the divine person is believed to be born. He wanders and helps the beings in many ways taking many incarnations. He is a real Bodhisattva living in disguised form in Wutai Shan doing different types of meritorious jobs in order to help all sorts of beings. From the information contained in internet we came also to know that the place has five peaks and is one of the high plateau of Northern China as well.

The place is known to the Nepalese Buddhist community as Panchashirsa Parbat meaning five heads of the mountain. It is the abode of Lord Manjushree. From further study we also came to know that the Wutai Shan has been recently inscribed in World Heritage List. Some Nepalese Buddhist pilgrims and monks also did visit the site

On the north-west side, there is a temple of Bishnudevi, which is a sacred site 'Pith' for people of Panga. Bishnudevi-Balkumari jatra is one of the jatras of famous “Nhega Jatra” of South-west region of Kathmandu valley. Nhega Jatra means jatras of seven villages in Nepalbhasa language. Those seven villages are Kirtipur, Panga, Nagaon, Lhowkot, Boshigaon, Satungal and Machhegaon.

The people of Panga worship two major goddesses: Bishnudevi and Balkumari. Bishnudevi – It usually falls on the month of Mangsir (Chouthi of Chilathwo of Nepal Sambat Calender) and in December of English calendar. This jatra is celebrated with the co-ordination of five guthis of Panga for consecutive 3 days namely Chhwelabhu, Mu Ya and Sina Ya. Chariots are decorated with flowers and ornaments during the festivals.

On the evening of Chhwelabhu or Saptami of Chilathwo month of Nepal Sambat, Shahi guthi selects the buffalo for Mandamye. Mandamye means management of buffalo. A buffalo is sacrificed and the blood is offered to the open shrine of Balkumari at Dikhya by Chiripaa. Chiripaas are members of Maharjan guthi who are assigned to perform all the functions for the smooth continuation of Jatra. There are altogether 24 Chiripaas from three Maharjan Guthis. The remaining skin and meat of sacrificed buffalo is distributed among the members of guthis. On the same day, a Ghampo (jar in which rice beer is made) is worshipped as Bhelu or Bhairab and a thick rice beer is prepared inside bhelu.

Early in the morning of Mu ya, Aastami of Chilathwo month of Nepal Sambat, the idol of Bishnudevi from the dyochhen is carried to Bishnudevi pith of Bhajangal for people to worship. People from different parts of Panga visit Dyopa falcha to worship both goddesses. Different musical groups also join there. A special puja is performed with a sacrifice of an animal and color called “Dware Puja” during the regime of Dware. The name of the day “Sinaya” is named after celebration. After this Dware puja, the khats are carried to Dhwakhasi for “Sarkari Puja” with Dhime baja, Kah baja and Naayakhee baja. At first khat of Balkumari is carried to Dhwakhasi followed by Khat of Bishnudevi. The khat of Balkumari is lighter than Khat of Bishnudevi. Therefore, the assigned number of Chiripaa is also less for khat of Balkumari than that of Bishnudevi. During the “Sarkari Puja”, a goat is sacrificed. After Sarkari Puja, both Khats are taken to Dhusi through Pahul and Lachhi at the temple of Seto Ganesh. Families who wanted to perform special puja to goddesses would paint the road section in front of their house with red mud in a rectangular shape for the Khats to rest. Khats are stopped at those points on their way to different temples. After Seto Ganesh of Dhusi, Khats are carried to Dathal through Lachhi and then to Dikhya and Dhwakashi again. From Dhwakashi, the Khats are carried to Sundarbazaar, then to Salik and back to Dhwakashi. From Dhwakhasi, Khats are again taken to Lachhi through Yakachhen. At Lachhi, Khat of Bishnudevi circumambulate BishnuShankhar temple and chaitya thrice. Then both Khats are placed in front of Dyochhen. From there, both goddesses are reinstated to Dyochhen indicating the end of the festival. The route of jatra.