For the first time in my life, I walked seven days from my village called Bhedapu in East Charikot Districk at that time it was also called east number 2.
After reaching Bhaktapur, it was April 2018, I saw a small lorry a few times before Salleghari Bhaktapur. After paying twenty five paisa to ride on lorry, I came to Thimi, Baneswar, Dillibazar, Ratnapark then I had to look for a place to rent, reached Peukha and stayed at the Tandukar’s house by paying f ten rupees for one month Having the opportunity, being the son of Tamang, for almost 16 years, I was blinded into Newari Culture, to say that the most important Newari hybrid food is the best quality of Nepal.The Western writers who had visited Nepal often mentioned that Nepal is country of Temples and culture, there are so many festivals in Kathmandu Valley among them is Gunla.
Gunlā (Nepal Bhasa: गुंला) (also spelt Gumlā) is the tenth month in the Nepal Sambat lunar calendar, the national lunar calendar of Nepal.It corresponds to August of the Gregorian Calendar.
Gunla is a holy month for Newar Buddhists when they recite the scriptures, observe fasts and visit places of worship playing devotional music. It is one of the most important events in Newar Buddhism.[ The practice of observing the sacred month is descended from the rains retreat dating from the Buddha’s time when monks stayed in one place and taught the Dharma.
According to traditional beliefs, during primitive times, too much rain would fall. Due to this rain, the mud houses during the time would get devastated, moreover floods and landslides would add melancholy in people’s lives. So, in order to downturn the melancholy, and be safe from floods and landslides, people would go to Swayambhu playing the devotional music as it was in an elevation
Welcome to the Gulla festival by Newa People.
Drunkenness and risk of rain are both at their peak, how many rice plantings are finished? Anyway, everyone is welcome to this month of this year and especially the Gulla festival that comes after the middle of the rainy season.
Background of Gulla festival
In this Gulla month, Gulla festival is celebrated especially in the Newa: community and in some other places where the Newa: community has a majority, including Kathmandu Valley. Newa: The celebration of this festival is more spiritual and contemplative in the Buddhist Margi family of the community. Lord Buddha and his followers stay in one place without traveling during the rainy season when they preach divine discourse and knowledge. Especially during the Gulla festival celebrated by the Newar community, there is a tradition of going to see Lord Swayambhu in the morning.
Dya: Thayegu
Today, you can listen to special Gulla music at the intersections of Kathmandu Valley, while there is a lot of movement of devotees in various monasteries, temples and spiritual places. Bahidya: Swahvanegu Neva: It is a unique place of culture where first there are instruments and music and later there are devotees, nowadays such tableaus can be seen in abundance in Kathmandu Valley. Dya: Thayegu belongs to today’s special activity, today there is a custom of making small stupa with black raw clay. In Kathmandu and Lalitpur, there is also a custom of carrying panjara, i.e. statues of Buddha and other sadhu saints, and khat representing God, around the city and collecting rice and other items. The Buddhist path is a philosophy that advocates balance, where spiritual contemplation, including charity and peace, is highly valued.
-By Dig Bahadur Tamang
From Bhedapu, Dolakha.
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