This festival is celebrated with great pomp and show by worshipping the seven sisters, Bhagwati, with the belief that it will reduce the effects of diseases, epidemics, and ghosts in society.
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The Ranatharu community living in Kanchanpur and Kailali districts of the Far West celebrated the Chaitaki Charain festival on Monday.
This festival is celebrated with great pomp and show by worshipping the seven sisters Bhagwati with the belief that it will reduce the effects of diseases, epidemics and ghosts in the society.
The Charain festival is celebrated in three times in the Ranatharu community. Chaitaki Charain, Baisakhki Charain and Bhajani Charain celebrated in Jestha. Chaitaki Charain is traditionally celebrated on the first Monday or Thursday of the first half of Chaitra Shukla Paksha every year, whichever comes first, informed Manohar Rana, Vice President of Nepal Ranatharu Samaj Kanchanpur.
On the occasion of the festival, women observe a fast and gather in the village's Bhuyana temple or garden. During that time, the Jhankri or Guruwala ritually worships and performs havan to the seven sisters Bhagwati from noon to afternoon. After receiving the prasad, the women share various dishes, dance and enjoy themselves like a forest feast. Women who fast also sing 'Bhagirath Leela' on this occasion.
There is also a tradition of sprinkling water from the hands of Padhana or Bhalamansa before returning home after the worship and cultural program. This is seen as purification and auspiciousness. The practice of organizing mass cultural programs and celebrating festivals with the help of local levels in Kanchanpur and Kailali, where the Ranatharu community is in the majority, is also increasing.
Recently, such programs have started to include social awareness topics, which, according to local level public representatives, is trying to spread a positive message to the society along with preserving culture.
