‘Panjara-Pancha Dan Parva’ festival at Bhaktapur is held as simply. This year’s Panjara festival will be held as unusual due to Covid -19. Despite the relaxation of the injunction, the holiday was not lavishly celebrated .Panjran (Panchadan) festival is held at Bhaktapur by worshiping and giving alms to five toles of Dipankar Buddhas. The Bhaktapur Buddhist Association had agreed to celebrate the festival as usual a week ago, according to Basanta Raj Shakya, chairman of the Indravarta Mahabihar Conservation Committee, Inacho. Despite the fact that the Bhaktapur administration lifted the prohibition two days before the event, Chairman Shakya indicated that certain internal arrangements could not be done in time to ensure the festival’s success.
It is common to go around Dipankar Buddha in different toles to collect alms during the festival. The Dipankar Buddhas were not taken out of Bihar this year, as they were previous year, therefore worshippers went to Bihar to worship and give charity. Bhaktapur Municipality-10 Prashanshil Mahabihar at Kwathandau, Golmadhi’s Jhorbahi, Sakotha’s Chatubrahma Mahabihar, Tinkhaya’s Thathubahi or Jayakirti Bihar, and Bharvacho’s Kuthubahi (Buddhist Samkrit Bihar). These five Dipankars are gathered at Adipadma Mahabihar in Bhaktapur-9 Suryamadhi before moving across the city in this manner. The five Dipankar Buddhas are circumambulated in all ten wards of Bhaktapur, including Bajagaja, after the special puja.
Buddhists have been begging with a Pindapatra (Gulupa) in their hands since the time of Dipankar Buddha, according to Buddhist tradition. The puja begins in Adipadma Mahabihar, which is located east of Bhaktapur, and ends in Thathubahi, which is located west of the city. The combined Pancha Dan festival for Dipankars, on the other hand, has come to an end at Taumadhi in Bhaktapur Municipality-5. By maintaining all five Dipankars in Taumadhi in the West Dabali and playing various instruments, the joint Pancha Dan is done in a joyous environment. Buddhists in Taumadhi play Gunla Baja, as well as Dan Gatha and Sotra Vachan, on this special occasion.
Five Dipankar Buddhas are brought from Bihar and worshipped and gifted in Bhaktapur. This event is related with the adoration of Buddha Bodhisattvas and the distribution of alms to Sangh members who have been initiated into Buddhism in Buddhism. The worship of Dipankar Buddha, as well as the Shakyas and Bajracharyas who have become monks in traditional Bihar, is embraced and exchanged with respect these days.
Since ancient times, the ‘Panjara-Pancha Dan Parva’ has been a very important charity event for Newar Buddhists in Nepal. Since Buddhist practice begins with the act of charity, the ‘Panjara-Pancha Dan Parva’ festival has been honored as the beginning of the practice of charity, particularly in the Newar Buddhist tradition. Hindus consider this to be a significant event as well.
