Festival time in more ways than one

It might be Tihar, but it’s also Mha Puja, Newari new year and Ramadan

by PRERANA MARASINI

FROM ISSUE # 119 (November 2005) | IN THIS ISSUE
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Asif Sha (third from right) praying with his family before Eid Ul Fitr.

Fast, fast

Right, so you thought all the festivity must be for Tihar. But this month is also the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, which is known as Ramadan. Ramadan started this year on 6 October. Muslims must fast from daybreak to sunset and refrain from drinking even water and remain celibate throughout the month. Travellers, people who are ill and menstruating women are exempt from the fast. The sight of a new moon, known as the Id's moon, heralds the end of Ramadan. Muslims have a fast-breaking celebration, called Eid Ul Fitr, immediately after Ramadan. Asif Sha, VJ at Image Channel, has been keeping the fast since ninth grade. "This festival is more about cultivating piety than fasting," he says. "Prayers during Ramadan are 10 times more effective than usual." AR Rahman, an Indian Muslim living in Nepal, believes that fasting during Ramadan washes away all sins.

KIRAN PANDAY

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

On the day of Gobardhan Puja (during Tihar), the Newar community celebrates Mha Puja, a festival for worshipping yourself. Mha in Newari means the human body, and Mha Puja is said to help increase one's lifespan. A mandala is created for each member of the family. The eldest female member of the family carries out the puja. Individual members worship their bodies with flowers and akshata while the eldest female performs an arati on each of them. Khelu ita or wicks made from cotton cloths are used in the lamp. "I like Mha puja because it encourages self-respect," says Reenu Shrestha, an IT professional. Mha puja also marks the beginning of the Newari new year. So, here's wishing you nhu daya bhintuna.