Celebrating Makar Sankranti in Nepal
Holidays in Rural Nepal
One would think that the countryside of Nepal would be bustling with life during a festival such as Holi, Makar Sankranti, or Dashain. But this could not be further from the truth. In the more rural regions of Nepal, festivals are spent at home with family. While the cities have grand processions, an array of colors, and music echoing throughout the neighborhoods, small villages simply spend their time cooking, eating, and talking.
Although rural communities preserve many daily superstitions and rituals that have died out in the more urban areas, you will hardly ever see festivals being celebrated on an exaggerated scale. Nestled along the banks of the Aadikhola River, in between the towering mountains of Syangja, the Magar residents of the village of Jhalunge come together to celebrate Makar Sankranti and show off their traditions and rich culture.
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What Is Makar Sankranti?
Makar Sankranti is a holiday not confined to the borders of Nepal but celebrated throughout South Asia and even the world. Known in some religions as a solar solstice festival, Makar Sankranti marks the shift of the sun towards the winter hemisphere. What this means is that from this holiday onwards, the days begin getting both warmer and longer.
It is common for Hindu devotees to bathe in holy rivers and purify their bodies on holidays such as this. In other regions of South Asia, bonfires are lit, kites are flown, and large events bring the community together in the form of both song and dance. In the village of Jhalunge, however, the festivities are far more low key. Gathering in an athletic field by a local school, this modest ceremony is so much more than a holiday to mark Makar Sankranti. But it is also a chance to breathe life into their culture.
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Food and Dancing
Festivals such as the Bisket Jatra, Indra Jatra, and Bhagwati Jatra are both elaborate and animated. With chariots and golden effigies being paraded through the narrow city streets, you would think you have stepped into some kind of whimsical fantasy world. Holidays outside of Newar populated areas, however, seem to revolve around two things: eating and dancing.
In Jhlunge the festivities of Makar Sankranti kick off with the topi donning men and elegantly dressed women grabbing their leaf woven plates and standing in line to be served at the buffet. Although other castes and ethnic groups have many dietary restrictions, you will find everything from buffalo to pork being plopped onto each guest’s plate. Magar communities also cook up some of their own ethnic delicacies unique to their people. Batuk or Bara is a kind of doughnut often served alongside plates of pork and rice and washed down with locally brewed alcohol.
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The Magar’s of Nepal
Nepal is a country made up of over 101 different ethnic groups. Commonly lumped under the umbrella terms of Indo-Nepalese, Tibeto-Nepalese, and Indigenous Nepalese, Magars are known as one of the oldest tribes in all of Nepal. Throughout their history, the Magar people have held their own kingdoms and empires until finally being incorporated into the Nepal that we know today.
Although Makar Sankranti is celebrated throughout the Hindu world, this holiday holds a special place for the Magar people. Makar Sankranti was declared a public holiday specifically for the Magar people in Nepal. During a traditional festival such as Makar Sankranti, men will come wearing their topis (hats) and bhangra wrapped as a kind of vest. The women will drape themselves in their gorgeous ghalek (shawls) and adorn their bodies with jewelry from head to toe. Makar Sankranti is not just a picnic, but also a fashion show where local people can look their best.
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Bogged Down In Politics
After everyone has had their fill of Nepali classics and ethnic delicacies, the entire crowd of gorgeously dressed Magar people make their way to some lawn chairs arranged in neat rows in front of a stage. One by one, local politicians and community leaders are called on to the platform to greet the small crowd and sit facing the field. By the time every delegate was called to the stage, nearly 1/4 of the audience was missing.
After a lay was placed around their necks and a greeting was exchanged with the community, each organizer gave a 30-minute speech ranging from simply thanking the village for attending to topics that attempted to arouse ethnic zeal in the Magar community to reclaim their heritage sites throughout the district. The speeches fell on deaf ears as slowly families snuck away, not wanting to fall asleep to the sound of the droning speeches. Many of the children also escaped to play football and volleyball in the nearby playground as the speakers closed their eyes and stood on the soapboxes.
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The Sun Sets on Makar Sankranti
No matter what the event or holiday may be, there will always be some people who want to tie in politics along with the festivities. While most people are just looking to enjoy socializing and have a good time, these community leaders hold up the celebration by ceaselessly listening to themselves talk. Finally, as the sun starts to creep behind the mountains, the music is turned on and the party begins.
With the lush green fields and idyllic mountains in the background, some local girls kick off the dancing by moving to the music in front of the stage and the audience. As their dresses float with each motion of their bodies, you could not find a better scene to summarize the beauty of Nepal. With colorful traditional dresses, cascading terraced fields, and mighty towering mountains, this is one of the moments in Nepal that you wish you could stretch out for an eternity. It is a moment that you could only find during Makar Sankranti.