Majipa Lakhey
Encyclopedia
Majipa Lakhey is a special Lakhey
. He is also known as the peaceful Bhairav. The dance of this lakhey takes place only in the week of full moon of Yenlaa month of Nepal Sambat
. This lakhey is considered to be the protector of the children.
Another story links lakhey to banishing the two cannibal children of the king called Sawan Bhaku after he was requested to do so by Akash Bhairabh and Hanuman
. However, the two children return to the city on Yanyaa Punhi claiming their rule and to devour humans. Lakhey is supposed to send them out of the city. This is symbolically represented in a dance conducted in Yanyaa Punhi every year.
s of Kathmandu. Unlike in other traditional dances, the dancers are not trained in this dance. It is believed that the Ranjitkars have inherited this dance in their genes.
Lakhey
Lakhey is a famous character in Newar culture[]. It is a demon character popularized by its drunken dance accompanied by "pulukishi".Lakhey is a saviour of children....
. He is also known as the peaceful Bhairav. The dance of this lakhey takes place only in the week of full moon of Yenlaa month of Nepal Sambat
Nepal Sambat
Nepal Sambat is the national lunar calendar of Nepal. It was used throughout Medieval Nepal, and into early modern Nepal, until Chandra Sumsher decided to remove it in BS 1960. It was started in 880 AD during the reign of King Raghav Dev to commemorate the payment of all the debts of Nepalese...
. This lakhey is considered to be the protector of the children.
Etymology
The Nepal Bhasa word Majipa is derived from Sanskrit "Manjupattan" or the city established by Manjushree1. Lakhey is derived from two Nepal Bhasa words "laa" meaning meat and "khen" meaning egg. Lakhey is the term used to denote carnivorous demons. So, Majipa Lakhey literally means the carnivorous demon of Majipa.Mythology
According to stories passed down the generaions, a lakhey is supposed to have fallen in love with a girl from Majipa. So, the demon takes form of a human and enters the city to see his beloved. Upon knowing the fact that the person is a lakhey, the people capture the lakhey and present him to the king. The king makes a proposal to the demon that he will grant him a place in the city if he vows to preserve the children from other demons and participate in the annual Yanyaa Punhi Jatra (also called Indra Jatra). The lakhey agrees and is supposed to reside in Majipa ever since.2Another story links lakhey to banishing the two cannibal children of the king called Sawan Bhaku after he was requested to do so by Akash Bhairabh and Hanuman
Hanuman
Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
. However, the two children return to the city on Yanyaa Punhi claiming their rule and to devour humans. Lakhey is supposed to send them out of the city. This is symbolically represented in a dance conducted in Yanyaa Punhi every year.
Majipa Lakhey Dance
The dance is conducted by the RanjitkarRanjitkar
Ranjitkar is one of the castes of Newar. The Newari caste system is divided according to profession...
s of Kathmandu. Unlike in other traditional dances, the dancers are not trained in this dance. It is believed that the Ranjitkars have inherited this dance in their genes.