Archive for the ‘Myths and Folklores’ Category

The Naga who won the heart of Garuda Once, a very distinguished Naga (snake/serpent) wanted to see the great bathing ceremony of the rato machindra, the famous Buddhist rain-god, which was to take place on a full moon night of Chaitra (April). He went disguised as a human, telling his wife not to tell anyone about his whereabouts. Soon Garuda, a mythical bird and enemy of all naga s, went to the Nagas wife asking where her husband was. Upon the insistence of the Garuda she told him where her husband was and that he could be recognized as he would appear to be the tallest man in the crowd watching from the Lagan Stupa as that was the best place from where the ceremony could be viewed. Full story

When laxmi changed her mind... Once Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, granted a wish to Vishwakarma, a great architect, for building a beautiful house for her. When Viswakarma told her that he would accept anything she would give, she told him that she would give him gold enough to cover his body and a luxurious life. Then she brought an enormous jar of gold-powder and started to pour it over his body. The jar of gold did not suffice and so she went to get more. This display of magnanimity started to worry Vishnu, the lord of balance and preservation. Full story

The potter's choice There was once a potter, who was a great devotee of the lord Shiva. Once the lord, impressed by the potters actions granted him a wish. The potter wished that all the pots he made would never break. The lord granted him the wish, smiling mysteriously. The potter tested the promised and he found out that his wish had indeed been fulfilled. Full story

The King who did not fear death There was once a philosopher king, Yoga Narendra Malla,who believed that he was immortal. So, to convince people about his belief he installed a statue of himself in front of his palace. The statue had a naga forming a canopy over his head and a bird on top of the nagas head, which looked as if it was about to fly. The statue was devoted in prayer to taleju, the goddess of Patan state. Then the king proclaimed that as long as the bird perched on top of the naga, his subjects should know that he was still alive. Full story

Why death is not seen? It is believed that death was a visible body. When the time for one to die would come, death would come to the person and the person would accept to go to the Yamaloka (the place for the dead). Death was thus accepted and was celebrated. Full story

The folklore has it that Seti the white river, and Kali the black river, that flow from Jomsom are ... Full story

Why the moon has ascending and descending nodes? The story goes, that the moon was very handsome, attractive and enjoyed its life with 28 constellations. One day, he saw Ganesh and laughed at his appearance, but Ganesh so humiliated cursed the moon that he should be destroyed by tuberculosis. The curse worked immediately with the moon thinner and darker every day. The worried moon went to Shiva who advised him to go and apologise to Ganesh. Full story

Why the stone Ammonite fossils (shaligram), the Basil Plant (tulasi) and the Banyan Tree (pipal) are holy in Nepal? The story goes that in earliest times Britasura was a very powerful demon. He conducted a reign of terror in which the troubled people were scared to death. Even the most powerful gods including Lord Shiva were no match for him when it came to fighting. Britasura was to be killed at any cost but he wouldn t die as long as the chastity of his wife, Brinda, remained intact. Full story

Why Ganesh is elephant headed? Ganesh is the elephant-headed god who is in the forefront of all worship. As the remover of all sorts of obstacles no ritual is undertaken without worshipping him first. This is what the myth has to say about his strange looking human body. Full story