Sithi Nakha, Nepal Bhasa: “Tachhala” of its Calendar, i.e. the 8th (eighth) month of the year, is a particular celebration in the month of Jestha according to the Hindu Lunar Calendar. This month’s Jestha Shukla Pakchya falls on this date. This event, which falls in the 6th (Sixth) month of June on the Eastern Gregorian Calendar, is a joyful holiday enjoyed by Kathmandu Valley’s old inhabitants, Newars, and other castes.
Newar community celebrates Sithi Nakha which means the word ‘Sithi’ is derived from the Sanskrit words “Khashthi” (Sixth) and “Nakha” (Festival). The day of Sithi Nakha is also the last day for doing “Digu Puja.”
Newars are an indigenous people who lives in Kathmandu valley. Newars are an indigenous people who, according to archeological evidence, have been a highly developed community since the early 6th (Sixth) Century. Sithi Nakha is a celebration devoted to Kumar Kartikeya, one of the two sons of the Hindu deities Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, and is one of the primary festivals held throughout this month.
Dev Kumar Kartikeya is typically shown as a young, powerful warrior wielding a spear and perched atop a peacock. Kumar Kartikeya appears to have a special bond with the monsoon season. When you look attentively, you may see that the Sithi Nakha Festival has a profound and significant meaning. Lord Kumar Kartikeya’s Mandap has also been discovered in Pikhalakhu (outside the house). Every day, worship is also performed there. Community in Newa This is what Kumar Kartikeya refers to as an artistic expression etched in metal or a pose of 8 (eight) lotus flowers set at the entrance of his residence by the community.
Aside from the religious significance of Sithi Nakha, it has long been customary to clean water sources like as Wells, Spouts, and Ponds on this day. Mosquitoes thrive in stagnant or stable water. The risk of waterborne infections such as Typhoid, Cholera, and Diarrhea spreading through stagnant water is always present. Congestion in urban areas, disorganized waste management systems, and open defecation may have contributed to major epidemics and pandemics in the past. And, in order to alleviate the pain caused by all of these issues, the state and the community may have launched Sithi Nakha as part of the project.
Newari meals such as “Wo (व:) “a Lentil Bara made up of 4(Four) different Lentil kinds, and Chatamari (चटमरी)(Pan-fried bread made from Rice Flour), are served as a special dish on Sithi Nakha. The ladies soak the lentils (Split Black Gram, Split Green Gram, Split Red Lentil, and Small Pea) overnight while the male members prepare the cleaning supplies earlier in the day.
On the day, men are hard at work cleaning up the neighboring water supply. Women, on the other hand, use the soaked lentils to prepare wonderful dishes like Wo (Bara) and Chatamari, which include rice flour, meat, and other ingredients. This kinds of feast is known as “Bhwe” and is eaten as a group attending all family members. The celebration also allows the family to sample Newari “Bhwe” together with traditional beverages like Jaad/Tho/Chyang (Rice Beer) and Aila (liquor).
This celebration, like all other Nepali festivals, has its distinct meaning. Everyone can participate in this celebration, which is marked by the cleaning of Wells, Stone-Spouts, and other structures around the house. The most pressing need of the hour is for everyone to comprehend the scientific and cultural relevance of these events, as well as to safeguard and promote them to the greatest extent feasible. Sithi Nakha sends his best wishes to the entire Newar Community as well as all Nepalese.
In the Newar community, this day can be referred to as “Water Resource Conservation Day.”
