Kathmandu [Nepal], August 9 (ANI): Nepal on Saturday observed Janai Purnima, the festival of threads, marked by ritual bathing and the tying of sacred threads—”Rakshya Bandhan” on the wrist and “Janai” across the body—by Hindu devotees.
Early in the morning, novice priests known as “Batuks” participated in a mass bathing ceremony, chanting hymns and mantras and making offerings to the Sun and goddesses. Crowds gathered along the embankments of the holy Bagmati River to change their sacred threads and tie new ones, continuing a tradition known as Shrawan Snan or Upakarma, observed annually on Shrawan Shukla Purnima.
“As per the Vedic tradition, Shrawan Snan is performed by those who have undergone the Yogyapabit ritual,” novice priest Chiranjibi Bhattarai told ANI. “After the ritual bath, the Yogyapabit (Janai) is changed following purification rites. It is worn throughout the year but must be replaced every full moon—Purnima—when Rakshya Bandhan is also tied.”
According to Hindu scriptures, the sacred thread worn across the body is believed to have originated from the Yagya, a sacrificial rite. Each thread contains three strands representing Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva—symbols of knowledge, meditation, and power—alongside their divine consorts Saraswati, Laxmi, and Parbati.
Commonly known as “Janai Purnima” or “Rishi Tarpani,” the day sees tagadharis—those who wear the Janai from the left shoulder to the right—change their thread after a haircut and bath. Those who do not wear the Janai receive a Raksha Bandhan thread, purified through mantra chanting by Brahmin priests, as a symbol of protection from fear and disease.
The sacred wrist thread is crafted from 27 different types of threads, representing the 27 constellations in Hindu astrology, and is tied in remembrance of the legend of King Bali, who was protected by such a thread.
Religious fairs were held at Gosainkunda in Rasuwa District and Dansanghu Triveni in Jumla District, where devotees offered prayers to Lord Shiva. At Pashupatinath Temple, the Bhagwat Sanyash Ashram Gurukul near the Ram Temple hosted a mass bathing and ritual ceremony.
The Newar community also marked the occasion as Kwanti Purnima, serving “Kwanti,” a soup made from nine different beans. In the Tarai region, sisters celebrated the day by tying colorful Rakhis on their brothers’ wrists, wishing them long life and prosperity.
About The Author
