Bahra ceremony
Bahra tayegu or bahra chuyegu (
Description
The ceremony is conducted before the
On the 12th day the girls wakes up before the sunrise to take a complete bath. Then she is dressed up in traditional wedding dress with red sari and heavy gold jewelry as if it were an actual wedding.[4] Concluding with an intricate ritual, the priest formally welcomes her back to the world, starting the ceremony by gazing at the sun. This is the origin of the misconception regarding a sun wedding. The girl is veiled all the time during the ceremony and at the end she lifts her veil and looks at the reflection of the sun on water.[2] The completion of the 12 day ceremony is celebrated with a traditional party. If the girl were to die during this 12 day ritual, the tradition has it that the body should not see the sun. Thus, the body is to be buried underground the same house the girl dies.
Significance
Bahra ceremony marks the change from a girl to a fertile woman.
See also
- Ihi
- Nepal Bhasa
- Newar
References
- ^ "Newar". Worldview Nepal. Archived from the original on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ^ ISBN 978-3-447-05752-3.
- ^ Maharjan. "gufa...a Newar tradition..and some of my experiences". worldpulse.com. Archived from the original on 8 September 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ^ Tuladhar, Pratibha (2012-02-12). "Marrying the Sun God is a rite of passage for Nepal's girls". Mid Day. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ^ Coon, Ellen (July–September 2010). "Nepal Style: Rites of Passage". Hinduism Today. Retrieved 2020-06-05.