Written by: Joya Shrestha - 25004, Grade X
Posted on: 01 June, 2022
Harisiddhi jatra is the first mask dance of Nepal and it is also known as 12 barse jatra. As the name suggests it takes place once every 12 years but in different places. It was my first time attending this jatra. This jatra lasted four days and it was conducted by 4 newar castes from Dhulikhel i.e Deuju, Byanju, Makaju and Tusuju. The 1st day is conducted by Deujus’, second day is conducted my Byanjus’, third day is conducted by my caste Makajus’ and the last day is conducted by Tusujus’. There were about 135 or more than 135 Jalanis’ and 3 goddesses. This jatra is celebrated on the second day of Fagu Purnima.
This jatra is quite different from the other jatras where there are vocal instrumental music and drama but in this jatra there are nothing of that sort. Due to my exams I was not able to attend the first day. This year it began on 17 Chaitra and ended on 20 Chaitra. I went to Dulikhel on 18 Chaitra and stayed a night there. My whole family, (I live in a joint family) we booked a hiace due to the huge number of people, almost about 17 in number. On the 2nd day we went there just to watch the jatra. It was the turn of Byanjus’ and all the people who belong to that caste had gone to puja wearing the same color sari and the men were wearing the same printed t-shirt. It is also called “Jaladeu”. We all enjoyed it a lot. There was mela as well. People were selling all the stuff at such a low rate price. My family and I also went for a picnic at Devithan. After the puja the main thing of the jatra started the goddesses started to dance the dance as well as the music were so much different than the one I had been hearing and seeing. Shortly after the dance, 5 goats and one buffalo was given as a sacrifice. The deuta drank the blood of the sacrificed animals. The jatra was held until 6 pm. I did not return to Kathmandu that day and day after tomorrow was our day to conduct the jatra. My mom went to Harisiddhi to keep the puja and my dad mother and brother went to worship all the goddesses but due to some reasons I was not able to worship the goddess or go to the puja (Jaladeu). After that all the people who belonged to the caste Makaju went in a line to do puja before that they went to Harisiddhi temple to worship as Harisiddhi is our Kuldeuta. The puja nearly took 4 hours to finish and after that we all went to see the dance and after that goats, ducks and other animals were given as sacrifice.
I just found this jatra completely different from other jatras with no use of Dhime. I enjoyed and knew a lot about my hometown and culture and the saddest part is we all have to wait 12 years again to celebrate this jatra. The hype of people in this jatra was the best. All of them are standing in the sun for 3 hours just to worship god and this shows the importance of god and culture.
