Bhaktapur Yomari, also called Yamari, is a delicacy of the Newar community in Nepal. It is a steamed dumpling that consists of an external covering of rice flour and an inner content of sweet substances such as chaku/khuwa. Yomari is a Newari dish that is traditionally prepared during the Yomari Punhi, which takes place in mid-December, or during other significant Newari holidays. Yomari is a healthful, sweet, and nutritious dessert made from rice flour, molasses, and sesame seeds.
The delicacy is an integral feature of the Yomari Punhi festival and plays a major role in Newa society. Some believe the Yomari‘s triangle shape represents half of the Shadkona (Hexagon), Saraswati‘s and wisdom’s symbol.
THE YOMARI SONG
योमरी च्वाम्मु उक्के दुने चाकु ( Yomari are pointed and filling is sweet)
ब्युमा ल्यासेय मब्युमा बुरिचा (If you give me bread, you are pretty if not you are ugly)
Yomari Punhi is a celebration in which rice is offered to Annapurna, the goddess of grains, and a sweet delicacy called Yomari is prepared. Families gather to prepare Yomari on this day, and young people used to wander around the neighborhood singing the Yomari song and requesting Yomari. People build Yomari in various shapes, including gods and goddesses like Laxmi, Ganesh, Kubera, and Saraswati, and place them in a huge grain basket known as Bhakari as a tribute to the gods, thanking them for a bountiful harvest.
FILLINGS AND YOMARI SHAPES
Yomari is a rice flour-based pastry filled with Chaku (Molasses Sugar) or Khuwa(condensed milk used to make sweets) and fashioned like a fig. Sesame seeds and shredded coconut are combined in the chaku. Yomari can also be stuffed with minced pork or Suluju, a black bean paste.
Yomari’s shape has been the subject of numerous theories. Some call it the earth, with two tails referred to as the north and south poles, while others call it a fish. It’s also thought to be Tahsi-shaped ( Bimiro). In Newar tradition, Tahsi is revered as a divinity and is a necessary fruit for Mha Puja. Longevity, wealth, prosperity, and fertility are all represented by Tahsi.
YOMARIN PUNHI IMPORTANCE
For the Newars, Yomari Punhi is extremely significant because it marks the start of the winter season and the end of the harvest season. During the harvest season, the farmers labor long and hard, and Yomari is ready to reward them with a sweet dish for their efforts. They gather together after the long harvest time and make Yomari with their families. It’s also a way of showing gratitude for the farmers’ tireless efforts in the field to produce rice.