Shringabheri Jatra (Neku Jatra)

Because of his addiction to hunting, King Sinhaketu died and was reborn in his next life as a bull. His virtuous wife from that former life, Queen Sulakshana, was born as a brahmin maiden named Rupavati.

Rupavati, who possessed knowledge of her previous birth, learned that the bull was in fact her husband from a former life, and served it with devotion. But when the bull fell from a cliff and died, she began to wail.

The Bodhisattva appeared and consoled her: "Do not grieve. Build a chaitya over the bull's skeleton, and making an instrument from its horn, blow it as you circumambulate the chaitya; your husband will be released."

As Rupavati blew the instrument made from the bull's horn (neku) and circumambulated the chaitya for twenty-one days, the bull was freed of its sins and appeared in a divine godly form.

From that time on, during the month of Gunla, followers of Buddhism have blown the horn instrument and circumambulated the chaityas, celebrating 'Neku Jatra' (Shringabheri Jatra).