Kartik Nach of Patan

Kartik Nach, a traditional dance-drama performed in Lalitpur, takes place on a public platform in front of the seventeenth-century Patan Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and has been continuing for nearly 400 years. This unique art form, which blends dance, drama, and music, was first staged in 1641 AD by King Siddhinarasingh Malla. Over time, it became a significant piece of intangible heritage, nurtured by three generations of Malla kings. King Siddhinarasingh began with an 8-day performance, his son Sriniwas Malla extended it to 15 days, and finally, his grandson Yognarendra Malla stretched it to a full month.

The tradition began during a time of great crisis under Siddhinarasingh Malla’s reign. The city seemed to have lost its prosperity, and despite numerous rituals and offerings, nothing restored its former glory. Distressed, the king turned to his learned gurus, who advised him to invoke the wrathful deity Narasimha, an incarnation of Vishnu. However, Narasimha's aid came at a heavy cost: an annual human sacrifice, or "narbali." Understandably, the king hesitated, as no one would willingly offer their life. The gurus, however, suggested an alternative—invoking Narasimha through Tantric rituals with a symbolic narbali, one that would avoid bloodshed.

This sparked a brilliant idea in the king's mind—to stage a dramatic performance that would symbolically represent the sacrifice and appease the gods, while also educating the people. Siddhinarasingh Malla himself wrote the entire play, centered around the fierce god Narasimha, who was summoned to avert disaster. Thus, Kartik Nach was born as both a spiritual and cultural spectacle.

However, this rich tradition came close to disappearing. The full month-long performance was last held in 1949, before it was interrupted by the revolution of 1950 that overthrew the Rana regime. For the next three decades, Kartik Nach was reduced to just two days. It wasn't until 1982, with the establishment of the Kartik Nach Management Committee, that the dance received a new lease on life, gradually returning to an 8-day celebration, thanks to the dedication of the artists and the support of various patrons. Today, the Committee continues to work towards restoring the full month-long performance, adding more days each year, with the hope of fully reviving this historic tradition in the near future.

Compiled from news articles and other various sources