Observed from November 7 to 17
The Nepal Weekly 
November 19, 2024
Katti Pyakhan (the dance performed in the month of Kartik according to the Lunar calendar in Nepalbhasa), the popular dance performed in Patan Durbar Square. Katti Pyakhan is performed in the open stage located just the side of famous Krishna Mandir and in front of the Golden window of the ancient palace. The dance drama was initiated in 1641 AD by King Siddhi Narsingh Malla. At that time Haribansha Rajopdhayay and Bishwanath Rajopdhayay had assisted the king for creating and performing the dance.
The dance was initially performed for five days. Later his son Sri Niwas Mallaand grandson Yog Narendra Malla added some episodes like the ‘Bathah Pyakhan’ (folk drama), ‘Sudama Pyakhan’ and ‘Surdas Pyakhan’ extending the Pyakhan to run time longer. So as this was 27 days performance. However, the play goes 10 days long.
This 383-year-old Kartik Naach is believed to be associated with 17 stories of Lord Vishnu. Every day, different episodes of Lord Vishnu’s stories are performed that makes the dance unique among Nepal’s cultural heritage.
During the Malla period, Maithili language was in use in the dance. Later, it has been in Nepalbhasa to make it more accessible to the local community.
The dance requires 20 artists for a single day’s performance. The play usually starts with dancers in colourful clothes portraying Hindu deities including Shiva, Ganesh Barahi, Ganesh and Krishna. The dancers also wear festoons around their necks.
Various dances and drams performed in the Katti Pyakhan including Varaha Avatar, Narasingha Avatar, Jalashayan. Devi Pyakhan, Battle of Narayan against Madhukaitava, Battle between Mahamaya and Madhu kaitava Khyaa Payakhna, Kawan Pyakhan, Vishmajwar and Sheet jwar, Battle between Krishna and Mahadeva.
On the concluding day of the play run, a man dressed depicting as Narsingh (Hindu god Vishnu disguised as a half man and half lion) would kill another man dressed up as Hiranyakashyap, an evil demon king elaborated in Hindu mythology.
The main crowd puller part of the Narasingha avatar is staged where Narasingha an incarnation of Lord Bishnu who is part a fiery lion with the body of a human kills the demon Hiranyakashyap..
This particular play carries a message that anyone who tries to do ill and harm others, any person is punished and no one escapes justice. According to Bhagwat Purana, Hiranyakashyap was a powerful demon king and had a son Pralhad. The son refused to acknowledge his father as supreme lord of the universe and claimed that Bishnu was all omnipresent and described the benevolence of the deity. The demon king became angry and tried to kill the son. All his efforts went in vain. One evening Hiranyakashyap asked his son if his god was there in the pillar. Upon hitting the pillar, out came Narsinghha, an incarnation of Bishnu, in the form of half-man and half-animal. The deity then killed the demon with his nails keeping him in his lap, standing on the threshold at dusk.
Performed to the tune of traditional musical instruments such as Jhokhi, Dha, Damokhi, Jonagada, Mridanga, Jhyali, Tah, Bhusiya, Pongga and Muhali, the dramatic climax comes as Narsingh closes in on Hiranyakashyap who has till then managed to save himself from the deity. Narsingh finally forces Hiranyakashyap into a corner. However, the very instance that Narsingh touches him, the dancer impersonating Hiranyakaship, quite incredibly loses consciousness and collapses to the ground, only to regain consciousness after.
It is believed that all five masks used by Narsingh are buried in front of the NarsinghDewal. The first mask used was considered to be very powerful with strong Tantrik spells that could kill the man disguised as Hiranyakashyap. Therefore, the mask underwent changes many times. The present mask, brought as the sixth substitute, has enough power to make the dancer disguised as Hiranyakashyap fall unconscious. It is also believed that the power of the present one has diminished, causing no chronic harm to the dancer.
In order to continue the dance, promote artists professionally and impart training to the new generation the Dance Conservation Committee plans to establish a fund of Rs.100 million.
Lalitpur Metropolitan City and some other institutions have extended support providing significant sum of money for the said fund. But the fund so far collected is still symbolic to its target.
