GORKHA: The 20th Rot Festival will be taking place at the temple of Guru Gorakhnath at the Gorkha Palace in Gorkha.
The 11-day religious festival will commence on May 5, according to organizer Siddhashram Shakti Kendra (SSK). The festival will conclude on May 15.
Mythically it is believed that Rot which is baked from rice flour dough prepared by mixing 52 types of ingredients including coconut, clove, cardamom, and sugar with ritualistic procedures is the favorite food for the Guru Gorakhnath.
According to SSK Gorkha coordinator Kishor Kumar Akela, Rot is offered to the Gorakhnath Temple each day, but it has been celebrated as a grand festival since the 20 years of the initiation of the SSK.
It is believed that Guru Gorkhanath first appeared in the Gorkha Cave.
Rots are prepared in two ways: Bhungre Rot which is baked on the fire and Tawa Rot which is prepared by frying with ghee in a pan.
The middle part of the rot is slightly up, reflecting the mythical significance of the Rot. It is made by pressing two fingers while giving the dough the shape of Rot and it makes the Rot special. Rots are peppered in small sizes.
The available inscription reads that during the Nepal unification process led by the then King of Gorkha, Prithvi Narayan Shah, fighting soldiers could resist hunger for a long after consuming one Rot and around one liter of water.
According to Bindeshwari Baral, the founding member and coordinator of SSK, the festival is organized by wishing for common good among the people and world peace which is the pressing need of the time.
Additionally, the festival aims to promote the religious and domestic tourism of Gorkha, the district in the Gandaki Province, it is said.
“The objective of the festival is to appease the Guru Goraknath and receive his blessings,” says SSK member Balkrishna Shrestha who heads the Publication Department within the SSK.
SSK with its central office in Basundhara of Kathmandu which identifies itself as a spiritual and research-based organization was established in 2056 BS.
A chariot procession, meditation and yoga camps, and Hawan and bhajan kirtan (singing of mythical and devotional songs and dancing) are other parts of the festival.
It is said the festival is estimated to cost around Rs 2.5 million and funds will be managed voluntarily by the SSK, its members, devotees and local organizations, and other social organizations.
The organizers will manage food and accommodation for devotees visiting the festival.
On May 5, the SSK plans a chariot procession from the Gorkha district headquarters to the Gorakhnath Temple to mark the inauguration of the festival.
Devotees from different parts of the country and from India arrive here to observe the festival. Around 100 thousand people are expected to visit the festival this year.
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