Ghantakarna popularly known as Gathamugal is a festival centred around the person Ghantakarna and is meant to degrade and insult him. This is an ancient festival of Nepal. This fascinating festival comes every year on the 14th day of dark fortnight of Shrawan (August).
One of the attractive features of this festival is the making of an effigy of Ghantakarna who is supposed to be the most cold blooded monster. As a legend goes, long time ago a monster came to the Kathmandu valley to devour people and leave the valley desert. But, before he worked out his plan he got himself killed by the people to their great relief. Ever since, Nepalese have been celebrating this day as a big festival of victory.
On this day the effigy of the monster made of reeds are set at the cross roads. Every neighbourhood has thus one of these monster effigies usually taken care by boys and girls. Younger boys are the enthusiastic participants in this particular street show. They collect Jagaat funds or a ritual toll from the passerby. Often, while doing so, they harass the passerby.
In the evening, they prepare for the funeral of Ghantakarna and thus make up the effigy accordingly. Then they tie up the effigy with a strong rope and kick it several times in disgust before dragging it to a river into which they throw it. Crowds of people join this parade holding straw lamps in their hands making it one bright and colourful evening.
It is interesting to note that after throwing away of the effigy of Gahntakarna, nobody is supposed to be hanging around in the street lest the dead monster could come back and harm them. For this fear, many elderly people never forget to bolt their doors from inside soon after they see off Ghantakarna. Women sweep the house and throw away the dust suspecting that some evil spirits might still be lingering around.
There is another interesting interpretation of this festival. It is the positive interpretation of the personality of Ghantakarna and of the festival. According to this version, Ghantakarna was a non-believer, a materialistic thinker and that he pleaded for hard work and also for up-lifting the status of the poor. His selfless motives and out of the box ideas were beyond the grasp of the people and were (not???) acceptable to them. As result, he suffered a lot and died penniless. So people raised tolls to cremate him and his opponents did all their might to denounce and degrade him even after his death. Coincidentally this day is also known as the day of witches and wizards who go to their particular deities for blessings and extra power of their designs.
One of the attractive features of this festival is the making of an effigy of Ghantakarna who is supposed to be the most cold blooded monster. As a legend goes, long time ago a monster came to the Kathmandu valley to devour people and leave the valley desert. But, before he worked out his plan he got himself killed by the people to their great relief. Ever since, Nepalese have been celebrating this day as a big festival of victory.
On this day the effigy of the monster made of reeds are set at the cross roads. Every neighbourhood has thus one of these monster effigies usually taken care by boys and girls. Younger boys are the enthusiastic participants in this particular street show. They collect Jagaat funds or a ritual toll from the passerby. Often, while doing so, they harass the passerby.
In the evening, they prepare for the funeral of Ghantakarna and thus make up the effigy accordingly. Then they tie up the effigy with a strong rope and kick it several times in disgust before dragging it to a river into which they throw it. Crowds of people join this parade holding straw lamps in their hands making it one bright and colourful evening.
It is interesting to note that after throwing away of the effigy of Gahntakarna, nobody is supposed to be hanging around in the street lest the dead monster could come back and harm them. For this fear, many elderly people never forget to bolt their doors from inside soon after they see off Ghantakarna. Women sweep the house and throw away the dust suspecting that some evil spirits might still be lingering around.
There is another interesting interpretation of this festival. It is the positive interpretation of the personality of Ghantakarna and of the festival. According to this version, Ghantakarna was a non-believer, a materialistic thinker and that he pleaded for hard work and also for up-lifting the status of the poor. His selfless motives and out of the box ideas were beyond the grasp of the people and were (not???) acceptable to them. As result, he suffered a lot and died penniless. So people raised tolls to cremate him and his opponents did all their might to denounce and degrade him even after his death. Coincidentally this day is also known as the day of witches and wizards who go to their particular deities for blessings and extra power of their designs.
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