KATHMANDU, Feb 1: The devotees observing the strict month-long Madhav Narayan fast at Shalinadi in Sankhu are set to embark on their second pilgrimage starting today.
Each year, the Madhav Narayan devotees follow a ritual that begins on the third day of the waxing moon in the month of Magh, traveling from Sankhu to Panauti, where they stay for a night. There, they perform a sacred bath at Triveni Ghat and worship Lord Madhav Narayan before circumambulating the cultural town of Panauti.
According to Vikasman Singh, Chairman of the Sri Madhav Narayan Swasthani Brata and Shalinadi Improvement Committee, the devotees will depart from Sankhu on Saturday morning, traveling via Bhaktapur and Banepa before reaching Panauti.
After arriving in Panauti on Saturday evening, the devotees will take a ritual bath at Triveni Ghat on Sunday morning, followed by a special worship ceremony for Lord Madhav Narayan. Upon completing these rituals, they will circumambulate Panauti before heading towards Bhoku Si, located between Banepa and Nala, for their afternoon meal. After the meal, the devotees will return to Sankhu. The devotees will also observe the festivals of Shree Panchami and Lagala Saptami in Sankhu.
On the ninth day of the waxing moon, known as Drona Navami, it is customary to serve the devotees a special rice pudding called "Tasmii." The third pilgrimage, to Changu Narayan, takes place on the eleventh day of the waxing moon. After staying overnight in Changu, the devotees return to Sankhu the following day.
Unlike the second pilgrimage, during this journey, the devotees are required to return to Sankhu for their midday meal. According to Prakashman Shrestha Sakwa, a local researcher of Sankhu’s religious and cultural traditions, this journey has been regarded as a "pilgrimage to foreign lands" since ancient times.
Earlier, on the fourteenth day of the waning moon in Magh, the devotees had already completed a pilgrimage from Shalinadi to Bajrayogini, Pashupati, and Sheshnarayan Temple in Dakshinkali Municipality. The first pilgrimage lasts for three days and two nights, while the second and third pilgrimages last for two days and one night each, following an ancient tradition.
During the pilgrimage, devotees carry beaten rice, oranges, molasses, clarified butter, sugar, lapsi (Nepali hog plum), red radish, and ginger, as prescribed by the fasting ritual. According to local resident Jayaram Shrestha of Sankhu, fasting devotees may consume boiled milk provided by close relatives who observe a fast themselves.
The pilgrimage is accompanied by volunteers who assist the devotees. As per tradition, the devotees undertake the journey barefoot, while the volunteers provide support throughout the journey.