Bisket
The New Year Celebration
• Kuber Chalise
Bhaktapur, a medieval city of Kathmandu valley, celebrates New Year in its own way. A popular festival known as Bisket marks the New Year with great pomp and grandeur for nine days in Bhaktapur. During these nine days and eight days the chariot-pulling of Goddess Bhadrakali and God Bhairab takes place in front of the famous Nyatapole temple, a five – storied pagoda built around 1702 BS.
It is said that after the death Chitragupta – an assistant to Yamaraj – the god of death asks; “Have you ever watched the Bisket Jatra?” So nobody wants to miss this memorable festival. Thus the ancient city is crowded of the devotees as well as the watchers from the surrounding hills and villages.
Some argue that the name Bisket came from Bi- sita meaning Naga serpents died in Newari, a local language widely spoken in Bhaktapur –because this festival is celebrated to mark the death of serpents.
Some claim that the name came form Brisha Ketu or Shiva –dhoja, the flag of Lord Shiva. The cart pulling of Lord Bhairav- an angry incarnation of Lord Shiva may have some links to this version of the story also.
However Bisket is celebrated according to the solar calendar unlike other Nepali festivals that are celebrated according to the lunar calendar.
There are different legends behind the celebration of this popular and spectacular festival.
Once upon a time there lived a king. He had a very beautiful daughter, whom he wanted to get married and settle happily. But every time she had a husband the next day he would die. The king was thus very disappointed.
Once, a prince from a very far away land came to this city. Hearing the sad story of the princess he proposed to marry her.
The king was happy to marry his daughter to the prince. In the night while the princess was fast asleep, the prince stayed awake. In the middle of the night two small serpents came out of the nostrils of the princess. They gradually grew bigger and tried to kill the groom. But he was prepared for any such situation. So, he fought and killed them. Before dying, the serpents asked him to remember them every year by putting them in public.
In the memory of these Naga serpents every year a 50- 60 feet pole is erected on the last day of the previous year with the replica of serpent king and queen and is pulling down on the first day of the New Year. This pole, which should be straight without any bend or cut, is especially chosen and worshipped before erecting.
Since Kathmandu valley is the settlement of majority of farmers, Naga serpents played an important role in the farming. Thus the relation between these serpents and the people is widely acclaimed. Serpents are the friends of farmers in practical life. So, honoring the serpents is not quite a surprise in this part of the world.
But each festival in due time has changed little by little and each successive kings have added one or two celebrations to the festival. Thus, the cart-pulling festival of Goddess Bhadrakali and God Bhairav is said to be started somewhere around Malla reign. Malla kings of the valley were known as the trantra practiceners and they were thought to possess occult powers and added some impression of the tantrism in Bisket festival. They believed Tantra as a scientific tool, which they practiced for the peace and prosperity of their citizens.
Another spectacular festive occasion added somewhere in the Malla reign is the palanquin of the various Gods and the Goddesses. Festivities can be seen in every wards of Bhaktapur carrying Bhairav, Mahakali, Mahalaxmi, Ganesh and Bramhayani in Palanquin accompanied by traditional musical procession. The musical procession that follows these palanquins plays an important role in Bisket as a tool to establish the connection between the earth and the heavens. The intoxicated crowd is seen dancing in the beats of Dhime, a traditional Newari musical instrument.
The city for eight nights and nine days - starting 5 days before the new year till the fourth day of the new year – witnesses the eight mother-goddesses, the Asta-Matrikas, believed to the preserver Goddesses of the city.
