Bhumi (soil/land) Puja, also widely known as "BalPuja" among Magars, is principally celebrated every year at the start of monsoon in the Eastern area of Rukum and Northern area of Rolpa.
Bhumi puja is celebrated to please mother earth by sacrificing animals in exchange for the human lives that are lost every year due to natural calamities, especially during rainy season. From the ancient time when Gods and deities were not yet created, and when natural calamities occurred, our ancestors did not understand why tragedy took the lives of many human beings. The Magars as indigenous community responded by worshipping mother earth with sacrifice of animals to please her and not let her be angry with them. This is the story of how the Bhumi puja started.
Villagers celebrate the festival by gathering in the big recreational area to dance, sing and have fun. The special dance known as jhimkari or balku shyne in local Magar language is only danced during this festival. Men dance Balpuja Chala along with Paicharu/paisaru which has 22 different forms of dancing. Along with huge celebrations throughout this entire festival, villagers do not plough the field or touch the tools used for farming. Neither do they take grains to the grinding mill or water mill (pani ghatta or chakhi).
This is their way to thank mother earth for good crops and for protecting them and their livestock from natural calamities. The festival demonstrates indigenous characteristics of the Magars while it also increases the significance of communal feelings and signifies the co-existence between humans and the natural environment.
Source:
Smita Magar
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16 сен 2024
