Introduction:
The word "Saat Gaunley" gives the meaning of 'Seven Villages' and Jatra means the Newar festival
of worshipping God/Goddess in a handicrafted
automobile called Rathh.
And the seven villages are
This Jatra is celebrated mostly by the Western newars of Kathmandu valley in the month of Mangsir for almost 3 days.
- First day called Chhoilaa Buu (Newari Tongue), and
- Second and third day called Sinaya
The Story behind:
There is a saying that in ancient period when the priests were paying homage to the god suddenly seven pigeons fell on the fire so that it is named Saatgaule Jatra.
However the seven villages refers to the home of Seven different Goddess. And on the main day of this festival, Goddesses of every villages are brought early in the morning to their mother's home (Maitighar) which is known as Bishnudevi temple and they rest at Bishnudevi upto mid-day. While taking the goddesses to Bishnudevi, i.e. their Maitighar, they are decorated the whole night before. It is also said that the goddess of Satungal is the youngest daughter of Bishnudevi and the goddess of Boshigaun is the eldest one. Thus, while going to Maitighar, the goddess of Satungal, being clever, goes to Bishnudevi(her mother) so early in the morning and stay beside her mother's lap. And when the mothers arrive to Bishnudevi, they would see the goddess of Satungal staying on her mother's lap and thus they gets angry and stay behind the temple.
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