Kathmansu, October 17: On Saturday, the seventh day of Bada Dashain, the Fulpati sent from the Gorkha Palace was brought into the Dashain Ghar at the Hanuman Dhoka Palace. Following traditional rituals and worship, the palanquin carrying the Fulpati, sent from Gorkha, was carried by Nepali Army palanquin bearers into the Hanuman Dhoka Palace premises.
The palanquin containing the Fulpati was dispatched from the Gorkha Palace to Kathmandu on Saturday morning at 9:00 AM after worship. According to Hari Saru, a non-gazetted first-class officer (Naib Subba) at the Gorkha Palace, the palace attendants had prepared the Phulpati palanquin according to traditional methods. The palanquin was brought to Kathmandu via a government vehicle.
Upon arriving at the Hanuman Dhoka premises at noon, the Fulpati palanquin was shown to the general public and nearby deities for blessings. During this time, a contingent of the Nepali Army gave a guard of honor by firing rifles in front of the main palace in Basantapur. Locals and the general public welcomed the Fulpati with traditional musical instruments and festive music.
According to the Hanuman Dhoka Palace Caretaker Office, the Fulpati palanquin was then taken in a musical procession around the palace premises before being brought inside the Dashain Ghar prepared by the Nepali Army.
Earlier, when bidding farewell to the Fulpati from the Dashain Ghar of the Gorkha Palace, a rally with traditional musical instruments was organized. Rajendra Aryal, the chief priest of the Gorkhali Temple, informed that the Fulpati palanquin was bid farewell after being worshipped according to traditional rituals.
It is a tradition to keep the Fulpati brought into the Hanuman Dhoka Dashain Ghar with continuous worship until the morning of Vijayadashami. On the day of Dashami, after offering the Fulpati to Goddess Durga, there is a custom of distributing it along with jamara to the general public at the time of receiving the tika.
The tradition of sending Fulpati from the Gorkha Palace and bringing it into Kathmandu’s Hanuman Dhoka Palace is linked to historical and cultural significance. According to historical belief, after King Prithvi Narayan Shah unified Nepal and shifted the capital to Kathmandu, the tradition of sending a Fulpati palanquin from the Gorkha Palace to Kathmandu every year on the seventh day of Bada Dashain began.
This tradition has continued the historical and cultural relationship between the Gorkha Palace and the Hanuman Dhoka Palace. Program events to bring in the Fulpati with grand celebrations and rejoicing at the Dashain Ghar of the Gorkha Palace were also scheduled for Saturday evening.
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