The sanaa guthi is only one of the various types of guthis that are part of Newar society. Guthi derives from the Sanskrit word gosthi and is part of the traditional practices of indigenous communities. [break]
Other guthis prevalent in the Newar society include general guthis such as sanaa guthi and chibhabusadhaa guthi, and the specific ones like acharya guthi, which is only prevalent amongst the Bajracharya caste, and sanlu guthi that worships and plays percussions for Karunamaya, the god of compassion.
“We can find the mention of guthis in some inscriptions from the Lichhavi period and so we can assume that they have been around ever since,” shares Manik Ratna Shakya, a teacher of Buddhist culture and tradition at Patan Campus at Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur.
In this February 201 photo, Arya Maharjan of Panga, Kirtipur during Ihi or ‘bel bibaha’. Ihi is a custom in the Newar community in which pre-adolescent girls are ‘married’ to bel fruit or wood apple.
“Not all kinds of work in the society can be done alone. So a team for carrying out religious or social welfare works was formed and rules and regulations were set to guide the team,” says Shakya. However, Shakya opines that just any group can´t be called guthi.
“When there are rules, regulations and management, then a team gets a high status in the society and becomes a guthi,” he adds.
Deepal Bajra Bajracharya, a Gubhaju, or Buddhist priest, for around 17 years, shares that the formation of guthis were mostly for religious purposes. “To make these religious activities sustainable, members donated land to the guthi to which they belonged and the activities of the guthi were mostly carried out from the produce from the land,” he shares.
Guthis are closed groups and entry is mostly based on caste and patrilineage. While membership to some guthis is ascribed at birth, others require its new members to enter by paying a certain amount of fee which is used as seed money for guthi activities.
“A guthi is like one big family which promotes the feeling of brotherhood between it members. Members help each other in need and accomplish works together,” says Bajracharya. “Also, indulging in religious or social work is gratifying for all the members,” he adds.
Guthis are strict about who can enter the group and who can´t. Females are not officially allowed to be a part of it or attend any of its activities such as rituals and feasts. However, they are the ones who work behind the scenes, preparing for such activities.
Also, guthis are social organization based on kinship, so when a male member marries outside of his caste he is seen as an outcast. His wife and children are barred from participating in all guthi activities.
Although formed with good intentions for noble purposes, today, guthis are weakening as an institution as there seems to be a loss of interest among the young generation in the guthi system.
In this January 2013 photo, people of Newar community are seen playing musical instrumental as they mark ‘Newa Ekata Diwas’ in Kirtipur. (Photo: Bijay Rai)
“My family is involved in our local guthi but I am part of it only by compulsion as this is something that has been going on from my forefather´s time,” says Prajeet Amatya, 30, who believes that his loss of faith in the system is due to the difference in perspective between the current and the older generation.
“I don´t agree with some of the practices like sacrificing animals,” says Amatya. He also points out that since most young people work in offices or elsewhere and are mostly busy, it becomes inconvenient for them to attend long pujas and ceremonies that extend for days.
Amatya, nonetheless, feels that the practice of guthis should continue, but with some modifications. “Sanaa guthi particularly is a needed arrangement and the tradition should continue, no matter how bothersome it may feel,” says Amatya. Death is unavoidable in any family and sanaa guthi provides big help and support for the bereaved family.
Both Gubhaju Barjacharya and Shakya, of Patan Campus, believe that if things go as they are now, then within the next 30 years guthi system will have largely faded from the Newar society.
“Loss of faith in religion is one contributing factor,” says Bajracharya. “Also, the time is different. Earlier, people had more spare time and devoted themselves to social welfare and religion. But nowadays people are really busy, hence, they are cutting down on the traditional practices,” he adds.
Guthis themselves have become susceptible to malpractices, which is corroding the trust people had in them. Some guthiyars have sold their guthi´s land out of greed for money, while in other instances the guthi itself decides to sell the land and keep the money in bank. Due to lack of proper financial management, the guthis´ finances run out quickly, making them infeasible economically.
In order to keep guthis from disappearing, Bajracharya, who places much value on the system and has been himself involved with various guthis for the past 25 years, says that there´s a need to emphasize on the importance of guthis from a religious aspect.
Shakya also places faith in the guthi system but believes that it has to be improved for its own sustainability. “No one teaches the younger generation about what guthi actually is. The young generation mostly thinks that guthis are only about rituals feasts. But there´s more. Sadly, this hasn´t been communicated to the younger generation and, therefore, they take this as a burden,” he says.
“I see young people involved in various clubs and organizations for social welfare, which is good. But, why aren´t they interested in guthis, when it has been doing what these clubs and organizations do for so long?” he questions. “We need to bring in some change in the current framework so that it matches the perspectives of the younger generation,” Shakya says.
There´s more to guthis than the close-knit alliance or the yearly festivities that it organizes. Guthis are about the philosophy behind them, the faith it places on the religion of development and the common path of welfare that it paves. However, no matter how beneficial guthis were in the past, if it can´t adapt to the changing times and accommodate the young generation, the tradition will fizzle out.
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