PANCHADAN

 Panchadan is the day of charity for Buddhists. It takes place on the eighth day of the bright fortnight of Sharavan (August) in Patan or Lalitpur and on thirteenth of the dark fortnight of Bhadra (Sept.) in Kathmandu. Sakyas and Bajracharyas who are either descendants of Lord Buddha’s clan or the Buddhist priests are entitled to collect alms form devout Buddhists who offer alms on those days at their houses and somewhere outside near their homes. This day is, thus, dedicated to arouse feelings of mutual charity and mercifulness.

Panchadan is an important Buddhist festival which almost all the Nepalese Buddhists celebrate every year with great enthusiasm. It must be remembered here that the entire Buddhist community in Nepal except those who take to yellow robe and become the Hinyana Bhikku, are householders. So when any traditional Buddhist festivals takes place in Nepal, it is always the household Buddhists who take the most active part.

One of the main features of this festival is the giving away of alms to all those who visit for alms irrespective of high or low, rich or poor. As a very old custom would have it, on this particular day all the Buddhists, rich or poor, go door–to–door in a sizable group to beg for alms. Such a group of Buddhist beggars is generally regarded as the mission of Lord Buddha himself and treated very well when they are received in the Nepalese homes for the alms-giving ceremony. Giving away of the alms to such Buddhists on this day seems to have been widely recognized by the Nepalese people. There are several Hindus who also give away various items in charity to the Buddhist visitors who turn up for alms on this day.