Pal=lotus, swaan=flower, butta=design in Newar Language. Photo by Nikki Thapa

Most of the Newars have a mound-shaped stone placed in front of the main door of their houses. Generally, a lotus flower motif called "Palswaan Butta" is engraved on the stone. However, some houses also use an unhewn stone instead. The artistic lotus motif or a simple circular stone in front of the Newar house's door is worshipped second to Lord Ganesh by the Newar society. It is considered a representation of God Kumar, the River Goddess Ganga, or Kshetrapal Bhairab. This Palswaan, lotus motif deity in front of the main doorway is called "Pikhaalakhu" or "Pikhaalaakhi" in the Newar language. When Newars build a new house, they place some copper coins and then place the Pikhaalakhu round stone on top of them. However, there is no culture of consecrating the stone lotus motif whatsoever. The word Pikhalakhu or Pikhalakhi are linguistic words of the Newar language. Pikha + Lakhu = Pikhalakhu or Pikha + Lachhi = Pikhalakhi. Lakhu or Lachhi means a public place, outside or square. The word Lakhu also refers to a river, similarly, the original meaning of all words Lukha, Pikha, and Dhwakha is a door.  Thus, "Pikhaalakhu" is a word formed by combining the words Pikhaa: (door) and Lakhu (public place or river, ie Ganga), while Pikhaalakhi is a synonym of Pikhaalakhu as spoken in the Newar language spoken in Bhaktapur area. Therefore, Pikhaalkhu also represents the boundary separating the house (private) from the public space.

Palswaan is worshipped as Kartike, Ganga, and Keshtrapal Bhairab

Pikhaalakhu is placed at arm's length from the main doorway to the house on the floor. Many also debate that the actual place of Pikhaalakhu is not on the floor but on the door mantle so that one can worship it while entering the house. Not just houses but temples also have stone lotus motifs in front of their doorway. Traditionally, Pikhaalakhu is worshipped as God Kumar, the River Goddess Ganga, or Kshetrapal Bhairab. Kumar, also known as Kartikye, is the first son of the deity duo Shiva and Ganga, known as Shrikumar (Kartike). It is customary for the women of the house to perform morning worship to the Kumar deity of Pikhaalakhu before going to the temples. Kshetrapal Bhairab, a guardian deity of the house, is a strict god by nature. There is a belief in the society that if any misfortune or calamity befalls the family, it might be because they have angered Kshetrapal Bhairab residing in the Pikhaalakhu. Pikhaalakhu is also seen as the River Goddess Ganga or a water reservoir. Perhaps that is why Newars often offer Jamara Sprouts and flowers, traditionally worshipped as Nava Durga during the Mohni Nakha (Dashain Festival), to the Pikhaalakhu for ten days instead of immersing them in a river, as is customary. Palswaan: at Navadurga Chhen in Bhaktapur. Photo by Nikki Thapa

Meaning of Petals-Number on Pikhaalakhu/Palswaan:

According to stone sculptors,

• 6 petaled Pikhaalakhu refers to God Kumar.
• 7 petaled refer to Saptarishi (the 7 great sages revered in Hinduism).
• 8 petaled means Ashta Matrika (the eight mother goddesses) and so does the eight-pointed star engraved in the inner circle of Pikhaalakhu.
• 9 petaled means Nava Durga (9 forms of Goddess Durga).
• 12 petaled means the moon
• 16 petaled means the sun god.

Similarly, the Six pointed star engraved inside the circle represents Shiva Shakti and the five points of the star represent Panch Pandava, the five Pandava brothers from the Hindu Epic Mahabharat. A lotus flower motif called "Palswaan Butta" is engraved on the stone in Bhaktapur. Photo by Nikki Thapa 

  Translated with permission from Newa Mahashika