Sithi Nakhah Festival: Cleaning Traditional Water Sources

Kathmandu. Among the many festivals of the Newar community, Sithi Nakhah festival is one. This festival is different from others. In the sense that although many Newar festivals involve feasting, visiting temples, playing music, etc., this festival involves cleaning traditional water sources. On the day of the Sithi Nakhah festival, wells, stone spouts, wells, and ponds are cleaned.

The tradition of all the locals coming together to clean the wells, stone spouts, wells, ponds, etc. in front of their respective localities has been carried on as it is. This festival is celebrated in this manner in every nook and cranny across the country where Newars reside. Sithi Nakhah is celebrated on the sixth day of the waxing moon in the month of Jestha, when the summer ends and the monsoon begins.

It is said that cleaning wells, wells, ponds, and stone spouts is easy at this time because the water level drops completely due to the long dry season. There is also a popular belief that if the source is cleaned on the day of Sithi Nakhah, there will be no water shortage throughout the year. There is a tradition that the water from the wells, stone spouts, wells, and ponds cleaned on the day of Sithi Nakhah should not be used for four days.

After four days, the water is used after performing puja. The water is used only after four days because it takes time for the water to settle and become dirty after cleaning the water source. It is not that no feast is held on the day of Sithi Nakhah. On this day, dishes made from lentils such as black gram, moong, and peas are cooked. On this day, dishes like bara, chatamari, papad, malpua, and mhuchyamari (a type of fried bread made from flour) are cooked and eaten. Photo: Nepal Photo Library