Bara: An indigenous tradition of Newar community [Photos]

KATHMANDU: JAN. 31 – Bara Tayagu is one of the ten Newar rituals from birth to death. Bara Tayagu means to “leaving in the darkroom.”

In the Newar culture, a virgin is kept in a dark room for 12 days after the marriage has been consummated, without seeing the face of the sun or having any male contact. This is done to purify the girl before her marriage to the sun god on the 12th day.

It is customary to go to Newar Jyotish (Joshi) or Guruju to see the auspicious time after the age of Newar Virgin girl. In this way, after completing all the religious rituals at the auspicious time, the girl who is kept in a dark room is given Surya Darshan.

Bara Tayagu is the second marriage of a Newari girl. The first one is Ehee- the marriage with the bael fruit.

The Newari people are thought to have originated around 200 BC. In Newari Dharmaniti, twelve rituals are mentioned. Bara, which means Surya Darshan (kept in a room), is one of the 12 rituals.

Similarly, the king of Bhaktapur, Ugra Malla’s queen Bhanumati, was locked in a dark room in the year 796, according to Malla’s history.

Based on this fact, it can be said that the practice of Bara has started in the Newar community of the valley since the Malla period.

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