Month-long Gunla festival begins

KATHMANDU, August 17:The month-long Gunla festival celebrated by Buddhists of the Newar community has started from Thursday onwards.

On the occasion of Gunla Parva, which is celebrated for a month from Gunlathwa Paru to Janlathwa Paru of Nepal Samvat, Buddhist Chaityas are circumambulated with various traditional instruments. A fair has been organized on the occasion at Swayambu.

During the Gunla festival, Buddhist pilgrims perform daily circumambulation of the Swayambhunath Stupa and also perform circumambulation of various stupas of the valley including Pulchowk of Patan.

The main feature of the Gunla festival is Nyakun Baja, an instrument made from the horn of a rhinoceros.

Even non-Buddhist communities go to circumambulate the Chaityas on the occasion of the Gunla festival.