The Banmālā of the Nava Durgā - Between Divine and Human Roles

The performance of the Nava Durgā is a tantric dance of the newari, an ethnic group that calls itself indigenous to the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. The Nava Durgā are nine manifestations of the tantric goddess Durgā and unlike the other immortal deities, their cycle of (re) birth-death lasts eight months. The history of the performance dates back to the 15th century AD and its origin linked to the king Subarna Malla and to eight goddesses' shrines that surround the territory of Bhaktapur - the former capital of Nepal - and which act as protectors of the country. Performative and ritual knowledge has been passed down from generation to generation. With the process of modernization, the performance of the Nava Durgā presents itself as the only ritual dance left in the valley that has a relevant religious significance. Dancers and musicians are deities. All the twenty-two members of the Nava Durgā community, except the nakim, are exclusively males of the Gatha caste, which is a lower caste in newar society. The Gathas have two identities, one divine and one human. The social status of the dancers is overturned from a lower caste to a divine status. The dancers are called Banmālā (indicates their surname, it is a respectful way to call them) but for the rest of the caste, the title of Gatha remains. The reversal of the status is temporary and symbolic since the dancers are replaced at each cycle based on the indications contained in an ancient book. During the life cycle of the Nava Durgā, dancers are revered and receive offerings from all castes, as well as from politicians and the military, but their condition, in particular the economic and educational situation, is never the same as that of the upper castes. According to what was observed in the field in 2019, it was only possible for the three child dancers to complete the school year thanks to external sponsors. The performance of the Nava Durgā is one of the ethnic symbols of the newari. On the one hand, there is the attempt to strengthen their ethnic identity through the performance concerned, on the other the young Banmālā feel the need to realize their dreams: they are less motivated to impersonate the divine role and prefer to devote themselves to study and carry out a job that guarantees a stable and higher income.