5/5 Ramesh Babu R. 4 years ago on Google
Tudaldevi
Gahana
Khojne
Jatra
(a
festival
to
search
for
jewelry)
is
celebrated
every
year
on
Chaitra
Shukla
Ashtami
according
to
the
lunar
calendar.
The
festival
will
be
observed
until
Baishakh
Nawami.
On
the
main
day
of
the
Jatra,
the
idol
of
Goddess
Tudaldevi
Baishnavi
is
placed
on
a
chariot
that
is
pulled
from
her
temple
at
Baluwatar
and
taken
through
the
ancient
town
of
Hadigaun
by
devotees.
On
the
way
to
Gahana
Pokhari,
the
chariot
is
stopped
multiple
times
at
the
doorsteps
of
the
houses
where
red
mud
is
painted
in
front.
This
is
a
symbol
for
the
chariot
to
halt
and
devotees
take
their
time
to
pay
respects
and
make
various
offerings
to
the
goddess.
One
of
the
interesting
offerings
is
umbrella
that
is
hung
on
the
top
of
the
chariot.
Once
the
chariot
arrives
at
Gahana
Pokhari,
two
men
take
three
rounds
of
the
pond
with
a
silver
pole
(like
a
specter)
on
their
hands.
Scores
of
musicians
playing
Dhime
and
Nyakhin
follow
the
two
men
and
make
three
rounds.
Following
the
lead
of
a
man
with
a
torch,
devotees
pull
the
chariot
into
the
pond.
They
also
take
three
rounds
pulling
the
chariot
deep
into
the
pond.
The
main
chariot
is
accompanied
around
the
pond
by
another
chariot
of
Goddess
Mahalaxmi,
the
youngest
sister
of
Tudaldevi,
which
is
also
called
Manekhat.
Manekhat
is
placed
to
the
dabali
(a
platform
or
open
space),
waiting
for
Tudaldevi
to
arrive.
When
Tudaldevi
finds
her
jewels
and
comes
back
to
the
dabali,
the
chariot
of
Mahalaxmi
take
three
round
around
Tudaldevi
chariot.
The
idol
of
Mahalaxmi
is
then
returned
to
Naxal.
The
chariot
of
Tudaldevi
is
placed
at
the
oldest
dabali
at
Hadigaun
for
two
more
days
and
prasad
and
flowers
are
sent
to
the
goddesses
of
Nuwakot
and
Manamaiju
as
news
that
the
lost
jewels
have
been
found.
According
to
the
lore,
Tudaldevi
had
lost
her
jewels
in
Gahana
Pokhari
while
she
and
her
three
sisters
Mahalaxmi,
Manamaiju,
and
Nuwakotdevi
were
swimming.
As
it
was
getting
dark
and
their
homes
were
far,
Nuwakotdevi
and
Manamaiju
went
to
their
respective
homes
while
their
elder
sister
Tudaldevi
stayed
back
searching
jewels.
The
other
sister,
Mahalaxmi
from
Naxal,
gave
her
company
as
her
home
was
nearby.
After
the
jewels
were
found,
both
sisters
returned
home.
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