Indrajatra and cult of Kumari, the Living Goddess
Indra-jatra, a week long festival starts officially in the Kathmandu valley after raising a religious pole - the Indradhwoja on Bhadra Sukla Dwadashi – the twelfth day of waxing moon of Bhadra, according to the Lunar calendar.
A week ago, the pole is brought from the forest of Nala, the eastern part of the valley in Bhaktapur district. A team of priest and sooth-sayers leave for the Nala forest in an auspicious moment to choose a tree for the pole. The woodcutters should observe fast on the day prior to cutting of the tree. They search for a tree that is straight and a minimum 32-feet long.
The priest marks such tree. The next morning, they sacrifice a goat before cutting it. It is brought to Bhotahiti, an outer part of the then Kathmandu city, on Bhadra Sukla Astami - the eighth day of the waxing moon of Bhadra.
From Bhotahiti, the pole is supposed to enter the city with a musical procession of the Guruju ko Paltan – a SamarJung platoon. The tradition has it that a Royal Sword is present in the procession to represent the king. The pole is then taken to Hanuman Dhoka palace, where it is raised after four days in the presence of the royal priest, musical platoon and a royal sword.
The masked dance of Devi is presented while raising the Indradhwoja. Military platoon plays music and a golden statue of God Indra is placed and a Yagya is performed. The eight mother Goddesses, the saviours of Kathmandu valley are also worshipped from this day till the end of Indrajatra on the eight day.
From this day onwards the head of God Bhairav, is placed and worshipped for the eight days around the city. Among them Akash Bhairav of Indrachock and Swet Bhairav- white Bhairav are popular.
In the evening valleyites take a round of city with incense sticks and reciting couplets in the name of deceased relatives.
On the same day in Marutol, an idol of God Indra bound his hand and foot is placed. Scriptures say once Indra came to Kathmandu in search of Parijit flower for her mother. But the people of Kathmandu caught him and took hostage.
After a long time also when her son did not return the god mother came in search of him. Here to her amazement she found her son bound like a thief. Valleyties then let Indra go but asked for a boon that they all be let in heaven. She agreed to take them.
While they were following her, lighting struck and unfortunately the chain broke and they fell in a hillock at Indradaha – a pond at the hilltop near Kathmandu valley. Till date Kathmanduites visit Indradaha on the fullmoon day of Bhadra in the remembrance of deceased family member.
But in Bhaktapur the idol of jayanta, son of Indra is placed and the mask-dance of a demon, who caught him is shown. Tanaskishi or Pulunkishi (as said in Bhaktapur) – the celestial elephant of Indra is also seen in the streets dancing in search of Indra.
All the gods and the goddesses around Hanuman Dhoka palace are worshipped for the eight days and the mask-dance, Devi dance and the Bhairav-Bhakku dance can be observed.
On the eighth day, Aswin Krishna Chauthi – the fourth day of Aswin, the pole is lowered and taken to the river. But the fourteenth day of the waxing moon of Bhadra, Sukla Chturdashi is considered the main day to observe Indrajatra and the cart of virgin Goddess along with God Ganesh and Bhairav is pulled along the streets of the then old city of Kathmandu.
Some 5000 years before the Bikram Sambat, according to the Puranic calendar, Vedic Aryans used to worship Indra by raising a poll and called Indra-dhowjathan.
Indrajatra, says Hindu scriptures, is being celebrated from the time of King Basu, the ancestor of Pandhavas - the five sons of King Pandu.
In Kathmandu, the tradition has its long history, as there are evidences to prove Indrajatra being celebrated in the period of king Mandev.
The Lichhivi dynasty also continued the tradition as it is believed that the celebration is for the prosperity of the kingdom and its people, for good rain and the harvest.
In one of the inscription found at Lele, in Lalitpur district, King Shivadev and Anshubarma have set up a Guthi – a group of people to look after festival, its expenses and management – some 1400 years ago, to celebrate the Indrajatra.
Thus it can be said that the valley of Kathmandu is celebrating this festival for some 1400 plus years.
After the Licchivis, the tradition continued in the period of Mallas also.
King Gunakamdev, a post-Lichhivi king, established the Kathmandu city some 1000 years ago, some historians say. He built the Hanuman Dhoka royal palace and also started the tradition of raising the Indradhwaja in front of royal palace according to Vastu – Vedic engineering science, they claim. Thus the Hanuman Dhoka palace is also known as ‘Guna Po’ – Guna Palace.
The tradition of Indrajatra is then followed by the sister cities of Kathmandu valley. Apart form Kathmandu valley Banepa, Dhulikhel and Dolakha also celebrate Indrajatra.
The successive kings added the mask-dances and the worshipping of Bishworoop. And Jayaprakash Malla, the last Malla King added the cart puling festival of living Goddess Kumari in 877 Nepal Sambat (1814 BS).
Vedic Aryans used to worship Indra – the King of all God in almost all the occasions and for all the purposes, as they were merely dependent upon agriculture. And so were the Nepalis.
The Aryans used to performe Yagyas – a ritual performed with the offerings of different cereals in the fire to please God Indra. In the Post Vedic era different cult came into existence and the tradition of Indra worship slowly became impractical.
Indrajatra is, thus the only reminiscence of the Vedic era.
The cult of Kumari-The Living Goddess
Indra Jatra as celebrated by both Hindus and Buddhists with great enthusiasm. It is also believed that Indra Jatra is a festival of classical dances. It is on this very day when one is able to observe different traditional dances. The festival is named after Lord Indra who is known as the god of rain and also as the king of heaven.
The festival of Indra Jatra continues for eight days with much rejoicing singing dancing and feasting. People from all over Nepal mostly those who live within the Kathmandu Valley gather at the Hanuman Dhoka in Kathmandu.
On the third day of the festival of Indra Jatra the living goddess Kumari is taken out in a procession in a chariot. Kumari, the living goddess is considered to be an incarnation of the goddess Taleju. Chariots of Kumari, Ganesha and Bhairav are taken around the city for three days. The king used to pay homage to the goddess as it is said that her blessings is needed to rule. The last Malla king, Jaya Prakash Mall started the tradition of paying homage to the Living Goddess on the last day and the first day. Some claim that it started from 1814 BS or 877 Nepal Sambat, others claim that the chariot pulling was started after three years in 1817 BS (1880 Nepal Sambat).
The festival’s many interesting dances including the procession of Living Goddess-Mahakali Mahalaxmi and Dasha Avatara mask-dances are staged in Kathmandu Durbar Square near the Kumari Temple. The Dasha Avatara refers to the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu who is one of the Hindu’s Holy trinity.
Whilst the veneration of a living Kumari in Nepal is relatively recent, dating only from the 17th century, the tradition of Kumari-Puja, or virgin worship, has been around for much longer.
There are several legends circulating about how the current cult of the Kumari began. Most of the legends, however, lead back to King Jayaprakash Malla, the last Malla king. According to the most popular legend, a red serpent approaches the King’s chambers late one night as he plays tripasa - a dice game with the goddess Taleju. The king began to admire the surpassing beauty of Taleju, the patroness of his royal lineage, realizing that her beauty surpasses that of his own wife. His amorous thoughts, however, are found out as the goddess is able to read his thoughts.
Standing abruptly, Taleju rebukes the king for his lustful thoughts and declares that if he is ever to see her again, it will be in the form of a young girl. Hoping to make amends with his patroness, the King left the palace in search of the young girl, who was possessed by Taleju’s spirit. Even today, a mother’s dream of a red serpent is believed to portend the elevation of her daughter to the position of Kumari. And each year, the Nepali King seeks the blessing of the Kumari on the last day of Indra Jatra.
The selection of the Living Goddess is a highly elaborate tantric ritual. Kumars are chosen from a large number of contestants from the Shakya clan at the age of four and five. The parents of the contestants are asked for their consent because the contestants are so young. The Kumari is always a Buddhist girl of the Sakya caste because the Goddess Taleju is said to have belong form the same clan. She is a Buddhist girl, but is worshipped by both Hindus and Buddhists. Five senior priests choose the girl.
In order to be the Royal Kumari as called the Kumari of Kathmandu, one must pass through several tests. The girl must possess 32 attributes of perfection of the goddess. She must be free from any disfigurement, must have a perfect health and no serious illnesses (especially small pox). She must be a virgin with an unblemished body, must have white teeth without any gaps. She must have a sonorous voice, long slender arms, delicate and soft hands and feet, and straight hair curled towards the right side. The most important requirement is that the girl has never menstruated. When a Kumari has her first menstruation, she loses her divine power and is returned back to life as an ordinary girl.
At the end of the two weeks, the girls have to perform certain rituals with priests, which are specific to the pubescent girls, before she can lead an ordinary life.
Finally, the girls’ horoscope must match with that of the king of Nepal to ensure compatibility. People believe that a Kumari has the power to confirm the king’s rule. In addition, the selection committee considers her family’s general reputation for piety and looks for calmness and fearlessness in the girl.
During the great festival of Indra Jatra the god of rain is worshiped for good weather and good crops. The Kumari festival is a part of the Indra Jatra festival in which the primary purpose is to worship the God Indra. During Indra Jatra the Living Goddess in all her jeweled splendor travels through the older part of Kathmandu city in a three-tiered chariot made of wood accompanied by Lord Ganesha and Bhairab for three days.
According to Hindu beliefs, Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva, has the head of an elephant, Bhairav is the incarnation of Lord Shiva. The three gods and goddess are worshipped together because worshiping them this way is believed to bring luck to the society as well as any households. Before the start of the chariot festival, a goat is sacrificed for each wheel of the chariot and special rituals are offered. It is believed that after performing this special ritual and sacrifices, the chariots will become immune to any untoward incident that may occur during the procession. Three separate chariots containing Kumari, Ganesh, and Bhairav are pulled through Kathmandu streets to observe the main day of Indra Jatra. It is a grand gala in which people throng into and around the temple of the goddess by the thousands to pay their homage to the Living Goddess.
During this festival she also blesses the king, keeping with the tradition in which the first king of the Shah dynasty received a blessing from the Living Goddess. The Goddess Kumari is regarded as so powerful that her annual blessing on the festival of Indra Jatra to the king, the royal family, and the officials is considered essential to the successful reign of the sovereigns.
During another important Hindu festival, Dashain on the ‘holy black night’ or kalratri, 108 buffaloes and 108 goats are brought to the courtyard of the Taleju temple and tethered to stone pillars. The heads are then severed and taken up to the temple as offerings to Goddess Taleju. The following night the royal goddess walks on a cloth to the temple because she cannot touch the ground with her feet. Inside, she is seated in the midst of all the severed heads and is worshipped by a priest.
Kunari: The Living Goddess
Kumari, popularly known as a virgin Goddess, is the metaphorical representation of the virgin Kathmandu valley. Thus the valley celebrates the Kumarjatra by pulling the chariot of Kumari, God Ganesh and Bahirav on the fourteenth day of the waxing moon of Bhadra – Bhadra Sukla Chaturdashi.
Kumari is believed the manifestation of Goddess Taleju. According to the historians, Queen Deval Devi of Simaraunghadh brought Taleju to Bhaktapur while fleeing from her kingdom. King Jotir Malla was the king of Bhaktapur then. He was a Tranta-practioner. And with the help of Yantra-a device that compels even gods to appear before the person who calls them, he used to asked for the suggestion and help in the administration of the kingdom and to defeat the enemies with the Goddess Taleju. Once the queen due to her utter curiosity peeped in the room where the King was taking to the Goddess. Thenceforth the Goddess disappeared forever and the King lost his advisor. He prayed the Goddess and repented for the ignorance of the queen. Then the Goddess in his dream told the King that she will be embodied in a virgin girl of a Shakya caste and he can talk to her like before.
Then the tradition of selecting a virgin girl from Shakya caste as a Kumari – the only living Goddess in Kathmandu started. But some of the historians claim the story belongs to the last Malla king of Kathmandu, Jaya Prakash Malla.
Others claim the Post Licchivi king Gunakam Dev, who had established the Kathmandu city on the banks of river Bagmati, started the tradition. After establishing the city, he had a dream that the eight mother goddesses should also be established to protect the city from the enemies and for the peace and prosperity of the valleyites. So he established Taleju Bhawani by the side of the palace and the other goddesses around the city.
Whoever had started the tradition, the fact remains the same: Kumari festival is started in the Malla period in Bhaktapur and afterwards Kathmandu and Patan also started celebrating the festival on the day of Indrajatra yearly.
Kumari is the assimilation of Buddhist Bajrayani tantraism and the Hindu Shakta tantraism as the Shakyas are considered the Bajrayani Buddhists. The rituals that a new Kumari has to go through is also mixed rituals of Hinduism and the Buddhism.
Kumari Ghar, the residence of Kumari at Hanuman Dhoka has the Budhists and Hindu architectural style. When the new Kumari is selected, the priest and the Bajrayani Tantrik priests have to give consent to that.
Apart from the Kumari, there are other Balkumaris and Ganakumaris in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan.
King Jaya Prakash Malla started the chariot pulling of the Kumari for three days.
The first day the chariot is pulled through the streets of Maru Tol, Jaisi Deval, Lagan, Brahma Tol Kohity, Bhimsensthan and returns to the place where it is started.
The second day the chariot is pulled through the streets of Pyafal, Nardevi, Bangemuda, Naihakantala, Ason, Indra Chock and back to Hanuman Dhoka.
The third and the last day the chariot is pulled through Pyafal, Kilagal Nau Deval and back to the hanuman Dhoka. The musical prosession follows the chariot of Kumari, Ganesh and Bhairav, the two small boys. During the three-day chariot pulling of Kumari, the Pancha- Buddhas, five Buddhists priests has to be with the Kumari.
The last day in the evening King and Queen used to visit the Kumari Ghar to take Tika and blessing from the Kumari. In JaisiDeval the mask-Devi-and-demon dance takes place. Everywhere in the Kathmandu streets Devi dance and the Bhadrakali dance is shown.
After the chariot pulling is over the Ganesh and Bhairav boys return to their respective houses but the Kumari resides in Kumari Ghar till she is changed while the Kumaris of Bhaktapur, Patan and Bungamati resides in their own house.
The state looks after the Kumaris but with the changing time some of the traditions are needed to be changed and the expenses should be rethought. The Kumari Ghar of hanuman Dhoka is built by Jaya Prakash Malla in 1813 BS. And The king was blessed to rule 12 more years but on the Indrajatra day in 1825, King Prithivi Narayan Shah in his unification process defeated the Kathmandu.
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