| Description |
Human has always lived in harmony with the nature and most of the festivities we celebrate today are still the reminder of that. One of such celebration is the full moon day in Marga Shukla Paskhya according to lunar calendar (which falls in the month of November or December) by different communities within Nepal.
This day is celebrated as Udhauli by the Kirat communities as the start of the winter and marks the downward migration from high land to low land. They worship mother nature as a gratitude of the abundant harvest. With the urbanization and modernization, and settlements in the urban areas, traditional migration is not done anymore. But this festival is still celebrated by Kiratis in Nepal, India and in diaspora.
Even though modernity has changed some aspect of this ritual, Sakela dance which is a part of Udhauli is still practiced and now even more with much fanfare. Young people now wear traditional attire and accessories to participate in the dances organized in open space in different cities.
Similarly, Newa community celebrate this day as a Yomari Punhi festival which is also a celebration of the good harvest. On this day they make a dish from rice flour with filling of molasse and sesame seed paste, and the dish is known as yomari. The name “yomari” itself means the most loved bread. The first offering of yomari is made to the different deities early morning. In the evening farmers communities worship piles of rice which is the harvest of the year with yomari offering. The night of yomari Purnima is also known as the longest night and people really wake up early and do cleaning rituals and make yomari for the worshipping.
Children and youth go door to door chanting traditional songs of Yomari Punhi and in return people offer then yomari, rice and money. This tradition of door-to-door visit is not common now days. To give continuity to this tradition many organizations are organizing formal events at least to make aware younger generation of the ancient practices. The dish which used to be made once a year on this day with the flour of new rice is now becoming popular for everyday consumption due to growing food cultures Newa restaurants.
This day is an important day for the traditional farming community who are known as Jyapu within Newa community. Since 2004, this day is being also celebrated as Jyapu Diwas (Jyapu Day). Now Newa people go around the city with traditional attire, music and even with large size yomari in vehicles. Even though the farmland of Kathmandu Valley which was excellent for production of rice is now flied with concrete buildings, the tradition of Yomari Punhi is becoming more and more elaborate with added layers.
Different groups and communities organize events to make yomari in public places and even sell them. The festival of Yomari Punhi had even spread to Newa people in diaspora. Newa living abroad are making yomari and making competitions as well as continuing the rituals of singing yomari song. |
