Traditional Newar family

The Newar people or Newars (/nɪˈwɑrz/;Nepal Bhasa: नेवार) are the indigenous people of the Kathmandu Valley and its surrounding areas in Nepal and the creators of its historic civilization. Since I belong to this ethnic group of Nepal, I thought of portraying the daily life of my community's ancestral lifestyle through my sketch work.

 The Newar caste system is the system by which Newars, the indigenous people of Nepal's Kathmandu Valley, are divided into groups on the basis of their hereditary occupations.For Buddhist Newars, Bajracharyas, and the Shakyas (collectively called "Bare") were most typically involved in trade.While the Bajracharyas' exclusive occupation is priesthood, the Shakyas follow the hereditary occupation of goldsmiths. The sketch demonstrates a customer who has come to a goldsmith to have her golden bangle forged while a woman from his family happens to be offering the man a Hookah (a traditional water pipe that is used to smoke flavored or sweetened tobacco).

  

Ferociously calm...

I think everyone has that ferocity inside of them; its part of our genes, its our instinct.

 

Bhairava is an important deity of the Newars. All the traditional settlements of Newars have at least a temple of Bhairava. Kala Bhairava, is a Hindu deity, a fierce manifestation of Shiva associated with annihilation. He is often depicted with angry eyes and sharp, tiger's teeth and flaming hair, stark naked except for garlands of skulls and a coiled snake about his neck. In his four hands he carries a  trident, drum, and skull. He is often shown accompanied by a dog

 This deity fascinates me because so far all the other deities I have observed, I have always found them in a calm and soothing position. However, the fierce, however strong and bold look on Lord Kala Bhairav reminds me that as humans have different personality and mood in different hours, the same applies to the deities! Also, the strength and power management skill in Bhairav impresses and inspires me to empower myself not only physically but mentally as well. Moreover he is also known as the manifestation of Lord Shiva who manages time. So while in Grade 8, I made this sketch of his impressed by the various characters he possesses.

My name-My identity

Although we loved you dearly,we couldn't make you stay.
A golden heart stopped beating,hardworking hands at rest.
God broke our hearts to prove us,
He only takes the best....."

     My name "Aryatara" is as special as the person who named me to be so- my grandpa *YAGYAMAN BAJRACHARYA*

It is believed that human nature can be changed with the proper understanding of the mathematical principles applied to language, and specifically to name. When asked, “Who are you?”, we reply with our name and not that of our friends’ or brother’s or sister’s. We respond only to our name and it indeed determines our identity and personality.

 Called the ‘Goddess of Action’, Green Tara or Aryatara is emerald colored. (Also known as Jetsun Dolma in Tibetan Buddhism), she is a female Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism and appears as a female Buddha in Vajrayana Buddhism. She is known as the “mother of liberation” who represents virtues of success in works and achievements.

As my name is ‘Aryatara’, I decided to put myself on paper and further explore my hobby of sketching and drawing at the same time. While in Grade 10, I made a sketch of this deity whose name I have inherited and dedicated it to my Baba(maternal grandfather) who named me so!

 Before you, sitting on a lotus, is a beautiful woman with a body of green radiating light. Tara’s body language expresses her inner realizations and outer activities. She doesn’t sit with her head down or with her arms crossed in front of her chest, as we do when we are closed or unhappy. Rather, her “dancing posture” is relaxed, open and friendly. Her outstretched right foot indicates her readiness to step into the realms of suffering, confused beings in order to help us. Due to her altruistic intention, Tara can appear in these realms without being adversely affected by the environment. She doesn’t shy away from suffering, but faces it fearlessly and compassionately, thereby counteracting it. Her left leg is tucked in, demonstrating that she has full control over her subtle inner energies. No matter whether others praise or blame her, harm or help her, her energy is not pushed off balance and she does not lose her equanimity.

 Tara’s right hand in the gesture of granting sublime realizations shows that by following the path we can attain these realizations ourselves. This gesture is also called the gesture of generosity, symbolizing her willingness to give material possessions, love, protection and the Dharma to all beings according to their needs and their dispositions. Her left hand is in the gesture of the Three Jewels, with the thumb and ring finger touching and the other three fingers stretched upward. These three fingers represent the Three Jewels. They indicate that by entrusting ourselves to these three and practicing their teachings, we can actualize the unity of compassionate bliss and wisdom, symbolized by the joining of her ring finger and thumb.

 As appealing as the meaning of my name may sound, it stands to be equally challenging for me to be able to justify its connotation! However, I know that I'd want to be the first "Aryatara" of the twenty first century than a re-incarnation of some deity!