People from the Newa community on Wednesday celebrated Mha Pooja—worship of the self.

The community also marked the Nepal Sambat 1143 new year, in the morning and observed Mha Puja in the evening. Mha Puja falls on the first day of Nepal Sambat year.

Mha Pula literally means self-worship. People of the Newa community mark this on the fourth night of Tihar, Kartik Shukla Pratipada, by worshiping self with a hope that light of knowledge shall spread after the destruction of ignorance.

On this day, sweet dishes are prepared at home and mandalas (sacred diagrams as a symbol of their soul) are drawn on the floor and worshipped.

Family members sit in front of the mandalas and the lady of the house presents each of them with a burning wick, sacred thread Jajanka and fruits symbolising long life and good fortune.

Historian Prof Dr Purushottam Lochan Shrestha said Mha Puja, an ancient festival of the Newa community, is the symbol of knowledge to know self and spread knowledge in the world; and a symbol of prosperity.

Here are some photos of the Mha Puja rituals being performed at a house in Chhauni in Kathmandu captured by Post’s photographer Sanjog Manandhar.