Painting the ivory deity of plentifulness

BY A STAFF REPORTER,Kathmandu, Jan. 6: The painting and beautification of the sculpture of Seto Machindranath also known as Janabaha Dyo in local language is at its final stage. 

The deity located in Keltole near Bhedasingh of Kathmandu is repainted once every year a few months before its chariot festival. 

Every year, on the eighth day of the bright fortnight of Poush, the idol of Seto Machindranath is brought into the courtyard of the temple. This year, the idol was taken outside the temple on December 30. 

On the first day, the deity is bathed with five sacred elements followed by painting white coat on the statue on the second day. 

Raju Muni Bajracharya, priest of the temple, informed that after bathing and coating, the statue is placed on the left side of the temple and the  features of the deity would be painted on the sculpture. 

He informed that priests Bikash Shakya and Prem Shakya are painting the sculpture this year. The painting of the idol should be completed in a week, he added

Painter Narendra Chitrakar informed that mostly six different colours are used to paint the sculpture. He added that earlier they used to apply natural colours but since skilled persons to extract the colour from nature are difficult to find these days, they started using the factory produced paints. 

Priest Bajracharya said that the painting had to be completed by Friday (full moon day) and on the same day the deity would be placed inside the temple. After that, 10 Karmas (rituals from birth to death performed in the Newar community) would be performed. There is a belief that the deity itself is both male and female, Bajracharya added.