Lakhey Dance

Lakhey – the dancing demon

Newar dances have many forms but the ones that stand out are the masked dances. Lakhey among them is supposedly the most popular and photographed that most recognize. And even more famous is the nerve-racking Majipa Lakhey or Lakhey Āju, performed by the Ranjitkars of Kathmandu. He shows up each year during the Indra Jatra festival (Yenya Punhi) the festival celebrating Indra, the Hindu king of heaven in September and bears its name from a neighbouring settlement of Kathmandu named Majipa. It is believed that in olden times the clothes dyers Ranjitkars, were assigned with the responsibility of organizing and dancing the lakhey dance. While he goes around the city performing, people offer him food and ritual items. The word Lakhey in Newah stands for carnivorous demons. The last day of Indra Jatra witnesses many other dances like the 12 bhairavs but nothing matches the intimidating lakhey dance which is a feast to the eyes of the spectator.

There is also the lesser known female lakhey called Lasin (लसिं) who is believed to be the wife of Majipa Lakhey. They also had a daughter named Lakhapati.

The austere mask known as Khawpa, with eye-catching fangs, saw-like teeth and tresses of red or black hair resembling a demon is believed to be possessed by the spirit of lakhey and that it is the spirit that captures the body of the dancer who then dances to the commands of the spirit. The dancer wears a sparkling red and golden top and a long skirt. They tie handkerchief in both their hands which looks attractive when the dancer waves his hands in the air in a demonic way, a typical step of the dance. The dress of the Lakhey alongwith the mask can weigh up to be quite heavy. And yet the dance is performed with ease and grace. People say this dance is not taught but instead is innate by the dancer from the spirit possessing the mask. The mask itself is a symbol of the traditional and painstaking Newah-Tibetan art made of papier-mâché and yak tails used for the hair.

This dance is performed on the beats of traditional Newah music created by playing Dhaa, a double-headed barrel shaped drum which is the most common in sight among the Newah musical instruments. It is accompanied by Bhusya a pair of cymbals with straps to tie up around the wrists.

There are different lakheys and these mythological creatures are said to live in different parts of Kathmandu city.
Majipa Lakhey (मजिपाः लाखे) also known as the peaceful Bhairav. The dance of this lakhey is performed only in the week of full moon of the month Yenlaa of the Nepal Sambat calendar.
Michyāh Lakhey (मिच्या: लाखे) is a spirit who is said to cause fire wherever it lives and that people possessed by it are also believed to cause a fire. The word Michyāh Lakhey means "fire burning demon" in Newah.
Minpu Lakhey (मिंपू लाखे) also causes a fire.
Gunla Lakhey (गुंला लाखे) is performed during Gunla, the 10th month in the Nepal Sambat calendar which normally falls in August.

There are a number of legends of lakhey. The most prominent is that in the eleventh century during the rule of Gunakamdev Kathmandu was facing severe famine after a long draught. To come out of the situation Gunakamdev invited Goddess Taleju Bhawani to bless the town with rainfall. But along with her came carnivorous Lakhey, her bodyguard. The king could not deny the Goddess to bring him but he restrained his entry from the border of the city. Overtime Lakhey fell in love with a girl from the town Majipa and started visiting her disguised as a human being. One day people recognised him and they arrested him. He was brought to the king but the king exempted him from punishment and in turn offered to allow him to stay in the city if he promised to protect the children from other demons. The king also directed him to partake in the annual Yenya Punhi Jatra, also called Indra Jatra as a punishment ordered by gods for his illicit affair with the young girl. The lakhey agreed and this is how the demon who used to live in the forests became the protector of the city. 

Alongwith the lakhey dances another demon known as Jhyalincha, who provokes the lakhey and slips into the crowd during the whole performance. Lakhey runs after him and seeing him heading towards them people scatter away out of fear and in all this the crowd too looks like a part of the performance. All this depicts the interaction between the world of God, demon and human beings. And perhaps it also recreates a scene of fight between Lakhey and other demons which occurred while protecting the town as per the agreement with the king.

As per another belief lakhey was instructed by Akash Bhairav and Hanuman to send two cannibal children of the king called Sawa and Bhaku in exile. But those two kids came back on the day of Yenya Punhi to claim their rule over the city and to eat humans. And hence on this day lakhey sends them back again out of the city.

In Nepal we can find various other versions of Lakhey apart from that of the Kathmandu Valley. Those Newars, who migrated to other regions, also took this tradition along with them. So, we can see Lakhey performances in dozens of other Newar settlements in different districts of Nepal like Deilekh, Syangja, Kaski, Dhankuta, Sunsari, Jhapa, Ilam and so on. Over a period of time, they might have failed to keep other traditions intact, but Lakhey has been a part of the Newah identity in such places and they are entertaining the locals.

Lakhey is undeniably one of the most significant parts of the Newah culture. It’s a beautiful combination representing both the Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Hence, efforts need to be put forth to preserve it and not let it die in our modern world. After all how often is it that we get to witness recreation of a dancing demon mesmerizing the crowd gathered in God’s court?