Nepal observes festival of five summer gifts- the Yala Panchadan

Lalitpur [Nepal], August 1 : Nepal's ancient city of Patan in Lalitpur on Friday observed Yala Panchadan, the festival of five summer gifts. The former royal kingdom that falls inside the Kathmandu valley in Newa is known as "Yala".

Barefooted monks walked around the ancient town receiving alms and chanting hymns and prayers. This festival is celebrated by Bajrayana Buddhists, especially Shakyas and Bajracharyas, from the Newar community of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Panauti and Banepa.

"In Yala Panchadan, we donate five items- wheat, rice, money, salt, and fruit as alms. In Hiranya Varna Mahavihar, the alms are provided to the topmost monks as well. This tradition of taking out Dipankar Buddha at various Vihar locations in Patan, where the alms are given," Bikash Singh Dhakwa, a resident of Patan, Lalitpur, told ANI.

On this day, people donate according to their capacity, providing rice, money, and other items. Dipankar Buddha is kept at various locations and this festivity has continued for more than 700 years.

On this day, Buddhist artefacts are displayed in monasteries and households, and giant idols of Dipankara Buddhas are paraded around town. People worship the Dipankara Buddhas and offer Panchadan, which comprises rice grains, wheat grains, fruit, salt and money, to alms-seekers.

According to legend, the Panchadan festival has been celebrated every year since Nepal Sambat 512 (AD 1390).

The festival of Yala Panchadan is believed to have started from Deepankar Kathagat's time. In Lalitpur, there was a king named Ramananda, and Panchadan started from his regime. People mocked him for donating the wealth he had inherited as king.

He then got engaged to a low-earning profession- the work of metals; he meticulously worked for 12 years and saved money. He later used it to make donations, and it has been followed since then, according to various legends.

The ancient city is also set to hold Samyak Mahadan, a reunion of Buddha's followers later this year, which brings together followers from all over Kathmandu Valley.

The annual festival of Samyak Mahadan is marked every year at Bhaktapur, once every half-decade at Lalitpur, and once every 12 years in Kathmandu, where a total of 126 Buddhas are brought into a single place.

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