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appease
ICH Elements 2
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Pholha: Ritual to the Deity of Males
Ney village is one of many across Bhutan to observe a Pholha ritual, a seasonal ceremony to appease the local patron deity. Pholha literally means "male god" who protects the area under his control, such as certain parts of the valley. The identity of the guardian varies from region to region, as does the ritual. The Pholha takes place in Ney every year on the 22nd day of the first lunar month according to the Bhutanese calendar. The villagers perform the ritual mainly to appease their local deity and make offerings. Terdag Zora Ra-ky, the patron deity of Ney Tsachu hot spring; Tsan Yawacha-dhuen, the seven deities; and the Zhidag lord of the settlement of Ney village. The ritual mainly consists of sealing or closing the mountains to people for a certain season, this practice known as Rigya Lungya Dam or Ridam intends to avoid disturbance or defilements of the holiness of the deity’s abode as well as the surrounding sacred areas. Ridam is a practice of mountain sealing known in many parts of the mountains. The road to Baeyul Khempajong, a sacred hidden land, and the mountains are closed to people from spring to autumn until the rice harvest. During this time, people are generally not allowed to enter the area to collect natural resources or visit any place in the area. This prohibition is especially strong for outsiders not from the village. On the day of Pholha, they go early in the morning to the Pholha Phodrang, the deity’s residence, which is located above the village, and make offerings to the Terdag Zora Rakye. Afterwards, they return to the Lhakhang, temple, and make the offering to their Zhidag Yawacha-dhuen, who is located below the mountain Khenjey ri, which can be seen from the village. Villagers in Net perform this ritual believing they are at the eastern gate of the secret land of Baeyul Khenpajong. Before reaching the village at a place called Khaiphu, they believe that there is a key to the secret land, and on the way to Khempajong at a place called Juemo, there is a gate in the form of a large stone. To keep these sacred places secure they perform the Pholha ritual every year.
Bhutan -
Neypo: Seasonal Offering to the Local Deity
The Neypo ritual is a seasonal offering performed across Bhutan to appease local deities, Ney village in Lhuentse to the northeast is one of many villages to perform this ritual. Neypo literally means "Zhidag", a category of deity who protects the area under their control or certain parts of the valley. The identity of the protector figure varies from region to region, as does the ritual. In Ney village, the Neypo ritual is performed every year on the 15th day of the third lunar month of the Bhutanese calendar. The ritual is performed in their Lhakhang, temple, in order to appease the local deity Zhidag Drakpa Gyalpo with offerings. In return, the community asks for his protection of their farms from wild animals. The Zhidag is believed to dwell below the village in a dense forest on the left side of Kurichu. Zhidag Drakpa Gyalpo has a grim appearance with a black face, dark clothes, and a reindeer mount with ten horns. He has one face and two hands; in his right hand he holds a flaming sword and in his left hand he holds a robe or Zhagpa sling. Within a single second he could cover the distance between any two places. Eighth century tantric master Guru Rinpoche (Skt. Padmasambhava) bound Drakpa Gyalpo by oath and made him the protector of the East Gate of the hidden land Baeyul Khempajong, and sworn to be the Dharma protector in the region. During the Neypo ritual, the entrance to the dense forest is sealed off for people which will last for a whole season, which is called Rigya lungya dam or Ridam. Ridam is a common practice of mountain closure in which the path to the Zhidag Phodrang, deity’s abode, and the surrounding dense forest are closed to human access from spring to autumn until the rice harvest. During this period, people are generally not allowed to enter the area to collect natural resources or visit any place in the area. After performing rituals, no one is allowed to go there unless except for exceptional occasions. This restriction applies to outsiders as well as people from the village.
Bhutan