Kalash Yatra Procession Draws Hundreds to Braintree for Weeklong Nepali Spiritual Program

BRAINTREE, Mass. — Residents who noticed a striking procession of women dressed in red moving down Washington Street last Sunday afternoon witnessed the Kalash Yatra, a traditional march organized by members of the local Nepali community as the opening event of a seven-day religious and cultural program.

The procession began at Braintree Town Hall and concluded at the Pashupatinath and Buddha Temple and Community Center, located at 594 Washington St. It marked the start of "Boston Saptah Gyan Mahayagya," which translates roughly to "Boston's Seven-Day Grand Spiritual Symposium of Knowledge." The event is organized by the Pashupatinath Buddha Foundation of New England (PABFONE), a local nonprofit organization.

According to Milan Gurung, the event's press coordinator, more than 800 people took part in the march, an unusually large turnout for the area. The Town of Braintree granted PABFONE permission for the procession, and local police provided security and an escort for participants.

The seven-day program began on August 16 and will run through August 23. Organizers say this is only the second time such an event has been held in the Boston area; the first took place in Medford, Massachusetts, in August 2017.

PABFONE reports that as a result of the Boston Saptaha held in 2017, it raised more than $1.2 million, funds that have gone toward purchasing and maintaining the property that now houses the proposed temple and community center.

The program features Pandit Deenbandhu Pokharel, a widely known Nepali Hindu spiritual orator, who is presenting stories and teachings drawn from Hindu sacred texts. Over the past decade, Pokharel has led similar programs in cities across the United States, including Washington D.C., Chicago, Dallas and San Francisco, as well as in other countries.

Susheel Paudel, chair of PABFONE's board of trustees, said the program is intended to serve devotees and interested listeners by sharing Eastern spiritual knowledge rooted in the Srimad Bhagavatam, with an emphasis on world peace and spiritual growth.

The program is being held at 594 Washington St. in Braintree, at a temple and community center that has become a gathering place for Hindus and Buddhists across New England, drawing worshippers for regular services as well as periodic meditation sessions led by Pushkar Neupane, known as "Kalyan Mitra."