On the occasion of Jeshta Shukla Paksha Shashti or Kumar Shashti, the Newa community living in various parts of the country including Kathmandu Valley are celebrating Sithi Nakha festival with grandeur.
As it is also the birthday of Lord Kumar, this festival is celebrated by worshiping Kumar and eating a special type of food made from pulses such as maas, mugi, and kerau.
The festivals of Newa are connected with agriculture and agricultural production. There is a tradition of the Newa community to celebrate the festival by eating food according to the season and according to the season. According to this, since it is time for new wheat to enter the house, Sithi Nakh is celebrated by eating wheat Mhuchhyamari, Malpuwa, Chatamari, Papad and other dishes on Sithi Nakha.
Newa community also celebrates Sithi Nakha as a special day to clean water sources and sources. According to this, on the day of Sithi Nakh, everyone in the village jointly cleans water sources and sources such as ponds, wells, wells, dhungedhara etc.
There has been a popular belief that eating dishes such as Sithi Nakha Vah will generate strength in the body and give strength to cultivate rice during the rainy season.
Sithi Nakh is also considered as the last festival of the year by the Newa community. Along with this festival, it is also considered as the festival when the rains start and the important work of the year for the farmers, Sinya Jya (paddy harvest) begins.
Purushottamalochan Shrestha, a culture worker, says that Sithi Nakhah holds special importance in the Newa community for two reasons. "First Sithi Nakha: i.e. Kumar Shashti Mahadev Parvati's eldest son Kumar's birthday. This also has religious significance. Ganesha is the commander of the gods and Kumar is the commander of the gods. It is believed that by worshiping Kumara, the body will get strength and power to do agricultural work like paddy harvesting during the rainy season. Shrestha said.
Secondly, he said that because this festival conveys the message that planting has started in the Newa community, the farmers will be busy in agricultural work and Jatra festival is a festival where farmers mentally and physically prepare themselves for grain production. Shrestha says that it can also be taken as a festival of the unique union of food science and nature.
Culture worker Shrestha says that since ancient times, Sithi Nakha has given a message that water sources should always be kept clean, especially during the rainy season because the water sources are more polluted. Therefore, the Newa community has a tradition of cleaning the water source on the day of Sithi Nakha.
Farmers do not work in the fields on this day. Early in the morning, cow dung and compost in the house are taken to the fields. According to the custom, the fertilizer should be placed in the field for planting, even if it is heavy, on the day of Sithi Nakha, there is a practice of farmers bringing fertilizer to the field. After that, it is customary to clean your house and eat Bara and other dishes. It is believed that on this day the soil of the field should not be hurt.
On the day of Sithi Nakh, it is believed that by offering Mhuchyamadi prepared from new wheat to the worshipers of Navadurga Bhavani and Shiktipithas, it will increase the wheat production as well as bring rain and bring happiness and peace to the family.
Since Sithi Nakha is the last festival of the year and since this day Sinya Jyah (paddy season) begins, there is also a belief that no kind of traditional instrument should be played until Gathamug Nakha. Therefore, on the day of Sithi Nakha, traditional instruments are played for the last time.
