Magar community in Maygdi observe 'Bhume Puja' to appease nature

Myagdi (Beni), April 1: The Magar community in Myagdi has a tradition of observing the 'Bhume Puja' ritual to please nature. It is customary to perform Bhume Puja on the Tuesday of the bright moon in the month of Chaitra as per the lunar calendar.

In this connection, Bhume Puja was performed in Banduk and Beg of Raghuganga Rural Municipality-1, and in Doba of Annapurna Rural Municipality-1 of Myagdi on Tuesday.

The Magar community observes the Bhume Puja as a cultural festival to overcome natural calamities and to please nature.

Beg Bahadur Purja of Tiplyang, Raghuganga Rural Municipality-1, said that locals worship the land deity wishing for a good yield of crops and for protection from natural disasters.

Since land is one of important components on Earth, the traditional worship of land to honour it and please the deities is being given continuity, said Purja, who was performing the Bhume Puja at the Bhume Than or shrine at local Banduk.

"From the ancient time, Bhume worship has been given importance. During auspicious occasions or in times of difficulty, we always remember the deity, Bhume. There is a tradition of returning to the village once a year, wherever one may be, to participate in Bhume worship,’’ said Purja.

Locals worship the earth and land with the belief that their wishes get fulfilled and to please the earth deity by offering animal sacrifices on the day of worship if their wishes made in the past have been fulfilled.

The Magar community places high importance to Bhume Puja worship than other festivals, and there is a tradition of villagers returning from various parts of the country and abroad to participate in this festival, said a ward chairman Bil Bahadur Phagami from Raghuganga Rural Municipality.(RSS)