Nepal festival in Yoyogi Park of Tokyo

ネパールフェスティバル＠代々木公園

Nepal Festival

In summer we have a lot of "natsu fes" in Japan recently. It is not traditional festivals but kind of outdoor concerts or music lives. Young people like to join them. In my case.... I have no energy left ... But I like "international festival" held in Yoyogi park of Tokyo. They regularly hold events that you can enjoy eating specific countries' or foreign areas' foods and cultural things.

They had a Nepal Festival event in Tokyo on Aug 6th and 7th.　http://www.nepalfestivaljapan.com/ja


It was a pretty hot melting day but a lot of Nepalese and Japanese who is fond of Nepal got together in the park. I think I saw more Nepalese than Japanese. I was impressed Nepalese girls and ladies in pretty dresses.

Foods

yummy！

dog and cow say "i don't care...."

わたしは気にしない

When I walk around in Kathmandu, I see many saying "ah... I don't care."

They are quite generous and brave with the high self-esteem. Even someone are upsetting besides them, they don't care....

They are totally relaxed among guys. This is on a footbridge.　Another one is showing dogs laying down in the middle of road. Even if a motorbike passes by them, they  don't care it.

Next... this is sleeping under a statue in front of a shrine. Heeey this place is a holly place....! But he may sleep anywhere and anytime when he wants to sleep.

I saw another one dog sleeping under a bicycle. It seems that it is not good place to sleep...

　

 Cows are also like them. They don't mind where they are sleeping and walking. Or... they perhaps think themselves as a person?

Rato Machhindranath Jatra in Patan ~ No2

赤いマチャンドラナート

Bee??

People say that it is one of the oldest festival in Kathmandu Valley. Lord Machhendranath who is a rain-maker god, came to Kathmandu Valley to rescue people suffering from a severe drought and let people have a plenty of rain.

I found a mysterious thing about this story. The load transformed to a bee when he came over there, in a vase. Why bee??? The name “Rato Machhindranath” literally translates into “Red Fish God”....

the chariot is huge

the top of the chariot

Red

Anyway "Rato" means red then the status of Machhendranath is in red like this. They have another Machhendranath festival in Kathmandu, called Set Machhendranath. The status is in white.
They light up butter-lamps in front of the chariot making the site even more beautiful surrounded by those lights.

the statue in red

蜂??

このお祭りはカトマンズ地方で太古から行われているお祭りの一つです。マチャンドラナート神は、雨の神様ですが、申告干ばつに苦しむ人々のためにカトマンズ地方にやってきてたくさん雨を降らせたそうです。
でもこのお話には不思議な点が・・、、神様は蜂に姿を変えてやってきたそうです。ツボにはいって。何で蜂？？
「ラト・マチャンドラ　ナート」は、「赤い魚の神様」ですが。。

the wheels of the chariot are also huge

赤いお祭り

ともかく「ラト」は赤という意味で、マチャンドラナート像は赤いです。カトマンズ市でも同じマチャンドラナートのお祭り「セトマチャドラナート祭」があるのですが、そちらは白だそうです。

Rato Machhendranath praying for rain

Rato Machhendranath雨乞いのお祭り

Festival in Patan

Now people are celebrating Rato Machhendranath festival in Patan. The month-long festival begins with the construction of the chariot begins on the 4th day of the two-week of Bachhala which is the seventh month in the lunar Nepal Sambat calendar. The construction takes place in April.

However first time I saw the festival was back to last October. Since the devastating earthquake damaged the chariot , it was delayed.

Chariot

When I happened to see it, first something very tall appeared in the dark when I walked in Patan after I had dinner out. It was like a tower in the middle of the narrow allay. People surrounding around the tower, I assumed it as a march by protesters lol.


The chariot procession known as Bunga Dyah Jatra or Rato Machhindranath Jatra is the most important event. It is celebrated by Buddhists and Hindus of Newar community by carrying the chariot.

Btw they have a similar festival, rather than, I am confused , Seto Machhendranath Rath in Kathmandu. The chariot is much larger.

Rato Machhendranath is known as the god of rain. Before they will have rainy season in June, they worship the god praying for rain and prosperity.

Actually I asked my friend in Nepal pictures of the festival but he told me that he didn't go see it because it rained yesterday. Wow The worship already has worked !

Today he went to Darbar Square in Patan to learn the huge crowd joining the festival. He took pics of them but I haven't given and I will receive them tomorrow. I will upload them then.

パタンのお祭り

今、ネパールはRato Machhendranath祭の真っ最中です。チャリオット（山車）を作るところから始まるこの1箇月のお祭りは、ネパールカレンダー（太陰暦）の7箇月目にあたるBachhala の2週の4日目から開始です。製作は4月になります。
が、わたしがこのお祭りを見たのは、去年の１０月です。壊滅的な地震で、チャリオットが壊れてしまったため、遅れたんです。

チャリオット

わたしがそれに出くわしたとき、夕食を外でたべてパタンを歩いていると暗がりに何か最初は暗がりからたかーいものが見えました。まるで狭い通りど真ん中に建つ、タワーみたいでした。ヒトがその周りに集まっているので、抗議活動かと思いましたw

チャリオットパレードは、 Bunga Dyah Jatra または Rato Machhindranath Jatraと呼ばれ、メインイベントです。仏教と先住民族ネワール族のヒンズー教両方がチャリオットを引いてお祝いします。

ちなみに似た、というかわたしが混乱したお祭りにカトマンズでお祝いされるSeto Machhendranathがあります。こっちの方がチャリオットがもっと大きいそうです。

Rato Machhendranath は雨の神様です。6月に来る雨季の前に雨と繁栄をおお祈りするんですね。
なお、ネパールの友達にお祭りの写真をお願いしたのですが、昨日は雨が降ったので見に行くのをやめたそうです。効果抜群！？

今日とれたそうなんですが、まだ入手できてないので明日載せます！

How to celebrate Mother's Day

それぞれの母の日

in Japan

Today is Baisakh 26th in 2073 in Nepali calendar.

In most countries Mother's day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May, including Japan.

People celebrate motherhood giving red carnations commonly in Japan.

This tradition is like the United State according to some articles. This is based on the beginning of Mother's day in the United State.

And in Japan it is also common that kids 's drawings of moms are tacked on the walls in kindergartens or primary schools. The pictures they made show their loves to moms.

It is kind of ritual in Nepal

In Nepal Mother's day falls on the Nepali month of Baisakh. This year, it was celebrated on May 6.
It is also known as Mata Tirtha Ausi which is a tradition rather than a festival. People visit Mata Tirtha in Kathmandu, to perform Sraddha or Pind Daan generally. Although they are Hindu rituals performed to pay homage to their ancestors, specially parents post death, there are more than 60 ethnic groups in Nepal and they have their own ways to celebrate Mother's day. My friend,

San, told me he called his mother giving his love and respect to her.

It is always the best way to express my love for mothers in any nations.

日本では

今日はネパールのカレンダーで言うと2073年の Baisakh月です。

日本を含み、多くの国では5月第２日曜日が母の日です。赤いカーネーションをプレゼントするのが一般的。

この慣習はいくつかの記事で読んだところ、アメリカでも同じみたいです。これはアメリカで始まった母の日に基づいてます。

日本では幼稚園や小学校で子どもがお母さんの絵を書いて、壁に飾るのが一般的でもあります。

ネパールでは儀式のような

ネパールというと、Baisakhに母の日はあります。今年は5月6日でした。Mata Tirtha Ausi といってお祭りというより儀式です。

カトマンズのMata Tirtha という場所に行って、 Sraddha または Pind Daan を行います。これらはヒンズー儀式で、祖先、とくに両親がな亡くなっている場合は、そのあとに敬意を表すために行われるものですが、
とはいえ、ネパールには60以上の民族がいるので、それぞれの方法で母の日はお祝いされるそうです。

私の友人のサンは、お母さんに電話して感謝の気持ちを伝えたとか。

自分がどこの国であったとしても、お母さんに直接気持ちを伝えるのが、最良ですよね。

Boy's festival in Japan

子供の日

“Carp Streamers” (koinobori) 

a plenty of Koinobori in an event held in Tokyo tower

Today is "Children's day". It is also called "Boy's festival" comparing to Girl's festival on March 3.

Traditionally families having boys celebrate their boy's  healthy growth and happiness flying carp-shaped streamers(Koinobori) the exterior of the house or display dolls of warriors inside. I remember Koinobori flutter in the wind when I was a kid.

Koinobori imply a family consisted of father and mother, a boy.

the traditional style

History

Back to Edo-era, when a boy was born, warrior(samurai) families celebrate it putting a flag out at their home exteriors. This custom became common among the regular people.
And people connected this custom with a Chinese ancient story of  carp and started to display Koinobory.

The myth is like this.
There was a violent waterfall called the Dragon gate. Only a carp swam upstream strongly  to become a dragon while other fishes didn't make it.
People changed the custom and started to display Koinobori instead of flags. Koinobori symbolizes strength and success.

Less common

In the recent years more people live in apartments rather than houses.  They don't  have enough space to display Koinobori in the balconies. Even they do, Koinobori are flown by the strong wind and got stuck in ｔｈｅ balcony of .nextdoor.

Worshipping dogs in Nepal

ネパール　犬を祭ります

Tihar

As I wrote, Nepal is a country of dogs kind of. Even they have the festival for dogs. That is Tihar which is one the most celebrated festival in Nepal. It is a five-day-Hindu festival in November.

Huge crowd in the festival "`Pahachare"

Pahachareのすんごい人

jai bhadra kali maa

If you visited Kathmandu, you were stuck in this crowd. People are celebrating the Pahachare festival.
This worships godess, Jai Bhadra Kali Maa. This is three-day-festival of the Newar community.
People invite their married daughters and sisters an friends home for a grand feast on the second and third days. The festival begins every year on the Chaitra Krishna Pakcha Chaturdashi which is second half of a lunar month. Chaitra Krishna Pakcha Chaturdash seems to be in Hindi Calendar.

Happy Holi!

Holi カラーフェスティバル

Spring festival in Nepal

It is Holi today in Nepal. Holi is known as festival of colors to celebrate arriving Spring. It starts one week before the main day on the full moon. Full moon is "Purnima" in Nelali and this festival is called Fagu Purnima Festival too. Fagu is the eleventh month in Nepali calendar. Holi is official holiday and offices are closed. People get together with their family and friends, relatives to smear their faces with colored powder, sometimes painted from head to toe.
ネパールは今日Holiです。Holiは色のお祭りとして知られており、春の訪れをお祝いします。満月の日が祭日ですが、1週間前から始まります。満月はネパール語で「プルニマ」といい、このお祭りはFaguPurnimaとも呼ばれます。Faguとはネパール暦上の11月です。
Holiは祝日で、会社はお休み。みんな家族や友達、親戚などと集まって顔に色の粉を塗りつけますが、体中塗りたくられるときもあります。

Japanese Valentin day

日本のバレンタインデイ

One month after Valentine's Day is White Day

Tomorrow March 14th is called "white day" here in Japan. Actually people celebrate this day same way in Korea and China, Taiwan.

Men who received something in Valentine's Day will give something back to girls. Something to be received in Valentine's Day is commonly fancy chocolate in Japan and something to be received in White Day is fancy candies and cookies, something sweet. Japanese Valentine's and White Day is commercialized by confection industry.(Of course people show their special affection too)
Those days are supposed to be days for couples originally but they have another aspect.

Girl's Day in Japan(Hina matsuri) ひな祭り

Today I visited a museum to see exhibition of ancient dolls "Hina-ningyo" collected by Mitsui-group that is one of the biggest company group in Japan.

 

March 3 is Doll's Day and families celebrate praying for the growth and happiness of their girls. So people call this holiday Girl's day also.

History of this festival starts back to ancient era like the 17th century. People believed their sins could be transferred to dolls and they started the practice of setting dolls with their sins afloat on a small boat and sending down a river to the sea. In modern times, we don't do it. 

Families generally start to display ceramic dolls dressed in the ancient imperial court from the middle of Feb.

The dolls called "Hina-ningyo" are commonly bought by grand-parents when a baby girl is born. Hina means small and lovely object, Ningyo means doll. So people call this festival "Hina-matsuri" too. Matsuri is the Japanese word for festival.

Hina-ningyo has many kinds of style in the display. A full one consists of seven-tiers, with 15 dolls.  The top tier holds two dolls, known as a imperial couple. Other dolls are their attendants.

BTW, there is a superstition says that the daughter misses her chance of marriage if you leave the dolls past March 4.　Actually my mother always left them more than one month later than March 4…..

今日は三井グループ所蔵の雛人形展を見に、美術館に行きました。 

三月三日は、ひな祭りといって、女の子の成長や幸せを祈ってお祝いをします。なので、女の子の日とも呼ばれます。

ひな祭りの歴史は17世紀に、さかのぼります。罪を人間に移すことができると信じ、人形を小さな船に乗せて、罪と共に川から海に向けて流しました。現代は、この習慣はもうないですけど。

昔の宮中衣装をまとったこの人形は、2月半ばから飾られます。 

人形は、「ひな人形」と呼ばれ、女の赤ちゃんが生まれたとき、祖父母が買うのが一般的です。「ひな」とは小さくて愛らしいものという意味です。なので、「ひな祭り」とも呼ばれます。

ひな人形の飾り方はいろいろあります。全部飾る場合、7台に15個の人形で構成されます。一番上は二つの人形が置かれますが、これは皇室カップルです。ほかの人形はお付きの人たち。

ところで、もし人形を三月四日以降も出しっぱなしにすると、娘が今期を逃すと言う言い伝えがあります。うちの母は、いっつも一箇月くらい出しっぱなしでした。。