Locals prepare for Shaindada fair in Bajhang

By Sailendra Rokaya,Bajhang, Sept. 19: Famous religious and historic Shaindada of Khaptad Chhanna Rural Municipality is now lively as locals are preparing to organise the Shaindada fair including various programmes.

The festival begins after offering prayers at the temple of Khapar near Khaptad Lake on the full moon day. The festival is celebrated lavishly at Khaparmando of Patadebal by bringing palanquin the Khaptad Lake. 

The tradition is called Ukalu in the local language. A month later, the local shamans, priests and others visit the Khapar temple taking horses. They stay awake throughout the night at the Khapar temple near the lake and worship in the morning and bring the goddess keeping Her in the palanquin to Patadewal.  

Tej Khadka, ward chairperson, said that cultural programmes, and Deuda competitions would be held in the fair. 

“The fair holds cultural significance, sale and consumption of alcohol is banned during the fair,” he said. 

As per the belief, the goddess Parvati appeared in the form of a rat near the lake located on Khechara hill (Khaptad) and people have started worshipping in the same place.   

Then, the rat did penance for Shiva at the same place and later Shiva appeared. Lord Shiva was turned into stone. The rock was taken to Lunga in Achham and established after building a temple. 

Earlier, there was a practice of performing worship at Lunga as at Patadeval these days. 

The place where Parvati appeared as a rat (Musarani) is now worshipped as a mother’s home called Ukalu in the local language. The place where the stone is taken is worshipped as her marital home or Oralu. 

Narendra Thapa, a local, said that on the day of Shrawan Purnima (Ukalu), Parvati is taken to her mother’s home Khaptad from her marital home and on the day of Bhadra Chaturdashi, she is taken back to her marital home in Lunga. 

At that time, shamans, the brothers of Parvati tremble and cry saying that they have to be separated from their sister.