The Magar settlements in East Rukum are currently busy observing their biggest festival of Bhume Dance or Bal Pooja.
Chandra Rasaili of Bhume Rural Municipality informed that Bhume Dance is being performed in Sisne Rural Municipality, Putha Uttarganga Rural Municipality and Bhume Rural Municipality in the district.
On the 15th of Jeth every year, Bal Pooja is performed by plucking Buki flowers from the local lake.
This dance which starts with Bal Pooja is performed almost regularly from 15th of Jestha to 1st of Asar (June 14-15). The Kham Magars of the area mark this festival with more fanfare.
Depending on the place, people go to the lake on the last day of Jestha and 1st of Asar (June 14-15) to stay and take flowers and trees.
They come to the village from the lake and perform the dance and offer sacrifices.
Bhume Rural Municipality Chairman Hom Prakash Shrestha said that the Rural Municipality has given a two-day local holiday on the occasion of Bhume festival.
As Bal Pooja or Bhumi Pooja is an important festival of the Magar people, Kham Magars celebrate this festival by dancing and exchanging goodwill with each other, said Ramsur Budha, outgoing chairman of Bhume Rural Municipality.
He said that in some places, people usually celebrate this festival till the last week of July (second week of Nepali month Asar).
It is believed that when all the Magar people gather together and have fun at the Bhume festival, they forget all their sorrows.
The Magar people have a tradition of worshiping the earth as their main deity.
There is a belief that after worshiping the earth, the deity will be happy and then there will be no scarcity and no catastrophe will occur on the earth.
Bhume Dance is performed in a line with men and women. Adults, seniors and youth have equal attraction to this festival.
Source : TRN,
