“Digu Deya”: as a key symbol

"Digu Deya": as a key symbol
Rituals performed by Jaypoo (Newars)

Sulochana Suwal
Newars are one of the culturally diversified and rich ethnic groups of Nepal. They are originally inhabited in Kathmandu valley with distinct religious, cultural values, and language. Generally, it is said: "Parbate bigrayo moj le, Newar bigrayo voj le"; this means Parbate is ruined by sex appetite and Newar by his food appetite. Newars follow lunar calendar as Nepal sambat, which is designed with numbers of days to perform certain rituals and festivals. "Degu pooja" is a one of the major ritual conducted by Newars as well as non- Newars; to reestablish feeling of oneness among members having same ancestors. Specifically, "Digu pooja" is celebrated by Newars in different days on the basis of their caste and surname. Meanwhile, Ta: din (according to Nepal sambat) is a particular day when Newars, particularly Jayapoos observe "Dewali" or "Digu pooja". Like others, Jayapoos (Hindu descent Newars) perform ritual activities worshiping "Digu Deya" - as the clan god (kul deity), which consist of huge feast. The clan members are supposed to follow particular rule and regulation with certain restrictions on food and physical contract. With the break of drawn, ritual practices are conducted, every members undergo through the process of purification: "ben ke gu"; placement of idol or deity of "Digu" in copper pot or "kalan(li)" (worshiping plate) is carried out. The idol of kul (Digu Deya) is taken to the specific "Digu diya ke", where male of family arranged in queue on the basis of age seniority. A male goat (Dugu) , taken for offering god is followed by head of group ( Nayia) and other are guided to follow him serially on the basis of age seniority, with requirement of pooja on their right hand. Many families supposing to have same ancestor of five or more generations, comes together in "Digu Deya Ke". The ritual of worshiping "Digu Deya" carried out recalling their ancestors and offering a male goat to their kul deuta. Each and every male member of families attends pooja and joins in samaya (feast). On the other hand, females remain at home with their works: preparation of feast. At evening, the feast is conducted known as "Shika Bhaya", which is structurally arranged on the basis of age seniority. The first one of the feast is dedicated to god, known as "Deya bo", similarly Nayia is placed at head of line; and other follow respectively on the basis of seniority. Male members along with "Nakin" (senior female) are allowed to attend the first feast. After completion of feast, another specific ritual is carried out: "kala wo ya gu"; which is practice of pouring remaining food stuffs on the name of death ancestors. "Swa beu wane gu" is one of the interesting and fascinating activities. If some of the families do not observe Diyu pooja due to the mourning rituals, then people share their blessing of "Digu Diya" with their relatives by offering "swo" and "chatamari" (a type of roti). These rituals demonstrate nearness of relatives, because numbers of chamatri offer is diversified per the type of kinship and their relationship. Two days of celebration consist of next attraction that is: "Digu Paha Be gu". The management of entire feast is not carried by Nayai, but the responsibility is rotated to the head of each family members, it is passed on the basis age seniority; performing certain ritual procedures. On wards "Digu pooja" every morning "nina tane gu" and evening "mata be ya gu" rituals is conducted as account practice, until next celebration of Dewali.

Symbolic interpretation of "Digu pooja"
Symbolic anthropologists define symbolic interpretation is way of interpreting key symbols and rituals, regarding beliefs, however unintelligible become comprehensible when understanding as part of cultural system of meaning; in same way, the Newars (Jayapoos) consist deity of kul (Digu Deya) explaining it with their ritual practices and cultural meanings. Emile Durkheim states "totem" is a being, object, or symbol representing as animals or plant that serves as a emblem of group of people, such as, family, clan, group, lineage, or tribe, reminding them for their ancestry. Therefore, Hindu descent Newars (Jayapoos) resembles "Digu Deya" as a clan symbol (totem) or core symbol of their collectiveness having same ancestry. Sherry B. Ortner describes every society has key symbol or core symbol to represent value system. As she define elaborates, key symbol with the reliable indicator of cultural interest; "Digu Deya" signaled some of indicators. "Digu Deya", deity of kul is cultural very significant to Newars (Jayapoos) in order to it consists of numbers of rituals and value system. The certain activities and things are considered to be pure and polluted as well as place is considered as sacred and profane while performing the ritual. There are specific songs, rituals and myths regarding "Digu Deya", which may be vary from one specific clan to another. As Sherry Ortner reports key symbols posses greater cultural restrictions surrounding to it, with reference to this argument "Digu Deya" is considered as religiously very pure and scared, indeed outsider and female member in menstruation phase is prohibited to visit around the deity. Whereas, some food items via, onion, tomato, chicken, garlic etc. are considered as taboos. Jayapoos conduct unique ceremonial feast known as "Shika Bhoya", where every male is guided to attend feast compulsorily on their located position. The pattern of queue in feast in on the basis of age seniority, and male are obligate to their ancestors. "Siwo" is a part of feast: the distribution of various parts of scarified goat, distribution is allocated on basis of position in "Shika Bhaya". As a gift system, among the Newars "Swa be gu" is ritual practice of offering Phool "swa" of god to relatives, it have shared meaning of solidarity and integration among relatives. As marriage practices among Jayapoos is exogotra so if any relative is not celebrating festival, among them "swa" is shared.
Victor W. Turner (liminality and communitas: 1995) explains luminal entities are betwixt and between the position assigned and arrayed by law, custom, conventions, and ceremonial, where attributes are expressed by a rich variety of symbols in the many societies that ritualize social and cultural transitions. So, as Newars also perform rites of passage in life through phases conducting various ceremonies like, Kumari pooja, Ihi, Bartahbadha, marriage, Jangu. At some extent of analysis, the ceremony of "Degu pooj" is luminal entry for neophyte initiations via; newly born children and newly marriage daughter in law are admitted to the clan. Newly marriage daughter in law or "Bhau macha" is introduced in their clan by offering "Go yan" (betel nut) and "Kishali" (a clay dish filled with rice and placed betel nut at top). After this procedure, she is sanctioned as insider who was previously considered to be outsider. The rites of passages are sanctioned and verified through ritual practice with "Digu Deya".
Therefore, as symbolic anthropologist: Clifford Geertz, Victor W. Turner and Sherry Ortner describes symbol refers to way people understand, interpreters from a shared cultural system of meaning to verify degree, among members of the some societies. Meanwhile, Jaypoos also interpret "Digu Deya" as the symbol with its cultural meaning and rituals.




Conclusion
Literally, Anthropology is defined as study of human and human culture, unlike short definition anthropological arena is very vague, consisting in-depth (micro level) analysis as well as holistic approaches of study. Classical anthropological studies are citied as it is the product of colonial mind. Anthropological emerged with the framework of "cultural romanticism" and "development oriented", but at the present days, the cultural relativism, cultural reflexive, and accountable writing changed the way to study people regarding various thematic issues . It helps to draw big picture of criticism and interpretation on the contemporary agenda and phenomena. In Nepalese society, numbers of social and cultural practices accompany caste discrimination, gender discrimination and exploitations. Obviously, future of anthropology is designed through academic writing by various native scholars representing raising voice of voiceless or historically underprivileged and marginalized groups. The discipline does not limit within boundaries of culture, insofar it deals with every phenomena like, politics, development, language, environment, history, globalization, market system and so on. Therefore, anthropological theoretical approaches helps to understand Nepal today and it display the platform for further study and to flourish the disciple.
As symbolic anthropologist Turner and Geertz report interpretation of symbols from native view's point, realizing connection of symbols to groups and group solidarity. Similarly, I tried to demonstrate an idol (deity) of Kul: "Degu Diya" a key symbol of Jayapoos; cultural practices along with atmosphere of collective representation. The native share their own perception upon deity reference to purity and pollution, acceptance and restrictions, and "Digu pooja" as rites of passage (liminality and communitas). Symbolic anthropology deals with symbols with their shared meaning and values; likely, Jayapoos interpret their symbols and perform rituals activities and festivals. It is said that anthropology aims to describe the broadest possible sense what is man to be human, along with anthropology is search for possibility of human life. Hence, contemporary anthropologists focus on study various areas like, neo-liberalization, development project, female representation, subaltern voice, social resistance and social change. The issues of localization versus globalization, heterogeneity versus homogeneity, westernization versus Non western, dominate versus resistance, and minority versus majority is universal and perpetual debate. The discipline deals on issues of the equality, representation and participation in socio economic and political arena of country, identity, and sovereignty among all human kind.











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