Nak katiya in Varanasi : A Tradition Tableaux with Message

What is Nak Katiya

Varanasi is the cultural capital of our country, and the people of this city not only believe in the traditions but also follow them sincerely. It has many cultural events in its store, and the festival of Nak Katiya in Varanasi is one such tradition, where the participants present the age-old legend of Lakshman cutting off the nose of Suparnakha.

History & Legend behind Nak Katiya

The epic Ramayana mentions several famous incidents of Dwapark Yug. One such incident is the nose cutting of Suparnakha by Lakshman. Hence, the legend of Nak Katiya dates back to the period of Lord Rama.

During the exile of Lord Rama, Devi Sita and Lakshman in Jungle, one-day sister of Ravana, Suparnakha, came near their residence. After meeting Lakshman, she fell in love with him and asked him to marry her. However, following his polite rejection of her request, she conveyed it to Shri Rama. She was so eager to marry one of the two brothers that she even requested Prabhu Rama for leaving Devi Sita alone. Lakshman became so enraged that he hacked off her nose with his sword. Further, this incidence led to the kidnapping of Devi Sita and the murder of Ravana and his wicked brothers.

This famous episode is the base of the Nak Katiya fair in Varanasi, and it was started in 1888 by Baba Fatehram. It was the period when our country was under British rule, and therefore, the chief purpose of this fair was to overthrow the British with the aid of religion.

Today also this fair and a tableau takes place in the Chetaganj area. However, now this fair is not only limited to the religious event, but it also presents floats on many current and moral giving subjects, such as girl education, addiction, Beti Bachao, and Swachh Bharat. Nag Nathaiya is also a famous festival of Varanasi, read about it.

Cultural Significance of Nak Katiya

The Chetganj Nak Katiya Varanasi 2022 is famous around the world. It is a crowd-puller event, and each year, people from different parts of the world visit Varanasi to witness this historic event. This fair is very dear to the people as it depicts several incidents of Ramayana. It passes a very subtle message to the people: the end of every evil is dreadful. Evil may shine momentarily, but ultimately, every bad will face the consequences of its deeds.

How Nak Katiya is Celebrated

In the famous Nak Katiya Mela, the characters sequentially exhibit the events of the epic Ramcharit Manas. Firstly, Lakshman cuts the nose of Ravan’s sister Suparnakha. Subsequently, to protest this insult, Suparnakha and her brothers Khar and, Dooshan will display their valour by fighting with Lakshman.

The main attraction of Chetganj Nak Katiya is the war performance of the character presenting Rama. This performance takes place in the tableaux between Pishchamochan and Sankatmochan. At midnight the district manager of Varanasi inaugurates this fair, but the staging of this Leela begins at around 9 o’clock at Chetganj with Lakshman cutting the nose of Suparnakha.

The tableau of this fair begins at Patel Chowk in Maldahiya, where the army of Khar-Dooshan, which includes elephants, horses, and camels, takes part. Suparnakha will lead the army of valiant. You can also see Dashanan aboard his plane. The paths of these tableaux are Pishchamochan, Chetganj police station, Lahurabir square, Chaurchhatwa, Chetganj Chaumuhani, Benbaba temple to Mathura Prasad road. The decoration of the route of this famous event is breathtaking. It has colourful fringes and tube lights, and you will also find many foods and toys stalls. To know about Budhwa Mangal, click  here.

When and Where Nak Katiya is celebrated

People of Varanasi celebrate this famous festival on the night of Karwa Chauth at Chetganj. To be more precise, Nak Katiya Mela, Chetganj, Varanasi falls on the day of Kartik Krishna Chaturthi, which comes a week after the day of Dussehra.

FAQs

Q- What type of clothes to wear to this fair?
A-It is a cultural event, so it is advisable to wear traditional and modest clothes.

Q – When to reach the venue?
A- Reach well before time to take up a comfortable viewing place.

Q- Can we take a vehicle to the place?
All the roads are closed for vehicles because of the excessive crowd. Therefore, we advise you to take your conveyance up to Lauhrabeer then walk to the place.

Q- What is the distance between Lauhrabeer to chetganj ?
A-Approximately, it is 1.5 km.