Biska:, The Solar New Year [20-29]

In 1975/76 the solar New Year sequence began on the eleventh day of the waxing lunar fortnight Caulathwa, during April. This sequence lasts for nine days, and includes several component events. We will present these in the following chapter in conjunction with the other events of the solar calendar. The sequence as a whole is of focal importance for Bhaktapur, in ways that we will specify. It centers around the dangerous deities, and is concerned with the integration of city units in the face of the passions that can destroy that unity.