Asan Tol Project
odd: label: General
content: Local Numbers: HSFA 1989.5.1 - 3a
name: label: Collection Creator
content: Lewis, Todd, 1952-
setName: label: See more items in
content: Todd Lewis films of Asan Tol
physdesc: label: Extent
content: Video recordings (color sound)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1987
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Human Studies Film Archives
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Video recordings
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Full video record is a documentation project of a religious and ceremonial life in Asan Tol, a central bazaar in Kathmandu which is important both as a hub for economic transactions and a focal point in the religious geography of the Kathmandu Valley. Shots depict activities around the diety/Bodhisattva Karunamya, one of the central figures in the popular Buddhism of the Mahayana tradition. The diety is carried on a ratha (ritual conveyance/palequin) through the central markets of Kathmandu where devotees make devotions; forms of devotionalism depicted include a host of offerings intended to please the "senses" of the diety; the lighting of 108 wick lamps; offering puja plates and coins; drum and horn music played by groups known as bajans; chanting and reading from the sutras of the Buddhist tradition; adornment with tika (dot on forehead). Many of the sequences illustrate the interbraiding between religious and economic spheres such as the tika dealers adorning the heads of devotees of the ratha and its attendants taking puja and returning prasad.

Legacy Keywords: Ritual devotions bodhisattva ; Bazaars ritual theatre ; Religion Buddhism Mahayana traditions ; Ritual structures ratha palequins ; Markets Asan Tol Kathmandu ; Temples Annapurna Newar Buddhism ; Ritual devotions offerings puja ; Flowers vendors of Kathmandu ; Shrines mobile Ratha Kathmandu ; Priests puja Karunamya ; Crowds bazaars social interaction Kathmandu ; Music devotional bajans ; Musical instruments drums horns bajans ; Chants devotionalism Buddhism ; Language and culture

Video camera: Brian Hollander