पञ्चदान Panchadan पजराँ

Panchadan is a big Buddhist festival celebrated by almost all the Nepalese Buddhist every year with great enthusiasm. Panchadan is celebrated in Kathmandu and Bhaktapur on the third day of the dark forthnight of Bhadra (August-September) whereas in Patan, which is said to be the oldest Buddhist city of Nepal, it is celebrated earlier on the eight day of the bright forthnight of Shrawan (July-August). The majority of the Buddhists in Nepal seem to follow the Patan tradition.During the festival, devotees offer sims to the Buddhist monks. According to a very old customs, many Buddhists, rich or poor, go door to door in a sizeable group to beg for alms. Generally, these 'monks' are regarded as the mission of Lord Buddha himself and are treated very well in the Nepalese homes. Even Hindus give away some thing in charity to them. There are many religious trusts devoted to this alma-giving ceremony. So at Buddhist monasteries even non-Buddhist people can be seen giving away foodgrains to the 'beggars'. The 'Dangatha' chapter of a very old Buddhist text, Kapidawdan, says that those who give away food and cloths to the saints and sadhus on this day would be blessed with seven great gifts in return viz., health, happiness, longevity, wisdom, wealth, fame and children.Kapidawdan has a lot of interesting stories to tell about the significance of the Panchadan ceremony. It says how even a monkey, who with great feelings and faith gave away a jackfruit in charity to Deepanker (legendary Buddha), was reborn as a human being then and there by dint of his meritorious deed. The Another story is about the poverty-striken woman who, despite her untold pain and poverty, kept working for several years like a slave. She saved plenty of money but spent all this on a very ambitious giving-away-ceremony in honour of Deepankar. This auspicious day is mentioned as the Panchadan Day. Locally known as Guita Budhi, the lady, too is well remembered even today by the people, particularly those from Patan. There is a very old Buddhist monastery at Tyagal Tole in Patan popularly known as Guita Bahee, probably named after her. In Newar, guita bahee means 'the nine-storeyed monastic building'. According to a Buddhist secripture, a famous King of Jatak stories, sarvanda, built it. The Jatak says that Deepankar visited Patan several times and sayed at the Guita Bahee monastary, then known as 'Prasanna Shhela Mahavihara'. It is said that every time he went there he became very happy. 'Prasanna Sheela Mahavihara' means 'the monastery for the one who is happy by nature'.This monastery display some facinating cloths and jewellery of Guita Budhi every year on the full moon day of Shrawan. Even today, the monastery is considered to be the most important danshala - a perfect place for giving away anything one can afford to the Buddhist saints on the Panchadan Day.