Mha Puja
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Mha Pujā (
Newar Script Nepalese scripts ( Nepal Lipi: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑐮 𑐁𑐏𑐮, Devanagari: नेपाल आखल) are alphabetic writing systems employed historically in Nepal Mandala by the indigenous Newars for primarily writing Nepal Bhasa. It is also ...
: ) (
Devanagari Devanagari ( ; , , Sanskrit pronunciation: ), also called Nagari (),Kathleen Kuiper (2010), The Culture of India, New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, , page 83 is a left-to-right abugida (a type of segmental Writing systems#Segmental syste ...
: म्हपुजा) is an annual ritual performed by the
Newar Newar (; new, नेवार, endonym: Newa; new, नेवा, Pracalit script:) or Nepami, are the historical inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley and its surrounding areas in Nepal and the creators of its historic heritage and civilisatio ...
people of
Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
to purify and empower the soul as part of New Year celebrations. It is performed on New Year's Day of
Nepal Sambat Nepal Sambat, also spelled as Nepala Sambata, (Nepal Bhasa: , Nepali: ) is the lunisolar calendar used by the Newari people of Nepal. The Calendar era began on 20 October 879 AD, with 1142 in Nepal Sambat corresponding to the year 2021–2022 ...
, the national lunar calendar of Nepal, which occurs during the Swanti festival. Mha Puja means "worship of the self" in Newari, and it celebrates the spirit within oneself. The ceremony signifies an auspicious beginning of the New Year, and invokes prosperity and longevity for the participant. Mha Puja and Nepal Sambat are also celebrated abroad where Nepalese have settled.


The ceremony

A row of
mandala A mandala ( sa, मण्डल, maṇḍala, circle, ) is a geometric configuration of symbols. In various spiritual traditions, mandalas may be employed for focusing attention of practitioners and adepts, as a spiritual guidance tool, for e ...
s (sandpainting of a sacred circular diagram) are drawn on the floor for each member of the family. Extra mandalas are drawn at the end of the row for the two messengers of death. Mandalas are also drawn for essential household items like water pitcher, winnowing tray and broom. The mandala is worshipped by making offerings of ritual food, sacred thread, colored paste, incense, lighted wicks and flowers. Family members then sit cross-legged in front of one's mandala, and the lady of the household walks down the row putting Tika (a dab of colored paste) on their forehead. She then presents each member an extra long burning wick (khelu itāh खेलु इता:) which is placed next to the mandala. She also gives them sacred threads (kwakha क्वखा) and a basket of fruits including
citron The citron (''Citrus medica''), historically cedrate, is a large fragrant citrus fruit with a thick rind. It is said to resemble a 'huge, rough lemon'. It is one of the original citrus fruits from which all other citrus types developed throu ...
(tahsibwa त:सिब्व) symbolizing long life and good fortune. The next part of the ceremony is Sagan Biyegu (सगं बियेगु). One of the women walks down the line holding a clay pot containing
Dhau ''Dhau'' (Nepal Bhasa: ) is a variety of yogurt primarily prepared by Newar, Newar people of Nepal. It is traditionally made in clay pots. The most famous and delicious variety of dhau is ''Juju dhau'', which is known for its rich taste and thick ...
(
yogurt Yogurt (; , from tr, yoğurt, also spelled yoghurt, yogourt or yoghourt) is a food produced by bacterial Fermentation (food), fermentation of milk. The bacteria used to make yogurt are known as ''yogurt cultures''. Fermentation of sugars in t ...
) from which everybody takes a dab and puts it on one's temple. The participants are then presented a set of auspicious ritual food consisting of boiled egg, smoked fish and
rice wine Rice wine is an alcoholic beverage fermented and distilled from rice, traditionally consumed in East Asia, Southeast Asia and South Asia. Rice wine is made by the fermentation of rice starch that has been converted to sugars. Microbes are the so ...
. The rice wine is poured in a little bowl and refilled three times, until when the bowl must be held in the hand and not set down. The worship of the mandala is the principal ritual during Mha Puja. The mandala represents the universe, and the wick and incense stick which are lighted during the ceremony means that the participant should spread brightness and fragrance for others. Mha Puja is a revered custom among Newars, and is observed outside Nepal too.


The mandala

The mandala is a
sandpainting Sandpainting is the art of pouring coloured sands, and powdered pigments from minerals or crystals, or pigments from other natural or synthetic sources onto a surface to make a fixed or unfixed sand painting. Unfixed sand paintings have a long es ...
made with powdered limestone. The Mha Puja mandala is drawn in the shape of an eight-petalled lotus inside a circle marked with water. It can be drawn freehand or by using a stencil or mould. At the center of the mandala, a small circle is drawn with mustard oil. This is surrounded by concentric rings marked with red rice, black lentil, black soybean, unhusked rice and puffed rice as per family tradition. The items used to adorn the mandala symbolize good fortune, long life and freedom from perils. The mandala has been interpreted as a microcosmic and macrocosmic representation of the self. The ingredients used to construct the Mha Puja mandala may differ as per caste group and family tradition, but the philosophy behind the ceremony is the same.


The feast

At the end of the ceremony, the family members partake of a feast. The bronze plate containing auspicious food items is placed on one's mandala, destroying the not so perfect mandala made and decorated design to signify worldly impermanence. The main menu consists of a set of eight items representing the Astha Matrika, the eight grandmother goddesses who are worshipped as protectors. They are known as
Ajima Ajima (Nepal Bhasa:अजिमा) is a group of goddesses of the Newar pantheon. These goddesses are respected by all sects and castes of Newars, both from Hindu and Buddhist religion. If we look Ajimas from sky, they look like a sword. So, it ...
in
Nepal Bhasa Newar (), or Newari and known officially in Nepal as Nepal Bhasa, is a Sino-Tibetan languages, Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Newar people, the indigenous inhabitants of Nepal Mandala, which consists of the Kathmandu Valley and surro ...
. The arrangement of the food on the plate also represents a mandala, with a mound of beaten rice at the center surrounded by portions of eight side dishes. In addition, other food items are served to make a sumptuous feast. After dinner, the plates and leftover food are left as they are overnight. The floor is swept clean the next day.


See also

*
Swanti (festival) Swanti (Devanagari: स्वन्ति, Nepal Script :𑐳𑑂𑐰𑐣𑑂𑐟𑐶) is a five-day festival of Nepal which is one of the year's greatest celebrations for the Newar people. It is the Newar version of Tihar or Diwali. The fest ...
*
Nepal Sambat Nepal Sambat, also spelled as Nepala Sambata, (Nepal Bhasa: , Nepali: ) is the lunisolar calendar used by the Newari people of Nepal. The Calendar era began on 20 October 879 AD, with 1142 in Nepal Sambat corresponding to the year 2021–2022 ...
*
Sagan (ceremony) Sagun ( ne, सगन) is a Nepalese ceremony which involves ritualized presentation of auspicious food to a person to invoke good fortune and show respect. It is a highly revered ceremony in Newar society of the Kathmandu Valley. The food items ...


References

{{Hindu festivals Newar New Year celebrations Buddhist festivals in Nepal Ceremonies in Nepal Rituals Annual events in Nepal Buddhist holidays Hindu holy days October observances November observances Observances set by the Nepal Sambat calendar