Page 56 - Cornice_Grade 4_Neat

This is an interview taken by Megha Joshi with her
grandfather, Keshav Mangal Joshi about Newari fes- An Interview
tivals and their importance. Megha enters Ba’s study
after dinner. She knocks on the door. with my

Megha: Hi! Ba. May I come in?

Grandfather
Ba: Hi! Chori. Yes, you may.

Megha: We are studying about Newars and their cul-
ture in our Social Studies class. Can I take a short in-
terview with you about Newari Festivals? on Newari Festivals

Ba: Sure, I will be very happy to share.
Megha: Are there any changes in the way we celebrate
Megha: Thank you Ba. Let’s start then. Could you these festivals now?
please name some of the important Newari festivals?
Ba: Definitely. There has been a huge change. These
Ba: Some of the important festivals are: Yomari Pun- days, people are very busy with their office work.
hi, Mha puja, Machhindranath Jatra, Indra Jatra, Sith- People do not have time to celebrate like before.
inakha, Sakimana Punhi. It is interesting to note that Everything now is done in a shortcut way. For ex-
there is one Newari festival every 15 days. ample, during Yomari Punhi, they buy Yomari from
shops, rather than make it at home.

Megha: What is the importance of festivals?
Megha: Do these festivals showcase our Newari cul-
Ba: Each of them is celebrated for a specific reason. ture?
For example, Mha Puja is a special puja of the body
or self. It is about celebrating yourself. You take a Ba: Yes, the Newari festivals are a very important part
bath, purify yourself and do the puja of your soul with of our culture and showcase our culture. These are the
your family. Machhindranath Jatra is celebrated in the ways to bring our community together. We celebrate
month of Baisakh. It celebrates the end of the drought them with our family members and relatives. Festivals
and the start of the rainy season when the rice plan- are associated with music, dance, food, and festivity. It
tation starts. Or Gai Jatra is celebrated in memory of is handed down from one generation to another. They
dead ones in the family. So, all these festivals have a have been part of our society for a long time. They
very important place in Newari society. give us identity.

Megha: How were these festivals celebrated in the Megha: Which festivals are related to food and har-
past? vesting?

Ba: Oh! It used to be so much fun. We used to cook Ba: I can think of a very important one, Yomari Pun-
delicious food, Samay Baje, yummy Newari delicacies, hi. It is celebrated on the full moon day of Mangsir.
and invite our close relatives for a feast. Together, we The rice in the field is harvested and to celebrate this,
prepare a puja for the god related to that festival, go Yomari is cooked with the flour of this new rice. In
to the temple, and offer our prayers. As kids, we loved Patan, they make different styles of Yomari with many
the music and dance which took place in the open different fillings in them. The most popular ones are
squares of our neighborhood. Chaku and Khuwa.