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Kathmandu Tuesday January 15, 2002 Magh 02, 2058.
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His Majesty graces Samyak
Mahadan
By Perina Pathak
KATHMANDU, Jan 14:Hundreds of residents of the
capital city Monday visited the vicinity of the historic stupa of Swayambhunath, where His
Majesty King Gyanendra was present for the traditional Samyak Mahadan, and offered prayers
to the King, who is worshipped by the country’s Hindus and Buddhists as an
incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
Though the Samyak Mahadan invitation was offered
personally by Ram Kumari Manandhar, a 68-year-old Buddhist woman of the historic city, the
Swayambhunath foothills was crowded with hundreds of people, among them the capital’s
Newari Buddhists, onlookers and tourists.
No sooner had the King arrived at Bhuikhel, the
venue for Monday’s ceremony, at around 2 p.m., the Pancha Kanyas dressed in
traditional attires welcomed him and the members of the Buddhist family offered him
garlands while ushering him to the throne.
And, as the traditional musical bands played
music at the tightly guarded but extremely colourful venue, the Danpati (donor) Manandhar
washed the King’s feet with holy water, presenting him a traditional silver jar that
was decorated with gold.
Prior to that, the member secretary of the
Samyak Mahadan Main Organizing Committee, Jagadish Manandhar, Ram Kumari’s brother,
read out the contents of a Danpatra in Newari, which said: "I am organizing this
Samyak Mahadan for human welfare and world peace…"
After the King accepted the Danpatra that was
presented to him, the Danpati Manandhar, assisted by her family members, offered the
Samyak Bhojan consisting of 84 varieties of food and drinks to the King, who appeared
delighted.
After the Bhojan, the King, together with the
Manandhars, went around the venue that had idols of 88 deities that are common to Hinduism
and Buddhism, before a contingent of the Royal Nepal Army presented a 31-gun salute. The
King also worshipped Lord Dipankar or Addhi Buddha, on whose honour the ceremony was
organized.
After today’s special ceremony of offering
puja to the King, King Gyanendra offered puja to all the 88 deities and especially to the
idol of Dipankar Buddha.
"After the puja performance and having
prasad, jatra (procession) will be taken out," says Babu Raj Buddhacharya, who is
participating in the Samyak Mahadhan for the fifth time. "All these deities will be
carried from Swoyambhu through Nardevi, Tyangal, Ason, Indrachowk, Makhan, Jaysidewal,
Bhimsensthan and to the home of Dipankar, Deauchhya at local Kilagal."
Monday, being the second and the most important
day of the four-day festival, concludes after the devout receive prasads and participate
in a colourful festival or jatra. Earlier on the day, the 88 deities were brought to the
venue followed by a colourful procession.
Tonight the deities’ idols will be taken to
Kilagal in the capital city, while that of Dipankar will be restored to its original place
atop the Swayambhu hill tomorrow.
The festival date back to time immemorial and
there is no mention of the actual date when the tradition actually started.
Prior to this, such a festival was organized
jointly 50 years ago by Bhakta Bir Singh Tuladhar, Akal Man Singh Tuladhar, Ratna Man
Singh Tuladhar, and Siddhi Man Singh Tuladhar in presence of Late King Tribhuvan Bir
Bikram Shah Dev.
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