Yomari Punhi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yomari Punhi |
|
|---|---|
Yomari confection
|
|
| Official name | Yomari Punhi, English translation: Full Moon of Tasty Bread |
| Observed by | Newar people |
| Type | Newari |
| Celebrations | Worshiping Annapurna, eating Yomari |
| Begins | Marga Sukla Purnima |
| Ends | 4 days later |
| Date | Lua error in Module:Wikidata at line 132: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
Yomari Punhi is a special festival celebrated by the Newar people in Nepal. It marks the end of the rice harvest, which is a very important time for farmers. This festival happens in November or December, always on the day of the full moon. This full moon day is called Thinlā (थिंला) in the Nepal Era calendar, which is a lunar calendar.
What is Yomari Punhi?
Yomari Punhi means "the full moon of yomari." A yomari is a delicious sweet treat made from fresh rice flour from the new harvest. It's shaped like a fish and filled with sweet brown cane sugar and sesame seeds. After being shaped, these treats are steamed until they are soft and yummy. Yomari is the most important food eaten during this festival.
How is Yomari Punhi Celebrated?
On this full moon day, people in the Kathmandu Valley give thanks to Annapurna. She is known as the goddess of grains, and people thank her for the good rice harvest.
- Kids asking for Yomari: In the evening, groups of children go around their neighborhoods. They visit homes and ask for yomari from the housewives. It's a fun tradition for kids to collect these tasty treats!
- Special Dances: In some villages, like Hari Siddhi and Thecho, you can see sacred masked dances. These dances are performed to celebrate the festival and are a big part of the traditions.
- Different Fillings: While many yomari are filled with brown sugar and sesame seeds, some also have other delicious fillings. These can include chaku, which is a sweet, chocolate-like food, or khuwa, a creamy dairy product similar to ricotta cheese. No matter the filling, yomari are always very tasty!
This festival is a very important celebration, especially for the Newar community, and it's a time for families to come together and enjoy the new harvest.
