Yala Paancha Daan. According to a legend, the festival that is being celebrated in Nepal since 512 Nepal Sambat is the “Pancha Daan Parva” celebration. Yala Paancha Daan festival is celebrated during the month of Gunla i.e. Shravan month on the day of Shravan Shukla Ashtami in Patan. During the Yala Pancha Daan festival, Buddhists take out the five statues of Dipankar Buddha from the monastery and take them for a procession around the city. Today’s festival is called “Yala Pancha Daan” as it is celebrated in Yala i.e Patan. Gunla festival, is also celebrated during this month. Dipankar Buddha was the one who prophesied that Siddhartha Gautam would become the Buddha. 

Apart from the first celebration in Patan, Paancha Daan is celebrated on Bhadra Krishna Trayodashi in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Thimi, Banepa, Panauti, and Kirtipur. This festival shows the importance of charity, considered very sacred in Buddhist philosophy.

According to a well-known legend, when monk Dipankar came to Patan for a charity, he did not accept it even though the then king gave him a lot of donations. Similarly, a donation given by a poor woman named Laxmi Thaku, living in Guit Bihar of Patan at that time, was accepted by Bhikkhu (monk) Dipankar with great gratitude. Upon hearing this incident, the king began to work as a goldsmith to earn money. The king, then collected various items from the money earned by his own sweat and when he donated, monk Dipankar accepted it.

According to this legend, a part of the money or income earned by Buddhists is saved for a donation and it has been the practice to donate it during today’s festivals. It is said that this festival is celebrated in memory of Dipankar Buddhas’ acceptance of donation in Patan. In this festival, Buddhist Newars worship Dipankar Buddha, meditating on the glory of Pancha Daan.

In a general sense, Pancha Daan means a donation of five things, but in Nepal Bhasa, it is called Panjara meaning “virtuous donation”. And, according to Nepal Bhasa, Panjara means kheer i.e rice pudding, therefore today the Newar community cooks it and offers it to Lord Buddha. During this same month, after the paddy plantation during the month of Asar, it is customary to eat Kheer on the Shrawan 15  among all Nepalese. In this way, apart from donating home-cooked kheer, it is also customary to feed relatives and friends.

Today, the Buddhist Newar community of Patan builds a charity center at their homes, including various monasteries, and chowks around them, and from there they donate grains, fruits, nuts, and Dakshina. Among the followers of Buddhism, Bajracharyas, Buddhacharyas, and Shakyas participate in donation receiving throughout the day. 

Buddhism developed into various branches or schools after the enlightenment of Shakya Muni Buddha. Among the developed branches/traditions (Shravakayana, Mahayana, and Bajrayana/Vajrayana) the Newars of the Kathmandu valley, are influenced by the Bajrayana tradition of Buddhism. Thus they have developed different cultures according to Bajrayana tradition. According to this tradition, by developing and using various practices, the principle of becoming a Buddha in this very birth is adopted by them.

Among these various practices, the Newar Buddhists of Kathmandu valley have been giving a very important place to the practice of donation/charity since ancient times. Accordingly, they have been practicing giving it in various ways. Thus, the celebration developed as a festival by giving special practice to charity can be considered as Pancha Daan festival. In this community as well as in Buddhism, this festival is known as the festival of worshiping Buddha Bodhisattva.

There is some difference in the Pancha Daan festival celebrated in Bhaktapur as compared to its celebration in Patan and elsewhere. In Bhaktapur, this festival is celebrated with a procession of five statues of Dipankar Buddhas from five different monasteries of historical and archeological importance. There is also a tradition of playing the traditional Gunla Dha: instruments during this celebration, which is played only at the Pancha Daan festival. In the same way, Buddhist monuments preserved in traditional monasteries are also displayed publicly on this occasion.

In Bhaktapur, five Dipankars from Prashannashil Mahabihar, Jhaur-Bahi, Chaturbramha Mahabihar, Jai Kirti Bihar, and Kuthubahi Bihar are taken on a procession around the city. Before the procession, as a custom, these images of Dipankar are gathered at Adipadma Mahabihar in Suryamadhi. After performing special worship at this gathering, the images are circumambulated around the town along with traditional music. According to the Buddhist tradition, followers also participate during this procession with a Gulupa (kind of a bowl) in their hands to participate in Daan receiving. In the end, the festival is concluded by donating a collective Daan to all Dipankars, during which they are kept on the western side of Taumadhi square. 

The tradition of giving a donation and receiving is believed to bring religious and spiritual progress as well as salvation for both sides.  To make human life meaningful, one should help others. Since giving selflessly in this way brings supernatural happiness, donating and helping other can be imitated from all community and their festival. As it is a good thing to donate let us develop the habit of helping everyone as per our capability.

It is our common responsibility plus duty to study, explore and preserve the heritage and culture of Nepal. We all should develop the spirit of decency, peace, wisdom, friendship, and cosmopolitanism as a common culture on this occasion of the Pancha Daan celebration. Let us all do the work of applying ointment of humanity in the sad hearts, with donation and charity.  Best wishes from the Nepali Patro to all our readers and users on the occasion of Paancha Daan Parva/Yala Pancha Daan Parva.

Shravan 15, the Kheer Khane Din or Kheer Consuming Day is being celebrated by eating it today in Nepal.  Kheer Khane Din is also popular as a special day to consume or eat Rice Pudding i.e Kheer in Nepali. According to Nepali tradition, it is customary to eat various dishes on different important days of the year. On the 15th of Asar, it is customary to eat Dahi Chiura, Ghiu (Ghee), and Chaku (molasses) on the day of Saune Sankranti, Jau ko Satu (dry roasted wheat flour with a dash of cardamom powder) with Sharbat, on the day of Akshaya Tritiya, Pidalu (taro or Colocasia), and Sakhar Khanda (sweet potato) on the day of Haribodahini Ekadashi during the month of Kartik. Likewise, Malpuwa is eaten on Magh 15. Karkalo (Taro’s Green Leaf) on the Panchami Tithi or Rishi Panchami under the occasion of Haritalika Teej and, on the day of Janai Purnima, it is customary to eat Quanti (a mixture of nine types of lentils). Similarly, inside the Newar community, it is customary to eat Yomari on the full moon day of Mangsir also known as Yomari Purne. 

Kheer is made by adding dried fruits and spices along with rice in milk, which has a special significance in Nepali society. In Nepali Sanatan Vedic civilization, kheer as prasad is made for auspicious deeds like worship as well as Shraddha, and this nutritious dish is eaten during family gatherings.  According to religious beliefs, there is a tradition of consuming kheer before starting a new work.  

During this month of heat and rain, hot kheer is good for health, this may be the reason why consuming it may have begun. There is a Nepali folk tradition of making different natural dishes according to the season and consume them. Accordingly, it is a trend to eat kheer during this month of Shravan to avoid the fatigue of the rainy seasons’ work during Asar and for precaution against the coming winter. Kheer can be prepared by adding milk to the finely scented rice like Basmati or the Taichin rice according to the need with a bunch of raisins, cashews, coconut, and dates fruit, etc. This tasty dish is recuperative as well as disease preventive for the human body and health.

Shravan is also the month of heat and rain, thus, the body’s immune system needs to be strengthened as diseases like shingles, scabies, and acne attack the body.  Therefore to boost the immune system, it is the custom to eat milk and milk products, especially kheer, during this month. According to Hindu mythology, this month is considered as the month of worshiping Devadhi Dev Shiva Shankar i.e. Mahadev. For this reason, it is customary to fast this month without consuming fish, meat, alcohol, etc., and to eat fruits such as mango, pear, and pineapple.

From time immemorial, special types of food have been introduced for special days. According to a legend, in the Dwapar yuga or era, one day Lord Krishna went to play the game of moving-tiger with a king in the guise of an ordinary saint. And, in return for his victory, he asked the king to provide free kheer to the poor and needy in various temples and monasteries. In remembrance of Lord Krishna’s victory over the king in the game, it is still customary to distribute it as an offering to the poor and needy in the temples. Similarly, in the Treta Yuga, it is said that the wives of King Dasharatha became pregnant after eating kheer.

Ayurveda also describes Kheer as an ancient food. The large green leaves of the Sal tree are made into Duna-Tapari by stitching them together with thin bamboo sticks. Eating kheer in such Duna-Tapari also increases its taste. The word kheer is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word “kshir”. Kshir means a dish made from milk and rice. It is called “Payas” in some places or “Tasmai” in others.  In the Vedic Sanatan rites, it is also customary to cook kheer as an offering to the spirit of the departed on the day of Shraddha.

As our country, Nepal is an agricultural country the majority of the population here is dependent on agriculture, and it is believed that the tradition of eating kheer started as a celebration after the paddy plantation. While making kheer, ghee, dried fruits (pepper, dried grapes, coconut with cinnamon, etc) along with sugar mixed in fixed quantity with milk and rice make it more tasty and nutritious. Adding dried fruits to kheer gives vitamins as well as minerals. Rice contains carbohydrates while milk is a good source of calcium and protein.

Kheer made from skimmed milk is a good source of calories. Vitamin A can also be obtained from kheer made of cow’s milk. The ghee used in making kheer helps us to get the amount of fat needed in our body. Kheer made from skimmed milk or without ghee is considered soft food and can be fed to the sick patient too. They can easily digest it. Kheer is a suitable food for everyone and is loved by young and old.

According to Ayurveda, kheer is considered suitable to eat as bile accumulates in the human body during this season. Milk has a sweet cooling effect and black pepper helps to clear mucous secretion or Phlegm. Adding digestion-enhancing dried grapes to kheer gives it the ability to destroy bile. Saffron mixed with kheer not only provides strength but also brightens the complexion (skin and face) and helps to destroy bile. While making kheer, the dried fruits mixed in it contain various vitamins and minerals, carbohydrates, calcium, and protein. All of them are essential elements that the human body needs, so it is beneficial to eat kheer during this season.

Today’s day helps us to deepen our cultural significance, family gatherings, and closeness between relatives. The celebration of this day is justifiable as it carries the identity of the country. Different cultural traditions carry the original identity of our country. So let’s preserve all kinds of festivals celebrated by all the communities of Nepal as these festivals will also help us to preserve our various original identities. And let us fulfill our duty to pass on the importance of our cultural traditions to our future generations. On behalf of Kheer Khane Din-Shravan 15, Nepali Patro send its best wishes to all our readers and every Nepali.