राजभण्डार महाराजथानः सांस्कृतिक अध्ययन {Cultural Study of Rajbhandar Maharajsthan}
Authors: दुलाल Dulal लोकनाथ Loknath 
Published: November 2022

ग्रामथान गाउँका स्थानीय मिलेर सामूहिक रुपमा ग्रामीण देउदेउताको पूजाउपासना गर्ने उद्देश्यले निर्माण गरिएका देवस्थल हुन् । स्थानीय क्षेत्रमा असलर उदाहरणीय कार्य गरी ख्याति आर्जन गरेका पञ्चराजाजी, ठाकुर सरदार,परी तथा अप्सरा, कुलनायक, पितृ, पुर्खा, पूर्वज, धामीधमियन जस्ता नायककासाथै वनजङ्गल, नदी खोला, पशुपंक्षीलाई देउता स्वीकार गरी सामूहिक रुपमा श्रद्धा भक्ति पूजा उपासना अर्पण गर्न ग्रामथान निर्माण गरिएको हो । ग्रामथानमा दैनिक मात्र होइन वार्षिक रुपमा मेला पर्व चल्दछ । ठूलो सङ्ख्यामा भोगबली चढाइन्छ । वार्षिकरुपमा लाग्ने मेला पूजा, भाकल तथा भोगबली ग्रामथानका विशिष्ट सांस्कृतिक परम्परा हुन् । प्रकृतिपूजक आदिवासी समुदायको बसोवासरहेका क्षेत्रमा ग्रामथान एवम् वार्षिकरुपमा चल्ने मेला पूजा परम्परा अस्तिङ्खवमा देखिन्छन् । मोरङ जिल्लामा थारु, राजवंशी, धिमाल, माझी, झाँगड, बाँतर,सन्थाल, मुसहर जस्ता प्रकृतिपूजक समुदायको बसोवास पाइन्छ । त्यसोहुँदा यहाँ धेरैको सङ्ख्यामा ग्रामथान पाइन्छन् । त्यस्ता ग्रामथानहरुमध्ये यो लेख साविकको डाँगीहाट गाविस वडा नं १ हाल बेलबारी नगरपालिका वडा न.१० बलुवाहीस्थित राजभण्डार महाराजथानका सांस्कृतिक सम्पदासँग सम्बन्धित विविध पक्षको विश्लेषणका निम्ति तयार पारिएको हो । राजभण्डार को हुन् ? राजभण्डार महाराजथान कति पुरानो देवस्थल हो ? यस थानका प्रमुख उपासक समुदाय को को हुन् ? पूजा उपासना गरिने प्रमुख देउदेउता के के हुन् ? पूजा उपासनाको प्रक्रिया तथा पद्धति कस्तो छ ? भन्ने अनुसन्धानका समस्यालाई यो लेखले सम्वोधन गरेको छ । यस लेखमा प्राथमिक तथा द्वितीयक तथ्याड्ढ विश्लेषण गरिएका छन् । यो गुणात्मक, विवरणात्मक तथा विश्लेषणात्मक ढाँचामा आधारित लेख हो ।

{The tradition of Gramthan Pooja is an important cultural practice in Nepal, which is in existence from the very early days. It is a tradition to honor and venerate different types of folk deities in the village  shrines collectively. This tradition is found especially in the Terai communities like Tharu,Rajabanshi, Dhimal, Yadhav, Majhi, Jhangar, Mushahar/Musher and so on. The village shrinesare by constructed using local materials, technology and indigenous architectural style. In these pilgrimages, the local people offer special worship to their folk deities once a year ona particular day during the months of Baishakh, Jestha and Ashar. On the Occasion, a huge mela, a kind of fairis organized which is locally called Siruwa Mela in Tharu, Siruwa Pawaniin Rajabanshi and Srijat or Dhandhange Mela in Dhimal community especially in Morang district of eastern Nepal. In many villages there are several gramthansi. e. village shrines which are considered as the common site of pilgrimages of the locality. This paper deals with the Rajbhandar Maharajthan located in the Belbari Municipality 10, Morang. It is based on primary and secondary data. Secondary data have been collected through the previous works whereas; primary data have been gathered through the field survey. During the fieldwork observation, key informants interviews, focus group discussions and questionnaire methods and tools have been applied. It is based on qualitative approach and descriptive and analytical research design as well. Finally, this paper addresses the following research questions such as who is the Rajbhandar Maharaj? What is his historicity? Which are the folk deities worshipped by the villagers? And what is the method of worship?}