Swasthani Brata Begins in Nepal

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KATHMANDU, Jan 3 - The month-long Swasthani Brata started from Wednesday.

 

Throughout the month, thousands of devotees take month-long fast and

while the Holy Scripture Swasthani is read out in most households

every evening.

 

During the entire period of the month-long fasting, devotees taking

fast eat only one meal a day and recite the Swasthani manuscript.

 

Some conduct the reciting from their homes for the whole month,

whereas others go to the bank of the Shali River, 40 kilometers east

of Kathmandu, to participate in the month-long fasting and prayers.

 

It is believed that taking a dip in the river at Sankhu will wash all

sins and purify the souls of the devotees.

 

The Swasthani Puja has been popular among the Hindus for many years

and both males and females participate enthusiastically in the festival.

 

No one knows when the celebrating of the Swosthani Puja started,

though according to Swasthani scripture, Chandrawati a character in

the script was responsible for having started the practice of fasting

among humans. The Swosthani scriptures, the stories of which are

derived either from the oral tradition or from the Purans, have been

recited in the country for many generations.

 

According to legend, when Queen Chandrawati was crossing the bridge

over the Shali River at Sankhu, the river suddenly erupted in a flood

and the bridge was swept away. Chandrawati fell from her palanquin

into the raging waters. This happened because Chandrawati, the queen

of Nawaraj of Shankharapur, was a sinner.

 

Amazingly, when the queen fell, the waters abruptly turned still and

her life was saved. Later she passes through many different

difficulties and after learning the Swasthani fasting from nymphs, she

teaches the technique to humankind. Thus began the tradition of Swosthani.

 

The month-long Puja ends after the devotees perform a Yagya, in which

they pass through the sacred-thread ceremony, marriage and other

rituals required to be performed in a man's life, from birth to death.

 

SOURCE: e-Kantipur.com

URL: http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=96384