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Sagan: Newari way to wish good luck
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| Khen Sagan |
The Sagan( सगं in Nepal Bhasa)(Sagun in Nepali Bhasa) is a Newari ceremony. It is a highly respected and admired ceremony in Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley.
The Khen Sagan involves ritualized presentation of auspicious food to a person to wish good fortune /good luck and show respect. The food items served are boiled egg (khen), smoked fish(sa-nya), meat(hakhu chyoala), lentil cake(wo) and rice wine(aayla) which represent Tantric concepts.
The Sagan basically means good luck which represents the symbol for best wishes and prosperity to the person during special occasions such as life-cycle events like baby shower, birthdays, weddings and old-age rites.
The Sagan is also presented at the Mha Puja ceremony on Nhu da(New Year's Day of Nepal Era ). Mha Puja is performed by praying Mandala and offering sagan for purification and ,strengthening of the self.
People who are going to travel are given the Sagan before departing on a long journey and on return from a trip.
The Sagan is given to the people who have achieved a special feat like promotion at work, pass in exam etc or survived a life-threatening accident.
The Sagan is a practice that is a part of a very old and respected culture and still involves the humble idea of praying for an individual’s safety and good luck.
Sagan Ceremony:
As per the general practice, the person receiving the Sagan sits cross-legged on the floor, and a Sukunda(oil lamp with Lord Ganesh on it) is placed on a large leaf in front and to the right. Lord Ganesh, regarded as the protector deity who removes obstructions from people’s lives,which is the central character of the ritual.
The eldest woman in the house brings a tray containing puja of swan(flowers), jaki(rice) and hyaungu sinha(red paste) .First of all ,she worships Lord Ganesh on the Sukunda it on . She then puts a dab of hyangu sinha on the forehead of the honoree and others in the room. The participants also take a dhau sinha (dab of yogurt from a bowl) and put it on the temple (to right for male and to left for female).
The main ritual is performed next. The she presents a boiled then fried egg and smoked fish on the right hand and ayela on Sali(wine bowl) on the left hand which the participants accept with crossing both hands. A woman helper follows pouring wine from anti(a jar) into sali(little wine bowls). After everyone has been served, she walks down the line again pouring wine three times into each sali. She serves wine a third time after which the participants can set down the sali. The blessings from elders in the form of sinha(tika in nepali), is believed to protect the bearer from evil thoughts and doings.
The procedure and materials may vary as per family tradition and geography. Laddu (sweet balls) may be presented in place of boiled eggs and banana may be presented in place of fish especially for vegetarians. Seating may be arranged on the floor or on chairs.
The methods and few practices might differ within Newari culture as well but the core of the practice is the same.
Sagan and the Tantric Concept
The five food items served in sagan in Newari culture represents Tantric concept called Panchamakara. In the Tantric tradition, these five concepts and various ritualia associated with them are tied to the religious practice to attain salvation.Panchamakara is also known as the Five Ms. It is a Tantric term referring to the five substances used in a Tantric practice.
· madya (alchohol)
· maithuna (sexual intercourse)
Sagan contains the food items mentioned as part of the panchamakara: egg as maithuna, fish as matsya, ayela as madya,choyla meat as mamsa and wo as mudra.
Other myth about the sagan is as the items in sagan represents light, earth, water, air and sky. According to this, light is symbolized by wine, earth by meat, water by fish, air by lentil cale and sky by egg. Beings are warm which is provided by light, and when a being dies, the body becomes the earth. Similarly, the body contains water, breath and empty space which are the sea, air and sky. To balance the harmony of these five elements of body sagan is presented.
