Newar Dance (

Nepal bhasa Newar (; , ) is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Newar people, the indigenous inhabitants of Nepal Mandala, which consists of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding regions in Nepal. The language is known officially in Nepal as Nepal Bhas ...

:) consists of the whole array of

dance Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

s that are traditionally performed by

Newar Newar (; , endonym: Newa; , Pracalit script: ), or Nepami, are primarily inhabitants in Kathmandu Valley of Nepal and its surrounding areas, and the creators of its historic heritage and civilisation. Page 15. Newars are a distinct linguisti ...

Classification

The Newar dances can be classified as traditional masked dances, folk dances, and ritual dances. * Traditional masked dances #Lakhey dance #Astamatrika dance #Navadurga dance #Pulukisi dance (elephant dance) #Sawabhakku #Neelbarahi Naach, Bode, Madhyapur Thimi The Majipa Lakhey dance is a masked dance characterized by vigorous movements and loud music. It is performed by the

Ranjitkar Ranjitkar (रञ्जितकार a.k.a. Chhipaa or Ranjit) is one of the castes of Newar. The Newari caste system is divided according to profession. The Ranjitkar caste is concerned with the dyeing of clothes as well as other color related ...

s of Kathmandu during the Yanya Punhi festival, also known as Indra Jatra, which occurs in September. The dancer and his attendants wander about the streets setting the tone of the festivities. The Gunla Lakhey dance is a similar street performance which tours various parts of the city during Gunla, the tenth month in the

Nepal Sambat Nepal Sambat (, ''nepāla samvat'', meaning "Nepal Era") is the lunisolar calendar used by the Newar people of Nepal. It was the official calendar of Nepal since its inception on 20 October 879 till the end of the Malla dynasty in 1769. During ...

calendar, which corresponds to August. Almost all Newar settlements have a

Lakhey Lākhey (Nepal Bhasa: लाखे or , lā-khé) (alternative spellings Lākhe, Lākhay, ) is the dance of a demon in the carnival of God. Durbar Square, a historic plaza in Kathmandu, Nepal, facing ancient palaces and adorned by Hindus, Hi ...

dance troupe. * Folk dances #Jyapu Pyakhan #Tekanpur Pyakhan * Ritual dances #Charya Pyakhan #Gathu Pyakhan #

Kumha Pyakhan dance Kumha Pyakhan (Devanagari: , also known as Kumar Pyakhan) is a sacred dance of the Tuladhar and Kansakar caste groups of the Newars of Kathmandu. The dance is performed in temple and market squares during religious festivals. Page 192. The danc ...

#Daitya Pyakhan Charya Nritya (Chachaa Pyakhan in

Nepal Bhasa Newar (; , ) is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Newar people, the indigenous inhabitants of Nepal Mandala, which consists of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding regions in Nepal. The language is known officially in Nepal as Nepal Bhas ...

) is a Buddhist ritual dance with a history going back more than 1,000 years. It is performed by Newar Buddhist priests known as

Bajracharya A vajrācārya (vajra + acharya, Tibetan: རྡོ་རྗེ་སློབ་དཔོན་, ''dorje lopön'', Wyl. ''rdo rje slob dpon,'' Chinese: 金剛阿闍梨, pinyin: ''jīngāng āshélì''; rōmanji: ''kongō ajari'') (alternativel ...

as part of their esoteric meditation practices and rituals. The dancers represent various deities like the Five Buddhas,

Manjusri Manjushri () is a ''bodhisattva'' who represents ''Prajñā (Buddhism), prajñā'' (transcendent wisdom) of the Buddhas in Mahāyāna Buddhism. The name "Mañjuśrī" is a combination of Sanskrit word "wikt:%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%9E%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9C%E0 ...

Vajrayogini Vajrayoginī (; , Dorjé Naljorma) is an important figure in Buddhism, especially revered in Tibetan Buddhism. In Vajrayana she is considered a female Buddhahood, Buddha and a . Vajrayoginī is often described with the epithet ''sarvabuddhaḍā ...

and Tara. The song accompanying the dance opens with a salutation and describes the deity's characteristics and accessories. Performances were shown only to the initiated. The first public showing was held during the Fourth World Buddhist Conference held in Kathmandu in 1956.

References

{{Reflist Musical CD: "Charya: The Tantric Musical Tradition of the Kathmandu Valley", Florence-Bologna: A-Buzz Supreme – Stenopeica, 2013 (Collection: "Seeds of Sounds in the An of Power" directed by: Martino Nicoletti) Asian dances