Nepal-Assam connection revived

The annual chariot festival in Patan of the rain god, Matsyendranath, has deep historical connections with the Indian state of Assam, and experts at a symposium this week in Guwahati looked at how to deepen this connection.

They also drew parallels between the current climate and biodiversity crisis and the 12-year drought in Kathmandu Valley that forced a desperate King Narendradev to bring Guru Matsyendranath to Bungmati disguised as a bumble bee.

Legend has it that when the sage Gorakhnath meditated on a bed of serpents it created a devastating drought in Kathmandu Valley. The king undertook a perilous journey to Assam and bring Matsyendranath, who happened to be Gorakhnath’s spiritual mentor.

On seeing his guru, Gorakhnath broke his meditation and stood up, thus freeing nine serpents who then unleashed rain and ended the drought. The rest is history: for the last 1,500 years the statue of the red god, Rato Matsyendra, is brought from Bungamati and taken around the streets of Patan in a month-long chariot festival also called Bungdya or Karunamaya. 

Although many are aware of the legend, what is less well known is that the original architects who built the chariots (Barahi) came from Assam, and the cane used to tie the nail-less timber structure of the chariot is today sourced from vines in the jungles of Assam.

“The enduring tradition of Matsyendranath underscores the lasting cultural connections between Assam and Nepal, exemplifying how historical ties, religious practices and cultural exchanges reinforce bilateral diplomatic relations,” said Khagen Sarma of Gauhati University, convenor of the two-day symposium ‘Revisiting the Roots of India-Nepal Relations: A Perspective on Guru Matsyendranath’.

Lalitpur Mayor Chiri Babu Maharjan led an 16-member delegation from Nepal composed of the builders and operators of the Matsyendranath chariot, heritage and cultural experts who presented papers in the technical sessions of the symposium. Experts from Assam also highlighted the philosophical underpinings of Indo-Nepal relations, the charya dance form that links Assam and Nepal, and guru Matsyendranath’s role in promoting hatha yoga. 

“Assam and Nepal are organically connected,” said Nani Gopal Mahanta, vice-chancellor of Gauhati University, “we are proof that history is not compartmentalised, but the cultural and socio-economic links open up new horizons for civilisational dialogue.”

Assamese academics pointed out that some of the rare documents and historical records from Guru Matsyendranath’s period which were destoryed in India are still preserved in the National Archives in Kathmandu, and Indian scholars have made use of them for their research.

“Matsyendranath can be seen as a metaphor for the need of decisive action and leadership to restore the balance between human beings and the environment, which is an urgent necessity today,” said Matsyendranath researcher Vidhu Kayastha. “The legend shows that cultural and ecological resilience can avert a climate crisis. The bumblebee avatar is symbolic of the importance of insect crosspollination for nature and agriculture. 

Mayor Chiri Babu Maharjan extended an open invitation to the people of Assam to visit Nepal during Lalitpur’s chariot festival in May-June to experience the shared history of the two regions.

“This symposium is a milestone, it represents our commitment to future explore the historical and cultural links between Assam and Nepal, and particularly the legend of Guru Matsyendranath who brought us together,” Maharjan added.

Among the speakers from Nepal were Rekha Das Shrestha of Lalitpur Metropolitan City, head priest Yagya Ratna Shakya, Santaram Maharjan of Jyapur Samaj, Salik Ram Subedi of Guthi Sansthan, intangible heritage adviser Badanlal Nyachhon and Raja Ram Subedi of Tribuvan University.

Besides Matsyendranath, there is also strong people-to-people connection between Assam and Nepal. Over 2 million people in Assam have as their mother tongue the Nepali language, which was added in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution in 1992.