Updates: To watch the 12 Bhairav Dances of this year 2072 (2016) or old ones
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Human culture, being the product of human society has played the role of translator and transmitter, to pass on the beliefs, values and norms of human society from one generation to another generation on their social constructions and activities.
The knowledge which the man has learnt from interaction, skills develop to adjust the nature, social behaviour, community identity with "We feeling" of the community from one generation to another generation, spreading the same feeling from one member to another member of the community and to develop unity towards the society and culture among the members of the community and in different cultural international activities. The human behaviour should be looked in any form or the other. Therefore, the "Barha Bhairav Dance" of Newar community of Pokhara is observed as religious and cultural heritage of its own.
Pokhara is a city which is rich in cultural diversity and there has always been some kind of effort to modify different traditions to give them a new look. In the twenty first century that is not really a big issue. There are many such traditions which will lose their charm and identity if they are changed and modified instead of improvement the tradition will keep on losing its charm. The charm, identity and importance, the tradition used to have in the past may get spoil forever and never to recover again. Barha Bhairav Dance is a unique dance. It is also a very old dance and has its own interesting history behind it. It was brought to Pokhara by Jitaram from Bhaktapur more than 236 years ago according to the Guru Mr. Sarbagyaman Pradhanaga who is 101 years now. The raga, the song, sung in this beautiful dance indicates that it was started at the time of last Malla king of Bhaktapur, Ranjit Malla. This dance was originated in the famous place Bhaktapur and brought to the beautiful city Pokhara while Newari peoples migrating to Pokhara. It is performing in every 6 years in Pokhara to fulfill its cultural role although it was performing in every 12 years. Barha Bhairav Dance of Pokhara has its own identify and is in a way representing Pokhara and its past culture. If we can preserve this Barha Bhairav Dance, its originality, then there is no doubt that this dance will keep on gaining popularity and will not only be cherished in this century but also in many upcoming centuries also. In keeping minding above all these things, it seems very necessary that we should preserve Barha very necessary that we should preserve Barha Bhairav Dance of Pokhara in its original form.
During Ghantakarna Chaturdashi every year the Barha Bhairav are worshipped in the evening because people because people believed that God Mahadev involves himself in worshiping place that day. After the ritual and worshiping are over the Bhairav Dance Committee will organize a meeting to decide whether they will conduct Bhairav Dance on that year on not. In the past, Barha Bhairav Dance was conducted every six years. This is mainly because if the period is too long then they may face some difficulties related to the people participating in the unique dance. It will be difficult for them to continue the dance if they have long gaps in between. So, they decided to conduct Barha Bhairav Dance every six years. Last time, it was conducted in the year 2067 and thereafter in 2072 in duration of 6 years. So, the Bhairav Dance Committee decided to conduct Barha Bhairav Dance every 6 yearly. In future it may be conducted in 2072.
There is a tradition of keeping twelve masks of twelve Bhairavs in a very ancient and traditional box. During Ghantakarna, the box is worshipped and each of the tunes which is being played in each phase during Barha Bhairav Dance is played very shortly. Every year during Gaijatra, early in the morning the masks of Barha Bhairav are displayed outside the courtyard of Bhairavnath temple in Bhairav Tole so that the local people as well as the people visiting from different parts of the country can worship. And in the evening the masks of Barha Bhairavs are once again brought back into the Bhairavnath Temple. If the Barha Bhairav Dance is going to be conducted in that year then the masks are not kept inside the ancient and traditional box, once they have been displayed.
The members of Barha Bhairav Dance Committee, the people engaged in different profession and those people who have faith in Barha Bhairav Dance can bring their religious offering when worshiping Natheshwor God placed in Bhairavnath Temple and also worships the place where a first dance rehearsal is going to be conducted for about twenty to thirty days. The dance is conducted according to the Tantrik rituals and cannot be conducted without it. According to the Tantrik rituals the main priest conducts worshiping in the evening on Thursday and with his meditation he transfers all the souls of Barha Bhairav to twelve separate rituals post i.e. Keshi. Transferring the soul from the masks first the soul from the masks first the soul of Bhairav then after that the souls of Bhudhi (Kali) Bhairav, Indrayani, Barahi, Kumari, Baishnavi, Brahmayani, Maheshwori (Gangaju), Ganesh, Dakini, Kwang and Bhuchcha are transferred serially.
In the past, only the Ranjeetkar castes belonging to the Newar community use to paint. Nowadays the mask are painted by none other than the famous cartoonist Durga Baral and other artist like Gopal Shrestha (Gopal Art), Ramesh Shrestha and Kiran Ranjeetkar. After the painting is finished, the main priest transfers back all the souls which he had taken back into the masks with his sheer meditation. After the Tantrik rituals and worshipping are over on that very morning, the summon worshiping (calling the Gods) is done. The main worshipping of Natheswor Gods is conducted in Bhimsenthan. And on that very day the dance is first performed in Bhimsenthan. The dancers taking part in the dance should have bath and come to Bhairavnath Temple around five pm. About hundred people are involved in each Barha Bhairav Dance. They include the dancers, singers, musicians, and the volunteers. Then the priest conducts the worshipping the Barha Bhairav Dance ahead towards the destination.
After reaching the spot, the Barha Bhairav dances first. Then people start worshipping and the dance in conducted. There is a great belief that if the person calls the Barha Bhairav Dance then it brings lot of good lucks and prosperity for their family and takes away their bad lucks. The Kali Bhairav dances along with two i.c. Quang and Bhuchcha. It looks as if the two are teasing the Kali Bhairav and the dance which is very popular amng the crowd which is popularly known as the light dance (Jyoti Nritya). Likewise, all the dance will be performed in their own style on last stage of the dance. Once again the Barha Bhairav Dance returns back and will perform the dance together as in the beginning. The Bhairav Dance comes back to the Bhairavnath Temple in Bhairav Tole after worshipping for the final time.
On first day, Barha Bhairav Dance is conducted in Bhimsenthan, then in Saraswoti Temple, in Bindhyabasini Temple and on the same day the light dance is performed in the Ganesh Temple respectively. On the fifth day, the Barha Bhairav Dance is conducted in Guru's home. Afterwards, Bhairav Dance goes to those person's home who invites for the Dance. The dancers, musicians, singers and the volunteers need to walk on foot to their destination. And white sheet of clothes placed on the road and the dancers walk on those clothes until they reach the spot for the dance. The last dance is conducted in the courtyard of Bhairavnath Temple and is known as Shanti Nach (Peach Dance) and the ending of Bhairav dance is declared. People have to wait eagerly another six years to witness the cultural heritage with entertain the Barha Bhairav Dance in Pokhara.
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