Monday, December 2, 2019

Buddhism (Homa )Fire Ritual.

The Homa Ritual of consecrated fire is unique to Vajrayana and Esoteric Buddhism and is perhaps also the most mystical and cognitively powerful. It stems from the Vedic Agnihotra Ritual and is performed by qualified priests and acharyas for the benefit of individuals, the state or all sentient beings in general. The consecrated fire is believed to have a powerful cleansing effect spiritually and psychologically. The central deity invoked in this ritual is usually Acalanatha .he ritual is performed for the purpose of destroying negative energies, detrimental thoughts and desires, and for the making of secular requests and blessings; these are in the form of pieces of lumber with prayers written down by individuals and stamped with Acalanatha's seed syllable. In most Shingon temples, this ritual is performed daily in the morning or the afternoon, and is a requirement for all acharyas to learn this ritual upon entering the priesthood. Larger scale ceremonies often include the constant beating of taiko drums and mass chanting of the mantra of Acalanatha by priests and lay practitioners. Flames can sometimes reach a few meters high. The combination of the ritual's visuals and sounds can be trance-inducing and make for a profound experience.© Jimmy pramod Malakar.









Wednesday, November 27, 2019

KATHMANDU FUN PARK / काठमाण्डाै‌ फन पर्क ' / JPM ARTS

Bala Chaturdashi.Thousand of Hindu devotees from across the country have...

Bala Chaturdashi 2019.Thousands of Hindu devotees from across the country have thronged the Pashupatinath temple to pay homage to their near and dear ones, who died over the last one year, on the occasion of Bala Chaturdashi.
The day is also called satbij chharne din. Camping under the open sky or tents arranged by the Pashupati Area Development Trust, the bereaved ones observe penance, light oil lamps and keep themselves awake throughout the night, praying for the departed souls to rest in heaven a day before Bala Chaturdashi.
They also sing and dance to hymns in memory of the departed souls.



















Sunday, November 3, 2019

Glimpses of Kukur Tihar.

 Nepali Hindus across the country are observing Kukur Tihar on the second day of the second largest festival that began Tuesday with Kaag Tihar by feeding crows. On this day, dogs are worshipped and offered foods. Dog is the most loyal friend to human being, on the other hand it is regarded as the symbol of Yama, the deity of death.Tihar is also a festival of lights and flowers, where people decorate their homes with colourful lights or oil-fed lamps and eat various delicacies including sweets and sel roti as a part of this festival. Playing deusi-bhailo and worshipping different animals and birds are also significant aspects of this festival. Tihar, also known as Yampanchak, is observed for five days. The second day is Kukur Tihar, the third Gai Tihar and Laxmi Puja, fourth day Gobardhan Puja or Goru Puja and fifth day Bhai Tika, the main day of the festival. Newar community observes Mha Puja (worship of own soul) on the fourth day. Bhai Tika celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. Sisters put tika wishing for longevity and prosperity of their brothers, while brothers give gifts to their sisters and pledge to take care of them. The auspicious time for Bhai Tika this Tihar is 11:51am, according to the Nepal Panchanga Nirnayak Samiti. The government has announced a three-day public holiday starting from Laxmi Puja to Bhai Tika for the festival.