What comes to your mind when someone says Kartik Naach? Many know this as an important festival celebrated in Lalitpur. Only a few people know that this fierce dance is equally celebrated in Chitlang, a small town in Makwanpur. The small Newar town has been following this tradition for centuries, and even today the sentiment of people is still very connected with this religious play.
But what is Kartik Nach, and what importance does it play in the Newar community? As the name says, Kartik is a Nepali month, Purnima is a full moon night, and Naach means dance. Kartik Purnima Nach is a special dance performance dedicated to Lord Vishnu during the month of Kartik. This auspicious day falls on Kritika Nakshatra, and the Kartik Purnima is auspicious in many ways, as people in Tamil light rows of lamps on this day. Besides, Kartik Maasa is a significant month when Tulsi puja is done as an auspicious ritual too.
The longest dance festival in Nepal, the people of Lalitpur and Chitlang celebrate Kartik Nach for 10 to 12 days after completing the Swachchhanda Bhairavnath Jatra. Each year, the celebration days can change slightly. The play is conducted to showcase the 17 tales of Lord Vishnu, mainly the legendary story of Prahlad and Vishnu’s Narasingh avatar. All these legendary stories make this dance a mass-pulling spectacle.
History of Kartik Purnima Nach
Like every festival in Nepal, Kartik Nach too has a very interesting story. If legends are to be believed, this practice began in the year 1641 AD when King Siddhi Narsingh Malla of Patan was told by his priests that the city had caught evil eyes and that he needed to perform a Narabali (human sacrifice) for the city to prosper.
The kind-hearted king could not kill an innocent person for the practice so he came up with a plan. Malla, who was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu instead organized a play where the main character, Lord Narasimha, the fourth avatar of Vishnu kills the evil King Hiranyakashyap. Since then, the play has been going on. Even today, after centuries, people celebrate this dance with equal devotion and joy.
Political hurdles in 1950 AD (2007 BS) affected the dance and it was only celebrated for two days because of the country’s revolution movement. Since then till 2037 BS, only two normal acts of a full 27 days were shown. In 2071 BS (2014 AD), the dance was extended to 12 days.
It is said that the person who played Hiranyakashipu in the past used to fall ill or die. Even today, the person feels extremely ill after being slain by the Narasimha character.
How is Kartik Purnima Nach changing?
It is in the scriptures that King Siddhi Narsingh Malla wrote most parts of the Kartik dance. While people have kept his legacy alive, small changes have been made with the pace of time. The king initially conducted an 8-day performance relating to the story of Vishnu.
After his passing, his son, Shreeniwas Malla, extended the festival for seven days, making it a total of fifteen days. He did this to educate the people by showing a satiric show that would also entertain them. Later, Shreeniwas’s son, Yog Narendra Malla, added two more plays, Ushaharan (for five days) and Madhavanal (for seven days), making the festival a total of 27 days.
Nowadays, due to a lack of funding, this dance is only performed for 10 to 12 days by checking the astronomical charts. Despite that, people still perform every ritual and puja with great enthusiasm.
How is Kartik Nach related to Kojagrat Purnima (Bhairavnath Jatra)?
It all starts the night before Kojagrat Purnima when members of the local Manandhar Guthi carry out a special religious procession for the statue of Lord Bhairav (a fierce form of Lord Shiva). They worship and parade the idol around Chitlang and finally take it to the Bhairavthan temple at Majhgaun. Then, they worship the idol by conducting a special puja ceremony.
The puja lasts through the night and the next morning and animal sacrifices are made to impress the deity. Manandhars conduct the puja and the animal sacrifices are given by the Deula community. One local said that Jung Bahadur Rana asked the Manandhar community to conduct the jatra.
Swachchhanda Bhairav is the patron deity and the protector of this small town. The completion of the Bhairavnath Jatra is the start of the Kartik Purnima Nach in Chitlang.
How is Kartik Nach celebrated in Chitlang?
Kartik Nach in Chitlang draws inspiration from the Nach of Patan. The celebrations include the same nine gods and goddesses as the ancient Lalitpur city. During the dance, the dialogues and prayers are chanted in Sanskrit, Nepali, and Newari.
The dance starts with an amazing display of dancers wearing traditional costumes, paying tribute to Hindu deities like Barahi, Shiva, Ganesh, and Krishna. It is believed that the dance and the songs were composed by Siddhi Narasingh himself.
During the span of Kartik Nach, there are various forms of dance performances where people show performances related to various deities, in episodes.
The main performance that people are eager to watch is the Narasimha avatar killing Hiranyakashyap on Kartik Krishna Paksha Trayodashi Tithi. This crowd-puller performance shows the half-lion, half-human avatar of Vishnu killing the demon king who tried to kill his young son for being a devotee of Vishnu.
The play which lasts for nearly an hour is met with claps and cheers from the audience after God’s triumph. This act’s main message to people is to remind them that anyone who does bad to others can not escape the justice of God.
Kartik Nach brings Chitlang together
Up until a few years ago, only fragments of the dance were shown. But KNPC said that it was really important for people to watch the whole part. It was a great initiative which could teach people about the performance and the whole culture.
A book has been written on Katik Naach by the former director of the KNPC, Hari Man Shrestha. This has helped the younger generation learn about its significance. During the whole dance, every day there is an interesting topic, allowing people to learn so much. The whole Newari community participates in a way. Also, the whole town gets together to observe this public performance.
Preserving Culture and Tradition
Kartik Nach displays history, culture, and devotion in such a way that still mesmerizes and inspires people. This annual festival is not just a dance but rather an emotion. It is a living proof of Nepal’s rich heritage, resilience, and undying devotion to its traditions.
For hundreds of years, this festival has been reminding us that some traditions are meant to be timeless. The celebrations that go on for days simply remind the Nepalese of how rich our heritage is. It also awakens a sense of responsibility within ourselves to preserve the unique history of ours.
Other Cultural Festivals Celebrated in Chitlang
Chitlang also celebrates main Nepalese festivals like Dashain, Tihar, Holi, etc wholeheartedly. The Basnet community living in Chitlang observes Kul Puja. Shiv Ratri is another major festival in this region which is celebrated in honor of Lord Shiva.
During various jatras, the newari community holds puja and feasts at their homes and invites relatives. Other than that, festivals like Maghe Sankranti, Chitlang Mahotsav, and Sithi Nakha are also deeply embedded in the local culture and traditions. During Vasant Panchami, there is a big puja conducted in Satdhara.
Since the majority of people in Chitlang belong to the Newari clan, we find their dominance in many cultural aspects. One ancient temple of Bajrayogini sits on the hilltop where she is worshipped during Navaratri, 9 days before the tika of Dashain.
Another centuries-old Kali Devi temple is also equally worshipped during major festivals. The temple of Dakshinkali is said to be extremely powerful and is dedicated to Goddess Kali.
It is believed that the goddess came in the dreams of King Pratap Malla and asked him to erect a statue of her in the place. The king did so and the temple has been there since the 17th century and is considered one of the most powerful.
Conclusion
Kartik Purnima Nach holds the traditional and historical significance that has been passed down from centuries ago to today. You can also witness one of the longest naach in Nepal by booking your trip to Chitlang during the Kartik Purnima Naach. If you’ve any issues or queries, you can directly contact us for further queries.
FAQs
What is the connection between Kartik Nach and the Golden Window of Patan?
In Patan, one of the most amazing parts of Kartik Nach is its deep connection to the city’s golden window. Throughout the year, the window remains closed and is only opened solely during the performance. If stories are to be believed, the window was built in honour of King Siddhi Narsingh Malla. It indicates the ties between this great festival and the royal who started it.
Which year was Kartik Nach first celebrated?
Then king of Patan, Siddhi Narsingh Malla, who was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu started this festival in 1641 AD after bad luck fell on his kingdom. He did so to impress the gods and save his land from the evil eye. The play shows the character of Lord Narasimha, the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu kills the evil in the end. It is met with great cheers from the audience.
What is the message of Kartik Nach?
The message of Kartik Nach is very simple: the good is always victorious. Towards the end of the play, the main character of Narasimha kills the evil king Hiranyakashyap, who tried to kill his son for being a devotee of the lord. The Siddhi Narsingh Malla king wanted to remind people of every era that no matter what happens, truth is always victorious through the inauguration of this Kartik dance festival.