Nepal, Central Region, Bagmati Zone, Bhairav Dance 2: Bhaktapur is also known as the ‘capital of cultural dances and cultural music’. Among many traditional cultural dances of Bhaktapur, mask dances are one of the most popular. And among these masked dances the ‘Bhairav Pyakhan’ or ‘Bhairav Dance’ is the most popular one.
Almost all of the traditional dances follow some kind of legend and traditional beliefs and same with the “Bhairava Pyakhan” or “Bhairava Dance”. The legend behind the “Bhairav Dance” goes as follows. Hundreds of years back, the evil forces and beings, ‘Bhoot’, ‘Pisach’ and ‘Rakshasa’, started to dominate the world. The evil beings, ‘Daityas’ started destroying humans and the natural balance was threatened. Then the god “Bhairava” came down to Earth with other divine bodies to destroy those evil beings for restoring peace and to maintain the natural balance. (1/51)
Venue: Bhaktapur Night 2006