A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_URI::$config is deprecated
Filename: core/URI.php
Line Number: 101
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Router::$uri is deprecated
Filename: core/Router.php
Line Number: 127
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$benchmark is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 75
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$hooks is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 75
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$config is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 75
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$log is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 75
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$utf8 is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 75
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$uri is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 75
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$exceptions is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 75
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$router is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 75
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$output is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 75
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$security is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 75
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$input is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 75
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$lang is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 75
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$load is deprecated
Filename: core/Controller.php
Line Number: 78
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$db is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 390
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_DB_mysqli_driver::$failover is deprecated
Filename: database/DB_driver.php
Line Number: 371
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::open($save_path, $name) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::open(string $path, string $name): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php
Line Number: 132
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::close() should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::close(): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php
Line Number: 290
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::read($session_id) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::read(string $id): string|false, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php
Line Number: 164
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::write($session_id, $session_data) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::write(string $id, string $data): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php
Line Number: 233
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::destroy($session_id) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::destroy(string $id): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php
Line Number: 313
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::gc($maxlifetime) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::gc(int $max_lifetime): int|false, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php
Line Number: 354
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 284
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: session_set_cookie_params(): Session cookie parameters cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 291
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 306
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 316
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 317
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 318
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 319
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: ini_set(): Session ini settings cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 377
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: session_set_save_handler(): Session save handler cannot be changed after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 110
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: Warning
Message: session_start(): Session cannot be started after headers have already been sent
Filename: Session/Session.php
Line Number: 143
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$session is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 1279
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$form_validation is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 1279
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$email is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 1279
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$help_model is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 353
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$front_model is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 353
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$data is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 925
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$benchmark is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 925
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$hooks is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 925
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$config is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 925
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$log is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 925
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$utf8 is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 925
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$uri is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 925
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$exceptions is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 925
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$router is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 925
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$output is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 925
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$security is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 925
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$input is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 925
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$lang is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 925
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$load is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 925
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$db is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 925
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$session is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 925
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$form_validation is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 925
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$email is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 925
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$help_model is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 925
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property CI_Loader::$front_model is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 925
Backtrace:
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/core/MY_Controller.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/sworup/controllers/Home.php
File: /home/sworup/public_html/index.php
A PHP Error was encountered
Severity: 8192
Message: Creation of dynamic property Home::$other_model is deprecated
Filename: core/Loader.php
Line Number: 353
Backtrace:
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The journey of lights
Writing
The journey of lights
Project Details
Title:
The journey of lights
Category:
Writing
Date:
25 November 2015
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The centuries-old chariot of the Nani Bhagwati (daughter of the goddess Bhagwati) comes rolling down a path that was once the trade route connecting the three cities of the Kathmandu Valley to Tibet. Beautifully attired young women saunter alongside the chariot, while a group of young men pull the heavy bulk of damp wood with all their machismo. All this while, older folks cup their array of hearts, spades, cubes and diamonds in their ageing palms. Only once in a year does Dhulikhel embrace this outburst of joy, this aura of festivities, and this feeling of celebration.
This was Sukunda Yatra, the journey of lights, and unlike most traditions in Nepal, the Yatra does not trace its history to age of the Kumari and the Kings; instead the ride of the daughter-goddess began just four years back as a rise of a new tradition in the backdrop of a culture that long relishes the Sukunda (the traditional Newari lamp), and associates it with the initiation of any ceremony.
But the festival was also started for reasons other than heritage, as Sukhar Laxmi Nhasiju, a local resident, explains. The Sukunda Yatra was a reason to celebrate the feminine, a reason for the housewives who traditionally prepare all the meals for the Dashain festivities to go out and enjoy their own version of Dashain, while their husbands sit back and relax during the 10-day festival. The Yatra sought to rewrite the rules, and brought the women out post-Dashain rituals to “breach this boundary” between the genders.
The rituals are elaborate, the fabrics all red. In traditional attires, women carry a sukunda each, their faces lighting up in the dancing fire of the lamps. Two girls with thick layers of make-up, a modern vestige for a modern tradition, lead the line, followed by an array of radiance, of the dancing lights that light up the night skies in a corner of this medieval suburb.
Today, at least one female from every family in Dhulikhel participates in the Yatra, giving birth to a new tradition amid all the old ones that exist. A team of volunteers from the Ekta Yuwa Samuha popularised and advertised the idea, mostly through word of mouth. The first year saw only a 106 participants, while in the second year, the number had nearly doubled to 203.
But, like any other modern practice, will this Yatra survive the short attention span of the times? There is hope among the residents here that it will pass the test of time, like “any other good tradition”, and even more, as “this festival does not lay any boundaries of age, caste, religion or culture”.
For now, as in the years before, 86-year-old Mathuramaya Knasingju, 80-year-old Kalimaya Chocche, and 75-year-old Pankhamaya Wenju, will lead the Yatra in the coming years, the frailty of their ages not denying them the pleasure of the journey. For now, 82-year-old Pushpamaya Deoju will continue travelling to Dhulikhel every Dashain as she has done for the last four years. For now, the journey continues.
Printed on: 2009-10-02| OCT 02
