There’s also a Newa Valentine’s Day: Matina Paru

Valentine’s Day began in the 1st century in Rome. Alentine of Rome was a priest in Rome who was martyred in 269, admitted by Pope Galesius to the list of saints in 496 and buried in the Via Flaminia. St. Valentine’s relics are housed in St. Valentine’s Church and Catacombs in Rome.“It remained an important pilgrimage site throughout the Middle Ages until the relics of St. Valentine were moved to St. Prassede’s Church during the Pontificate of Nicholas IV.” Saint Valentine’s flower-crowned skull is on display in the Santa Maria Basilica in Cosmedin, Rome. Many relics can be found in Dublin, Ireland, at White friar Street Carmelite Church.

Have you experienced such a similar day in the Newa culture of love, romance and sex?

Matina Paru, celebrated according to Nepal Sambat, falls on Yomari Punhi’s second day. According to Basu Pasa, author of the historical book ‘ Kantipur, ‘ the fish-shaped Yomari, known as Bayo, symbolizes the male sex organ among different forms of this sweet-dish, whereas the triangle shaped with two points at the end, known as Mayo Yomari, suggests the female sex organ and represents father and mother respectively. The Bayo Yomari, while the Mayo Yomari is packed with peas, is filled with molasses and sesame seeds. Therefore, it is perceived that Yomari is a symbolic gender mix.

‘ Yomari Fonegu ‘ culture is linked to love and romance. People went back, toles to toles to ask Yomari, and they had the opportunity to sneak peek and chat to their loved ones at that time. Society has been conservative of love in conventional days. In those days, the Newa Community celebrate Yomari Punhi’s ‘ Yomari Fonegu ‘ was used as a cruising day, and lovers would meet the other day secretly. There was no mobile phone, there were no computers. People would write in particular expressions:

‘द्यः निभाः ह्याउँ ह्याउँ धाइ बलय् बुइँचा हिति फल्चा क्वसं पंबुझाः ल्यूने’

(as the sun starts to get red, down from Buincha hiti falcha, behind the bamboo trees)

Some people also tell the story of Majipaa Lakhey about Matina Paru. Majipa Lakhey’s love story is another mythical love story, where after falling in love with a Newa girl from Kathmandu, a Lakhey (Demon) becomes a caretaker.

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