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Ghanta Karna Chaturdasi
This festival celebrates the exorcism of the mythical demon
Ghantakarna. According to a local legend a savage by the name of
Ghantakarna used to terrify the public by stealing their children and
womenfolk. The demon made a grotesque sight with his body painted in
red, blue, and black. He had a pair of bells on his ears so that, at
every moment, he made a jangling noise. Because of these bells, he was
called Ghanta (bell) Karna (ears). Ghanta Karna was a big bully and
demanded money and other gifts be made to him by the villagers.
The
rains came and went, but the farmers dared not to go out in fear of the
ogre. There was a look of desolation on every farmer's face. But,
succor came unexpectedly. A large number of frogs came to the place
where the fearsome demon was staying and all of them started to croak.
Ghantakarna got very agitated and tried to catch the frogs. But the
clever frogs jumped ahead and continued to croak. They led him on to a
swamp and then they jumped into the water. He too plunged into the
water and was soon upto his ears in the mud. The frogs then swarmed all
around his head and the demon sank to his death. Thus, the clever frogs
were able to free the residents of the Valley from the tortures of
Ghantakarna.
The
festival of Gathemangal is celebrated towards the end of the Nepalese
month of Shrawan. The festival is celebrated by acting out the
legendary drama in the streets. To begin with, children from every
neighborhood collect money from passerby, which is then used to make an
effigy of the demon. While this effigy remains in the center of a rough
tent-like structure erected from bamboo poles, one man impersonates
Ghantakarna by smearing himself with paint and roaming the streets with
a begging bowl asking for donations. At the end of the day, the person
imitating Ghantakarna is placed on the bamboo poles, now taken down,
and is dragged to a nearby river. This colorful festival, though
celebrated mostly only in the Newar community, is especially fun-filled
for children. They run around the effigy laughing gaily and enjoying
them thoroughly.
Article by Vani Shah
Photographs by Min Bajracharya.
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