Festivals set a cultural and religious tone in Nepal, where religion and life are tightly interwoven. As Nepal’s national anthem suggests, the country is the same as a “garland of hundreds of flowers,” which represents the 125 diverse communities living predictably within 147.181 square kilometers. These festivals have been celebrated for centuries, based on ancient legends and traditions. Yields a contribution of both the government and local communities highly appreciated by them and, in this way, one of the main factors of Nepal’s rich cultural heritage.
Each and every Nepali festival falls based on one or another seasonal, agricultural, personal, or collective reasons. Each of these festivals has one or another relevance to them: appeasement, social unity, or tributes to souls. Another such festival celebrated in the late month of November or early December is Bala chaturdashi. Bala chaturdashi occupies a special place in salvation aspects among the various festivals; the background and rituals involved are both singular. It will fall mostly on first week of December. The name of the festival derives from the 14th day of the waxing moon, called Chaturdashi, which comes just before the new moon according to the lunar calendar.
The origins of Bala chaturdashi
The origins of Bala chaturdashi are related to an interesting legend. Bala Nanda, a trader, once attended a relative’s funeral at Arya Ghat in the Pashupati Temple complex. While eating nearby after the cremation, a piece of a cremated body fell into his food. Unknowingly, he consumed it. This act transformed him into a demon, or asura, named Balasura. He turned into a fearsome creature who stole bodies from the cremation pyres, instilling fear among the people. Disturbed by this, the community sought help from the king, who tasked Bala Nanda’s friend Brisha Singh with defeating the demon.
Brisha Singh successfully killed Balasura but was overcome with guilt for having betrayed his friend. To atone for his action, he went into meditation in the nearby Sleshmantak forest and prayed to Lord Shiva to save his friend and also to absolve him of his guilt feelings. Lord Shiva, pleased with his devotion, asked him to spread a mixture of seeds in the forest to give a new lease of life to the land and to assuage his guilt feelings. This would be a feast for the forest creatures and a renewal of the natural cycle. Ever since, scattering sat-bij—a mixture of seven grains (paddy, rice, barley, sesame, wheat, maize, and finger millet) along with fruits, vegetables, and marigold flowers—has been one of the major rituals of Balachaturdashi.
Rituals and Devotion: Honoring Souls During Bala chaturdashi
This festival is celebrated with great devotion to ensure the salvation of the souls of the dead. On the eve of the festival, families of those who have died gather at the Pashupati Temple complex. They light oil lamps and chant prayers, believing that the cumulative light lights up the path of the restless spirits toward heaven. People light lamps and tend to these throughout the night. At early morning, holy dips are taken at the Bagmati River and sat-bij offered at the smaller temples and shrines in and around the Pashupati complex. The sat-bij offering made is prepared from the grains from the newly harvested summer crop. According to the Hindu tradition, the first fruits of any harvest are to be offered to the gods, and this festival is no exception.
Circumambulation of 108 Shiva lingas in the Pashupati Temple complex is another significant activity associated with Bala chaturdashi. Other sacred sites, located within a few kilometers of Katmandu, that the people visit on this occasion, include Gaurighat, Kirateshwar Temple, Suryaghat, and the Sleshmantak forest. There are also donations, according to the Shiva Purana, a sacred book to the Hindus, gifts in whatever form given on this day are pleasing to Lord Shiva, who blesses such donors.
Bala chaturdashi: Merging Spirituality, Ecology, and Heritage
Besides the spiritual meaning, this festival reflects ecological consciousness. The sowing of seeds in the forests helps in the rejuvenation of plant life, which becomes a source of food and shelter for the wildlife. This brings about harmony in nature and maintains the ecological balance. Thus, Balachaturdashi not only respects the souls of the deceased but also ensures environmental sustainability.
Another reason for the observation of this festival is to perform the tri-rin, or “three debts,” that each Hindu is born with. These are the debts to the gods (Devta), ancestors (Pitri), and teachers (Guru). While other rituals, like the annual Shraddha, try to pay off these debts, Bala chaturdashi concentrates on repaying the debt to the ancestors through praying for their salvation. It is one means for people to honor their heritage and to strengthen the connection between past, present, and future generations.
A Nationwide Celebration of Heritage and Harmony
Bala chaturdashi is not restricted to Kathmandu. On this auspicious day, a visit to the nearby Shiva temple in order to light lamps and offer prayers continues unabated throughout Nepal. The lamp-lighting, scattering of sat-bij, and praying on behalf of the souls of the deceased are carried out with due regard in all the main temples and forests of the country.
This festival is a blend of spiritual, cultural, and ecological values. It provides an avenue for people to connect with their ancestors, seek blessings from the gods, and give back to the environment. The scattering of seeds is symbolic of remembering the dead and offering prayers to the gods. Bala chaturdashi remains a cherished tradition that reflects Nepal’s deep-rooted spiritual heritage and its harmonious relationship with nature.
Watch a video on Bala Chaturdashi celebration in Pashupati@ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDTRjv15IlY
