Sri Sri Guru Stotram
Guru Puja and Kwati Prasad
In the tradition of the आगम । aagama, of which the temples of Sri Sri Tulaja Bhawani are the most noticeable public examples in Nepal Valley and associated geographies, today is the day for the पू छा । पवित्रारोहण पूजा। Pavitrarohana observation of the Guru. The aim of puja is to acknowledge the Guru as the first principle of the aagama tradition. The Guru is the one who permits us to initiate the journey into our conscious being.
Today’s puja is the second in the sequence of the big pujas of the aagama calendar for the ritual season. The season started two weeks ago with the thanking of the Sri Sri Ghantakarna Mahabhairava for keeping us mortals safe as the Gods took off for the Summer Season. Today is the acknowledgement of the Guru. In two weeks, we will acknowledge Sri Sri Devi in her primordial manifestation.
The क्वाती । kwati is the featured offering for today’s puja. The prescribed recipe for the kwati features beans and other gifts of the land. The vegetarian portfolio included 9 families of ingredients, plus 1. Each family comprised of 3 specific items. The full list of items in Newari, according to M. Subedi of Bhaktapur, are the 3 grains (छो, तछो, साछो), 3 oil seeds (तू, इका, पका), 3 pulses (प माय्, हाकु माय्, ह्याउ माय् ),3 more pulses ( प्रियङ्गु, कोल, मू), 3 legumes (तग्व चना, चिगो चना, तय्यू चना), 3 sesame seeds (हाकु हामो, तय्यू हामो, सियू हामो), 3 more legumes (तग्व कय् गू, चिगो कय् गू, वाउ कय् गू), 3 beans ((हाकु मुस्या, तय्यू मुस्या, सियू मुस्या), 3 rice grains (वा, स्वां वा, साभा वा) and finally the unitary entry, the गजी. The popular version of the kwati features nine beans only. One story, many narratives: a feature, not a bug, of the lived experience of the Nepali.
Enjoy your kwati.