“The beginning of Nepal’s festival season is marked by the sacred thread changing and healthy nine -bean soup preparing festivity i.e Janai Purnima.”
Janai Purnima is considered “The Sacred Thread Festival”. The yearly celebration is held on the full moon day in the month of Shrawan. The individuals known as ‘Taghadharis’, bearers of the holy thread called Janai, take a bath in the nearest river or pond early in the morning and change the Janai given by their priest. Especially the men belonging to the Brahmins and Chhetris community change their Janai as usual annually during this festival. Devotees also tie a sacred thread around their wrist on this day, which they believe purifies the soul and protect the body from evil. During this festive season, Gosaikunda is very famous as many Hindus across the country flock there in large numbers to participate in an annual fair. This festival also celebrates the day of commemorating the bond of love and affection between brothers and sisters and is known as Rakshya Bandhan. It is mostly celebrated in Terai Region as “Rakshya Bandhan” and is scattered celebrated in the valleys of Nepal.
Here in Nepal, a festival is accompanied by a special dish otherwise it won’t be as lively as it should be. Especially on this day, the people of the Newar community prepare a special nine-bean soup, traditionally known as Kwasi, and have it as part of their meal. And the festival is also known as “Kwati Purnima” or “Gunu Punhi” among the Newar community. The soup, according to Newar elders, provided much-needed warmth to the farmers, who spent the monsoon summer shin-deep in muddy water, planting crops in the fields.
LEGEND BEHIND THE ORIGINS OF THE FESTIVAL
There are several history and myths about the celebration of Raksha Bandhan. Some of them are:
- The first myth goes like this:- After Lord Vishnu had defeated and won all the three worlds from the demon, King Bali. Lord Vishnu being the generous and kind being granted a wish of Bali to stay with him in his palace, but Lord Vishnu’s wife Goddess Lakshmi did not like the palace. So, Goddess Lakshmi went to Bali and tied a rakhi which then made him her brother. In return Bali asked what gift she wanted, then she asked him to free Vishnu from the request that he lives in Bali’s palace. Bali also not being able to defy his sister’s wish and granted her wish.
- There’s another legend entailing the war between Gods and Demons. Lord Indra is the deity of the sky, rain, and thunderbolts were disgraced by the demon, King Bali. Then after this incident Lord Indra’s wife, Sachi went to Lord Vishnu and asked for his help. He gave her a holy bracelet made of cotton thread which she tied that holy thread around the wrist of Indra and blessed with her prayers for his victory. Then Lord Indra defeated the demon king Bali. This was the inspiration for the holy thread having protective powers.
- This another legend relates to India and goes back to the time when Alexander the Great invaded India in 326 BCE. As the legend says the wife of Alexander the Great, Roxana sent a sacred thread to Porus, the king of Kaikeya kingdom, requesting him not to harm her husband in battle. King Porus respected the importance and significance of rakhi and wore the rakhi. During the battle of Hydaspes, King Porus managed to stop himself from killing Alexander personally when he saw the rakhi on his wrist.