Navadurga Dance of Bhaktapur

Bhaktapur is an ancient city around 15KM east of Kathamandu, popularly known as "The City of Devotees". The major inhabitants are indigenous Newars, pre dominantly follows Hinduism and Buddhism.Bhaktapur is famous for its temple / palaces architectures of the Malla Regime. Bhatapur is rich is art, tradition and cultures. The citizens of Bhatapur still practices their cultures, festivals and Navadurga Dance is one of them. 

Nava Durga dance is ritually marked by a set of masks worn and danced by public on the special occassions. The dance was named Nava Durga (Nine Durgas) Dance, because it is made up of nine Mother Goddesses namely Brahmayani, Maheswori, Kumari, Vaisnavi, Indrayani, Mahakali, Mahalaxmi, Barahi and Tripurasundari. Besides the goddesses, five gods namely Bhairav, Ganesh, Swet Bhairav, Simha and Dumha, also participate in the Nava Durga Dance.

This Dance, have its own religious thought, which is the story that describe why this dance is performed by the local people of Bhaktapur City. It is believed that Dava Durgas, once used to live in jungle and capture people and then sacrifice them. But A powerful tantric’s Brahmin teacher, who was also caught by the Durgas, managed to escape from them and even became able to control them. Later, the durgas managed to escape by killing the Brahmin’s wife. After this, the Brahmin found them again, in the eastern direction of Bhaktapur, and by then, the Durgas had already lost their secrecy. Keeping the wishes of Durgas, the Brahmin installed them at Gachhen and created the tradition of the public Nava Durga dance performed by the Gathas. The dance was followed by the Malla Kings and it is still practiced by the local people of Bhaktapur City and other cities. Every year the Nava Durga masks are crematedc and their ashes are thrown into the river in the month of June. A tantric puja is held in the month of July, and then new masks are made in September. On the day of Astami Sukla, which falls in September or October, members of the Gatha caste who will dance next year’s performances undergo certain rituals. On the 10th day of Dasain i.e. Mohani , the masks are handed over to the dancers. The Nava Durga Dance is then performed in each of Bhaktapur’s 24 tols as well as in other places. Fishing Dance is one of the most interesting part of the dance performance. In this dance, the dancers chase, capture and then symbolically sacrifice boys and young men. After the completion of last dance performance, held in Ikshyu Tol, the southern side of Darbar Square, a sesame seed and rice dish is offered to the dancers. It is believed that the Nava Durga dancers begin to grow weak from this time forward. Later, the Nava Durga dancers circumambulate Bhaktapur on the city’s procession route and then return to their shrine late in the evening.