Consorts of Krishna. The thousands of women connected with Krishna as concerts are known as Gopis. It is believed that Lord Krishna had more than 16,000 Gopies romantically and spiritually linked with him.
GOKARNESWAR
Gokarnesvar is a famous shrine situated on the banks of A holy river. Gokarna is a unique place of pilgrimage, where every year, thousands of people whose father would have died go to pray to Lord Shiva for peace to the souls of their deceased fathers. See also Gokarna Aunsi. Customary part of this pilgrimage is to take a holy dip into the holy river Gokarna which flows northward and perform the respectful rituals in memory of one’s deceased father.
The Shivalinga in Gorkarna is said to have emerged from the one-horned deer form of Lord Shiva. There is a fascinating legend about this which goes like this: Once Lord Shiva changed himself into a one-horned deer and set out for a pleasure trip to the lush green woodlands. He failed to return to his celestial home on time, and so, all the deities of the heaven including Indra, Brahma and Vishnu became anxious. They had a meeting and decided to make a joint effort to find out where Lord Shiva could be. Being guided by an invisible deity of female principal power, they came across a very unique one-horned deer grazing freely in the woods. Lord Brahma, the God of creation immediately recognized Lord Shiva and jumped to him to catch hold of the deer’s horn. No sooner than Lord Brahma got hold of it than the deer disappeared leaving three fragments of the horn in his hands. Later, as Lord Shiva wished, one of those three fragments went down to the under-world, one up to the heavens and one was left with Lord Brahma. This third fragment of the horn, Lord Brahma enshrined at Gokarna and named it as Gokarneshwar Mahadev. The breaking of the legendary horn into three pieces is symbolically to represent the Hindu trinity, the three basic qualities of Nature such as its creative, preservative and destructive elements. This is also to symbolize the Vedantic approach to perceiving unity in diversity.
GOKARNA AUNSI
The fifteenth day of the dark fortnight of Bhadra (Sept) Gokarna Aunsi is a special day consecrated to all fathers. Sons and daughters pay obeisance to their fathers and offer delicious food items to them whereas in the cases of those whose fathers have expired, they go to the holy river Gokarna where the river flows unusually towards north near the temple of God Gokarneshwar on the periphery of Kathmandu. They bathe in the river and perform posthumous ceremony of worshipping the deceased or perform the Shraddah ritual in honour of their departed fathers.
GODAVARI
Situated six miles south-east of Patan, Godavri is famous for its holy pond fed with clean and cold water by natural springs. Many people flock here every twelve years to dip into the holy pond. Nowadays, furnished with the Botanical Garden, fishing ponds and beautiful woodland and the surrounding, it has become very popular with holiday makers and people seeking pleasure in its natural beauty.
GHORA JATRA
The day following Pashacharay or the fifteenth day from the dark lunar fortnight of Chaitra, Ghora Jatra or Festival of horses is observed in Kathmandu. Competitive horse races along with motorcycle race, cycle race and gymnastic programmes are the main features of the day. The head of the government, along with dignitaries and other local and foreign dignitaries also attend the show and the prize distribution ceremony that follows. In many religious sanctuaries, children are paid special honour on that day and are fed with delicious dishes.
GHANTAKARNA
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.
GEETA
Geeta is a sacred and philosophical treatise held in great esteem by Hindus. A collection of preaching of Lord Krishna to Arjun to convince him to fight his cousins, the Kauravs, Geeta contains messages of philosophical significance of a life in battles for truths and justice without any selfish motive. It also explains why the Atma (or soul???) is imperishable, its ultimate aim being to get reunited with the Bramhah. It is also called Bhagvat Geeta.
GHATASTHAPANA
Dasain Festival starts with Ghatasthapana day. In other words, celebration of Dasain begins with ceremonial Ghastasthapa. This falls on the first day of the bright fortnight of Ashwin (September/October). Ghatasthapan literally means setting a ceremonial water jar at a certain purified place in one’s household following the instructions of the holy scriptures. The ceremonial water jar symbolizes the Shakti or energy of Devi Durga, which is worshipped during the entire period of Dasain. This would usually take place on the top floor of the Nepalese homes symbolizing detachment.
It does not necessarily mean that there won’t be anything festive to see in the streets. One of the main features of this festival is the colourful crowd of devotees thronging temples to make offerings, all dressed in their best attire. One can see them almost everywhere at the temples, along the sideways, and likewise in many other places.
Different communities have their own ways of observing this day. Newars and some other tribes make panels of sand-plates, plant seeds of auspicious flowers and cover up the sands with a huge pot. The seeds soon grow into flowers to be pluked or picked up on the eight or ninth day for use in worshipping ritual. When the seedlings are long enough to be picked, it seems to add a great colour to the festivity of Dasain. It reminds us of the beaming beauty of kumari-hood (creative energy) which makes everybody feel quite happy. The yellow-green colour of this ceremonial seeding reflects and spread over refreshing flavour to the festivity.
It does not necessarily mean that there won’t be anything festive to see in the streets. One of the main features of this festival is the colourful crowd of devotees thronging temples to make offerings, all dressed in their best attire. One can see them almost everywhere at the temples, along the sideways, and likewise in many other places.
Different communities have their own ways of observing this day. Newars and some other tribes make panels of sand-plates, plant seeds of auspicious flowers and cover up the sands with a huge pot. The seeds soon grow into flowers to be pluked or picked up on the eight or ninth day for use in worshipping ritual. When the seedlings are long enough to be picked, it seems to add a great colour to the festivity of Dasain. It reminds us of the beaming beauty of kumari-hood (creative energy) which makes everybody feel quite happy. The yellow-green colour of this ceremonial seeding reflects and spread over refreshing flavour to the festivity.
GARUDA
A man-bird – half man and half bird, Garuda is the king of birds and the vehicle of Lord Vishnu. He is the enemy of serpents. His body is golden, his face, white and wings, red.
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