Thimi celebrates Sindoor Jatra with arrival of Nepali New Year

Thimi [Nepal] April 15 (ANI): The town of Thimi in Nepal was painted red, symbolising prosperity and considered sacred in the age-old tradition as it celebrated the Sindoor Jatra, or Vermillion Festival, marking the arrival of the Nepali New Year.

The streets were painted red with vermillion powder as devotees carried 32 ceremonial palanquins hosting various deities around the Balkumari temple. Traditional drums and cymbals added to the festive atmosphere, encouraging revellers to join in.

The festival brought the community together, with people smearing vermillion powder on each other’s faces and celebrating with joy.

The annual festival of Sindoor Jatra paints the town with vermillion. It is observed on the 2nd of Baisakh, the first month of the year as per the Lunar calendar. Nepal entered the New Year 2082 on Monday.

“It’s (Nepali) New Year and we are celebrating it. We worship our Gods and perform rituals on the beginning day of another year. Today, we make sacrifices to the God and then organise a feast. We indulge in celebration where we smear the Sindoor on each other’s face and celebrate it with fun," Diya Shrestha, one of the palanquin carriers of the vermillion festival or the Sindoor Jatra of Thimi, told ANI.

The Sindoor Jatra is an integral part of the Biska Jatra celebrations in the Bhaktapur area, attracting thousands of people each year. As Nepal entered the New Year 2082, the festival also marked the advent of the spring season.

A day before the observance of Sindoor Jatra, the locals of Thimi perform “Gunsin Chhoyekegu," which means the firing of forest wood.

The next day, palanquins, locally called “Khat", are taken to Vishnuvir during the day. Deities are taken on Khats to Kwachhen (Dakshin Barahi) from Layakhu during the night. On New Year’s Day, devotees present offerings and pray to Goddess Balkumari. They flock in masses to her temple in Thimi. Since time immemorial, she has been the consort of Bhairab. They both are the guardian deities of Kathmandu Valley.

During the evening, devotees perform righteous acts such as lighting oil lamps. Some even place them on their legs, chest, forehead, and arms and lie static for hours. The next day, to liven up the atmosphere, musicians play Dhimay Baja (traditional drums and cymbals) to encourage the revellers. During the celebration, only the orange colored vermillion powder is used, following the age-old tradition where it is considered sacred and pure.

This age-old tradition, called the Bhuli: Sinha in the local Newa: dialect, is translated as red and Sindoor. The annual celebration attracts thousands of people, with some standing on balconies and rooftops. It is part of Biska Jatra (observed in the core Bhaktapur area) and has been celebrated for ages using the Sindoor as the main component, which gave this festivity the name of ‘Sindoor Jatra. ‘

“It was really lively, I enjoyed it a lot. I enjoyed the crowd itself, and the Sindoor that was in the air added more vibrancy to the celebration. The most memorable part for me is the ‘Khat’ that is brought here. I tagged along with the sea of revellers. While following it, I came to know that the musical instruments and the beat vary from one Khat to another. I really enjoyed this festival," Pushpa Thapaliya, one of the attendees who experienced the festivity for the first time, told ANI.

The vermilion powder, which is smeared on each other and thrown up in the year, is a symbol of prosperity. The music and vermillion powder fill the area with vibrancy and joy as devotees make merry while revolving their community chariots. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)

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