Picturesque Nepal . mes extending over many days at atime, during which period the whole populationdevotes itself to ritual, or revehy, or both,according to the religious significance of theevent. One of the greatest thinkers of theEast has written, Religion is the prop of allbeings, everything is embraced in Religion,therefore Religion is said to be excellent overeverything else (Taitarya-ranyak), and inno place is the letter of this more strictlyadhered to than in Nepal. On such an occasionas the Dassera festival the routine ofdaily labour is put entirely on one side forover a week while the
Picturesque Nepal . mes extending over many days at atime, during which period the whole populationdevotes itself to ritual, or revehy, or both,according to the religious significance of theevent. One of the greatest thinkers of theEast has written, Religion is the prop of allbeings, everything is embraced in Religion,therefore Religion is said to be excellent overeverything else (Taitarya-ranyak), and inno place is the letter of this more strictlyadhered to than in Nepal. On such an occasionas the Dassera festival the routine ofdaily labour is put entirely on one side forover a week while the rites and ceremoniesof this feast are observed, and at varyingintervals during the year other festivals arecelebrated which occupy similar periods oftime. In fairness, however, to the Newar, andin defence of customs which must necessarilyinterfere not a little with the internal trade ofthe country, it should be noted that moreoften than not the share which the individualtakes in these festivals is not optional, but. SHRINE DEDICATED TO GANESH AT PATAN. DIVISION OF LABOUR 105 depends on his hereditary occupation. Underthe Newar kings from the earhest times, thevarious services connected with these cere-monials have been the duty or privilege ofcertain families or castes. A particular familyhas for generations been expected to performthe dancing, while another, of the carpentercaste, has from time immemorial constructedthe great car in which the god at the Machendra-jatra festival is seated. Others supplied themusic, and the leading family of artists modelledthe masks and executed the painting in con-nection with these picturesque events. Itis stated that an order existed that if anyNewar should without sufficient reason (whichhe will be required to show) absent himselfand shirk the performance of his hereditaryduty, he is tried and fined, the amount offine varying according to his means and theimportance of the duty which he ought to haveperformed. The popularity and magnificen
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Keywords: ., bookauthorbrownper, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookyear1912
