Bhaktapur. The annual Navadurga Dance of Bhaktapur, performed with masks, commenced from Monday. The famous tantric dance is considered to be the longest dance ceremony in the world which takes about nine months to complete its cycle.

The dancers practice for about two months before Dashain for their first public show, while the masks of Navadurgas are being prepared. Before the masks are displayed they are taken to the Taleju temple in the Durbar Square of Bhaktapur where they receive initiation rituals, according to Karmacharya (priest) of the temple.

After invocation of gods and goddesses, the masks are then regarded as having godly powers and set out to be worshipped by the public.The Karmacharya hands each performer (Banmalas) their masks, which is symbolic of the Karmacharya’s, role in capturing and placing the Navadurga into the care of the Banmalas. Following the sacrifice of a buffalo, the Navadurga make a procession towards the Taleju Temple in Durbar Square. The Taleju image is removed from the temple and placed at the front gate to greet the Navadurga. This is the only time that the Taleju image is removed from the temple.

Another major celebration of Bhaktapur was cancelled this year, however. It had been decided that the ‘living goddess’ Kumari would not offer Dashain tika, hence, the Kumari House of Bhaktapur remained crowd-free this year.

The chariot procession of Kumari was also not conducted, considering the corona pandemic and the risks involved. The priests of the Taleju temple went to the Kumari House without a fanfare toworship and make offerings to Kumari.