Life Cycle Rituals

Anapasana, Macha Janko (Rice Feeding) अन्नप्राशन
Ceremony for Babies

This ceremony is a celebration of the first feeding of solid foods to growing babies, typically performed at five months for girls and six months for boys. It may be done in the temple or in the home and, depending on the number of family participants and the additional activities included, may last from two to four hours. It is traditionally followed by a feast provided by the family.

Ihi Puja (Bel Bibaha) ईहि यायगु पुजा
Newar ceremony for girls under 12 years old

Ihi is a ceremony for young girl’s, typically five to nine years of age, in which they acknowledge they are growing up and commit to a healthy life, deeply connected to family. Performed in the morning in the temple or in the home, often as a group experience, it typically takes about three hours and requires the presence of family members. It ends with a priestly blessing and a brief traditional egg, fish and wine feast.

Bahra Chuyegu बराह चुयेगु
for Girls 5–13

The Bahra Chuyegu ritual is generally performed for a girl who is 5, 7, 9, 11, or 13 years old and who has completed the Ihi Puja. The ceremony is conducted by the eldest woman of the lineage or by the local priest. As part of the ritual, a doll representing the bahra khaya cave ghost is prepared and put in one corner of the room.

Bahra Tayagu (Gupha Rakhne) बारा तयगु
Pre-Pubescent Girls’ Ceremony

This ceremony is for pre-pubescent girls, typically before their twelfth birthday. It is a three day ceremony in its abbreviated, modern form, and educates girls on their Vajrayana Buddhist tradition, preparing them to be young women. Typically done as a group in the temple setting, it requires that the girls stay over two nights, with the women of their families present as teachers and supporters much of the time. After many rituals, the Gupha experience ends with a feast provided by the families.

Chudakarma Ceremony चुडाकर्म
Pre-Pubescent Boys’ Ceremony for Shakya Boys

Chudakarma is a very elaborate, three day ceremony only available to Shakya boys, closely resembling the Desa Viseka. In this ceremony the boys become monks and learn the various rituals they will perform in the home later in life. The initiation begins with a full morning the first day, during which their heads are partially shaven. The second and third days are full days of rituals, ending with a feast provided by the family. The boys return home each night. This ceremony is often done in a group and is best done in the temple.

Brata Bandha (Keta Puja) केता पुजा
Pre-Pubescent Boys’ Ceremony

This ceremony is for all boys who are neither Vajracharya or Shakya. It is four to five hours long and takes place in the morning, before breakfast. As with other childhood ceremonies, it requires the involvement of family members, especially fathers and uncles. Traditionally, the boys’ heads are partially shaven and they put on monk’s attire for the ritual. The intent of the ceremony is to prepare boys for life in the larger world. The ceremony can be done in the temple or in the home and typically ends with a feast provided by the family.

Dasa Viseka, Chudakarma
Pre-Pubescent Boys’ Ceremony for Vajracharya Boys

Desa Viseka is a very elaborate, three day ceremony only available to Vajracharya boys. In this ceremony they first become a monk and, ultimately, a Vajra Master. This is the primary initiation allowing Vajracharya boys to function as priests. The initiation begins with a full morning the first day, during which their heads are partially shaven. The second and third days are full days of rituals, ending with a feast provided by the family. The boys return home each night. This ceremony is often done in a group and is best done in the temple.

Dasa Viseka
Initiation for Adults

For any adults, male or female, who are committed, long time practitioners who desire to follow a priestly path. This ceremony is not traditionally available to non-Vajracharya nor to women, but is being offered by Nritya Mandala Mahavihara on a very select basis, after lengthy consultation and training by Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya. This is not a commitment to be entered into lightly, but is one which is available. Please inquire.

Bibaha
Wedding Ceremony

Weddings can be performed in the temple or in other venues. As with rice feedings or other cultural ceremonies, they can entail a wide variety of rituals and traditional ceremonies, depending on the desires of the families involved. Given the Western setting, many aspects of a traditional Nepali wedding process may be included in an abbreviated form in the temple (or other venue), itself, on the day of the wedding. Depending on the number of guests and desired program, the wedding ceremony may last from two to three hours. It is followed in the temple by a traditional egg, fish and wine feast.

Bhima Rathahana Puja, Buda Budhi Janko
777 Celebration

This lengthy celebration is for those, male or female, who have made it through a full moon cycle at least 1,000 times, making them about seventy-seven years old, seven months and seven days. They are considered to have lived beyond the age of the average human and to now be approaching a god state. This joyous celebration includes the extended family and, perhaps, the entire community, taking five hours or so to complete. Including a local procession, it may be performed in the temple or in the home and ends with a large feast provided by the family.

Deva Rathahana Puja
888 Celebration

This is a cultural celebration similar in tone and complexity to the 777, but in this case acknowledging the arrival of the celebrant to a state reminiscent of a god and an age over 82, minimum. The person is “raised on high” in a very literal sense during the celebration. Connected to the moon, this puja is performed at night. Again, the extended family and, possibly, the entire community are involved, with the celebration taking much of a day and ending with a large feast provided by the family.

Maha Rathahana Puja
999 Celebration

This rarely-performed ceremony is for those, male or female, who have attained this momentous age and are eligible to be reborn into the divine.

Sibala Yayagu Puja
Death Ritual

The Sibala Yayagu Puja is performed as soon after death as is possible and generally in the location in which the death occurred, or in the home. It is brief, usually an hour or less, and is done in order to insure the smooth transition of the deceased to “the heaven room.” Traditionally, the entire family is present, although the oldest son (or substitute) - in the case of a father, or the youngest son (or substitute) – in the case of a mother – are the key figures in the ritual itself.

Sarada
Annual Death Day Ritual

This is a very lengthy, lovely annual celebration of the death of a parent on the date of their death, calculated by a lunar calendar. It may be done in the home or the temple, and takes three to four hours. Again the son (or substitute) mentioned above is the main celebrant, but whatever family members desire to may be present.

Ciradana Puja
Concise Death Day Ritual

This is an abbreviated annual celebration of a parent’s death, in which the celebrant offers the priest the foods and other items the parent liked or appreciated in life. It may be done in the temple or the home and is done when other options are not feasible.

Purification Rituals

Mha Puja
Purification of the Body, New Year’s Celebration

This purification of the body may be useful at any time, but is a particularly appropriate way to greet the New Year, whether celebrating the Western or Eastern New Year. At these times large groups gather at the temple to sit before the sand mandalas drawn before them on the ground and participate in the ritual process of invocation, purification, acknowledgement of obstacles and requests for blessings. The ritual takes two hours or so and typically ends with the wine, egg and fish feast of new beginnings.

Pancha Bali Puja
Purification of the Home, House Blessing

Similarly to the Mha Puja, this ritual is used to purify the home. It may be used at the time of buying/moving into a new home or when needing to clear problems or unpleasant energies from the home. It is usually performed in the home itself, although it can be done at a distance. The familiar process of invocation and purification is used, but with a special focus on the four directions and the front of the house, acknowledging, learning from and pacifying any negativity that may linger in and around the premises. Small jantra packets containing Pancha Raksa Mantras and other protective materials may be left above doorways or windows to fortify them against negativity seeking entrance. The entire process may take two hours or a bit more, depending on circumstances. In those cases where it is felt that particularly negative energies are surrounding or attacking the home, the Nava Graha, described below, may be integrated into this ritual.

Gurumandala Puja with Dharani Chanting
Basic Healing Ritual

The Gurumandala Puja, the most ubiquitous and fundamental of all Newar Vajrayana Buddhist rituals is at its root a healing ritual, and can be used to remove impediments and bodily ills. Combined with the chanting of appropriate, powerful mantras (Dharani), it can be provide a healing powerhouse of energy in only an hour and a half or two hours. This can be done in the temple or in the home.

Nava Graha Puja
Nine Planet Ritual for Resolving Problems

Whenever there are problems causing suffering in life, on the job, in the home or in the love life, this ritual can be used. Difficulty focusing the mind or overall lack of success may be an indicator for its use, as well. It engages the nine planets in a square mandala with the sun in the center, and in the process of acknowledging and honoring each of the planets, clears the cause of the suffering related to each. It is often used on birthdays, to clean the life of any undue negativity and problems. It can be done in the temple or in the home and, although preparation is extensive, the ritual itself usually takes less than two hours. Its purpose is to resolve problems and clear negative influences.

Sapta Vidhanut Tara Puja
Long Life Ritual or Seven Limbs of Most Excellent Ritual

This ritual, about which Prajwal’s own father wrote in great detail, is used for the very ill. It is a very elaborate ritual that requires a wide array of implements and materials, the lighting of 108 butter lamps, the use of 108 water bowls, 108 begging bowls, etc., etc. It is best performed in the temple, where many hours of preparation are required; it is possible it could be done in homes built to accommodate it. The ceremony itself lasts for about four hours after the preparation time and includes a lengthy series of rituals.

Homa Puja
Fire Ritual

This is a very intensive and elaborate ritual requiring the use of fire, as its name implies. It is used to remove obstacles in very important or intransigent instances. It is often used in conjunction with other major rituals, such as weddings, jankos or serious problems within the home. Most easily done in the temple, it can be done in the few homes that might be equipped to accommodate it. It requires three to four hours for its performance, as well as a large number of implements, materials and hours of preparation.

Pratistha
Consecration Ritual

This complex series of rituals can run from five or six hours to all day or more, depending on what is being consecrated. For the most basic consecration of a few sacred objects to be used in the home, an hour may be sufficient. It is most easily done in the temple for a few objects, but for major installations, on site performance is required. Only through discussion with the priest can the details be determined.