Samyak ( ne, सम्यक) is an almsgiving Buddhist festival celebrated in the

Kathmandu Valley The Kathmandu Valley ( ne, काठमाडौं उपत्यका; also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley ( ne, नेपाः उपत्यका, Nepal Bhasa: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅, नेपाः गाः)), ...

Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...

. During the ceremony which is held on a large open ground, hundreds of

Dīpankara Buddha Dipankara (Pali: ''Dīpaṅkara''; Sanskrit: ', "Lamp bearer") or Dipankara Buddha is one of the Buddhas of the past. He is said to have lived on Earth four asankheyyas and one hundred thousand kappas ago. According to some Buddhist or folk tr ...

images are assembled, and gifts of different types of food are made to the Buddha images and the Buddhist community. Samyak is the most spectacular Newar Buddhist celebration. It is observed at different intervals in the three cities of the valley -- every 12 years in

Kathmandu , pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...

, every five years in Lalitpur and annually in

Bhaktapur , motto = ne, पुर्खले सिर्जेको सम्पत्ती, हाम्रो कला र संस्कृति , lit=Creation of our ancestors, our heritage and culture , image_map ...

. The first documented Samyak festival in Kathmandu took place in 1015 AD (135

Nepal Era Nepal Sambat, also spelled as Nepala Sambata, (Nepal Bhasa: , Nepali: ) is the lunisolar calendar used by the Newari people of Nepal. The Calendar era began on 20 October 879 AD, with 1142 in Nepal Sambat corresponding to the year 2021–2022 ...

). The festival brings together a wide cross-section of Newar society, including priests, artisans, traders, musicians and farmers. Each group has a defined role designed to highlight social harmony. The ceremony celebrates the practice of giving to the Buddhas and monks in the Newar Buddhist tradition. The Samyak festival in Kathmandu is held at

Kathmandu Durbar Square Kathmandu Durbar Square (''Basantapur Durbar Kshetra'') is located in front of the old royal palace of the former Kathmandu Kingdom and is one of three Durbar (royal palace) Squares in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal, all of which are UNES ...

and the field of

Bhuikhel Bhuikhel ( ne, भुइखेल) is a large plain located in the western part of Kathmandu at the foot of Swayambhu hill. Also known as Bhukhel (भुखेल), it is famed for the Buddhist Samyak festival held here. The field is one of t ...

at the foot of Swayambhu hill.

Day One

On the first day, large images of Dipankar Buddha are brought out of sacred courtyards and private homes and displayed at Durbar Square in a row to receive offerings from devotees.

Day Two

On the second day, the statues are carried in procession to

and assembled on the field. Priests receive alms consisting of different kinds of sacred foods in a ceremony held in the presence of the king. The offerings are made by members of the

Uray Uray (russian: Ура́й; Mansi: Урай) a town in Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug, located on the Konda River from Khanty-Mansiysk. Population: History It was founded as a settlement for oil field workers. It was granted town status in 1 ...

caste group. Each subgroup performs a task that has been assigned by tradition. *

Tuladhar Tulādhar (Devanagari: तुलाधर) is a Nepali/Nepalese caste from the Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. The name Tuladhar is derived from the Sanskrit words "tula" (weighing scale) and "dhar" (possessor), thus meaning sca ...

s of

Asan Asan () is a city in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea. It borders the Seoul Capital Area to the north. Asan has a population of approximately 300,000. Asan is known for its many hot springs and is a city of spas. Asan has grown into th ...

sew and distribute leaf plates * Tuladhars of Nyata cook and serve rice *

Sthapit Sthāpit ( ne, स्थापित) is a Nepalese caste from the Newa people of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. Sthapits are part of the Uray group which includes Tuladhar, Kansakar, Tamrakar, Bania, Sindurakar, Selalik Kasthakar and other c ...

s build the wooden viewing stand *

Tamrakar Tāmrakār (Devanagari: ताम्रकार) is a caste of coppersmiths and other metal casters found in Nepal and India. In Nepal, the Tamrakars are found among the Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley. Etymology and names The name Tam ...

s play the trumpet *

Kansakar Kansakār () or Kasāh (कसाः) is a Nepalese caste group belonging to the Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. In Sanskrit, Kansakar means bronze worker, and their traditional occupation has been metal working and trading. Toda ...

s prepare and serve five types of foods * Sikhrakars supply clay pots * Banias serve a sweet drink * Selaliks serve confections

Misā Samyak

Misā Samyak, which means Women's Samyak, is held on the third day. The image of Goddess Ajimā Dyah is brought down from her shrine at Swayambhu for the ceremony.

Timetable

The regular Samyak ceremony is held at intervals of 12 years. However, a special one can be called between the scheduled occurrences by a sponsor. The most recent one took place in 2005. In Lalitpur, the Samyak festival is held at

Nagbahal Nagbahal is located in the heart of the city of Lalitpur in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. Nagbahal was originally a Buddhist monastery, but the original buildings are now gone. What is left is a large courtyard or park. In spite of that, this ...

every five years. The latest one occurred in 2020. In Bhaktapur, Samyak is celebrated annually on the feast day of Ghyah Chāku Sanlhu (

Maghe Sankranti Maghe Sankranti (, , Nepal Bhasa: ) is a Nepali festival observed on the first of Magh in the Vikram Sambat (B.S) or Yele calendar bringing an end to the winter solstice containing month of Poush. Tharu people celebrate this particular day as ...

) which usually falls on January 15.

References

{{reflist Newar Buddhist holidays Buddhist festivals in Nepal 11th-century establishments in Nepal