Co-authored by Sajana Bhadel and Amanda Summers
Gathe
Mangal, or Ghantakarna Chaturdashi, is a festival is celebrated
generally in the month of Shrawan, June/July. We have a special
puja/offering to demons, serpents and other supernatural and natural
elements like wind, water and fire to get rid of evils powers and the
legendary demons. There is a belief among Nepalese that there used to be
a Demon named Ghantakarna, a legendary demon who spread havoc against
the people. Although this festival is celebrated throughout Nepal,
Changunarayan celebrates it in its own, particular style, with even
nearby villages having their own traditions.
Nepalese people started celebrating this festival to help survive from the demon attacks. People make hay dummies of the demon, "Ghantakarna," and erect them on side roads; then they set the effigy on fire. This festival is celebrated differently according to the beliefs and culture of the various villages. People make a human-like figure to ressemble a demon; they put a claypot on top to give the shape of a head.
On this day, people also wear metal rings called “ gathemangal ko aunthi” which literally means the 'ring of metal,' worn for protection from all evil spirits.
During the evening, people hammer three legged nails onto the door to keep out all the negativities and evil spirits from the house. We believe the house is purified when we have cow’s dung with different plants and medicinal herbs stuck on the door. The women hammer three legged nails and stick this small patch of dung on their door, they burn wheat hay with different weeds to take away the ills from every corner of the house. One person holds the burning wheat hay and the other drags a broom, which sweeps the demons from the house.
Nepalese people started celebrating this festival to help survive from the demon attacks. People make hay dummies of the demon, "Ghantakarna," and erect them on side roads; then they set the effigy on fire. This festival is celebrated differently according to the beliefs and culture of the various villages. People make a human-like figure to ressemble a demon; they put a claypot on top to give the shape of a head.
On this day, people also wear metal rings called “ gathemangal ko aunthi” which literally means the 'ring of metal,' worn for protection from all evil spirits.
During the evening, people hammer three legged nails onto the door to keep out all the negativities and evil spirits from the house. We believe the house is purified when we have cow’s dung with different plants and medicinal herbs stuck on the door. The women hammer three legged nails and stick this small patch of dung on their door, they burn wheat hay with different weeds to take away the ills from every corner of the house. One person holds the burning wheat hay and the other drags a broom, which sweeps the demons from the house.
A villagers all gather together and make a dummy of Ghantakarna with various weeds and the clay pot on the top as the head. They draw a nice face on pot. Then, it is burned when all the people are gathered with their puja and their own, personal, hay figure.
There are different shout outs during the session like “Aaju Jay Haa, Om Shanti Nepal,” a prayer for daily sustainance.
It’s not clearly stated just when this festival got started, although the earliest mention is during the Licchavi era, possibly as far back as 300 A.D. There are myths and stories about this festival. The demon,Ghantakarna, had a pair of bells on his ears used to terrify people with his scarey face. He was called Ghanta (Bell) Karna (Ears) to identify him by the bells on his ears. It is believed that this demon was killed by the clever frog, so Newar communities worship the frog on this day. There is still contradictory on whether Ghantakarna was a demon or a god as Hindus worship him as a devotee of Lord Shiva, while Buddhists have their own beliefs and celebrations surrounding this festival.
It’s not clearly stated just when this festival got started, although the earliest mention is during the Licchavi era, possibly as far back as 300 A.D. There are myths and stories about this festival. The demon,Ghantakarna, had a pair of bells on his ears used to terrify people with his scarey face. He was called Ghanta (Bell) Karna (Ears) to identify him by the bells on his ears. It is believed that this demon was killed by the clever frog, so Newar communities worship the frog on this day. There is still contradictory on whether Ghantakarna was a demon or a god as Hindus worship him as a devotee of Lord Shiva, while Buddhists have their own beliefs and celebrations surrounding this festival.
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