ᴷʰʸᵃᵏ (ख्याक)- ᴬ ᴹⁱᵗʰᵒˡᵒᵍⁱᶜᵃˡ ᶜʰᵃʳᵃᶜᵗᵉʳ

 Khyak has carried  a great importance in Newar Culture of Nepal. Khyak (ख्याक) is a mythical humanoid creature in Newari folklore. It is depicted as a fat, hairy and short ape-like creature. In Nepal Bhasa, it is called 'Khyah'.

Khyah appear in children's stories popular in Newar society. A friendly Khyah fills the home with goodness while bad ones bring trouble. A white Khyah is believed to bring good luck while a black one can create problems. Encountering a Khyah can make one ill. Khyah are said to tickle their victims to death.

In Newar culture, Khyahs attend to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and pictures of the deity show them guarding overflowing bags of coins. Hence, Khyah is considered to be the protector  of wealth in house of Newar people. Household Khyah usually dwell in the attic and dark storerooms. They are said to fear electric lighting.

As the tale goes, once there was argument between  'Mahadev' and 'Goddess Parwati' that giving birth to young one is possible without the involvement of women and man respectively.So to prove the argument's topic. They decided to have little ones without each other's involvement.
The baby borne by 'Mahadev' comes out  having  only skeleton portion  of body.Similarly  on another side the baby borne by  'Goddess Parwati' was only  a portion of skin only. Hence ,these offsprings are considered as 'Khyak'.

The antithesis of the Khyah is the Kawancha, a skeleton. Khya and Kawanchas appear as supporting characters in sacred dance dramas of the Newars. Images of Khya and Kawanchas are also placed at temples as guardians of the shrine.

        𝕋𝕪𝕡𝕖𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕂𝕙𝕪𝕒𝕙:

1.Barah Khyah(बारा ख्याः)

It appears in rooms where girls are kept in as a tradition  of'barah' .This is a tradition called 'Gufa(बारा)'in newar culture where a girl is kept in a dark room for 12 days where she will be unable to get touch within sunlight and male contact. This is done before mensuration cycle  starts. 'It is also called 'Surya Darshan'.

The tradition of keeping this Khyah started when   a long time ago when a young girl was kept in a dark room , as per tradition of 'barah'.She was afraid of being there .In the mean time there was a khyah living in that house. Seeing the girl in miserable condition of fear , Khyah changed his appearance in the girl and start being with her in the dark place . When the girl's mother found out about the khyah , she thanked it and hence tradition of keeping 'barah khyah' started as a friend and protector of girl during her barah.

2.Bhakun Gwara Khyah (भकुं ग्वारा ख्याः),

 It literally football that  rolls on the ground to move around.

3.Dhapalaa Khyah  (धापलां ख्याः) 

 It is a very hairy Khyah.

Lanpan Khyah (लँपं ख्याः) blocks people's way on dark streets.

4.Bun Khyah : is the one who lives at crop field.

           Khyah dance:             During the Yenya festival ( Indra Jatra) in Kathmandu, dance performances are held at market squares and the Durbar Square where actors dressed in Khyah costumes give dance performances. The dances, known as Khyāh Pyākhan (ख्याः प्याखं), consist of antics and tumbling.

In Bhaktapur, 'Mahakali Nritya ' a popular and important cultural dance also have 'khyah' as one of the character.

Similarly, 'Kartik Naach' of Patan also have ' Khyah' as the character.

Other ' Gaa Pyakha' , a traditional dance showing various characters of God, in Kathmandu Valley also have 'Khyah ' as character. Here it may not be the main character but a supporting character.