The following story is based on ancient myths and texts which has been interpreted with additions of details to provide gravity.
As the winds of winter began beating the drums, it became obvious that the upcoming season was to be one of the coldest they would see. As Krita woke up, on a fine morning she couldn’t help but take a fresh breath of morning due, with a light hint of incenses. She went for her morning routine, and as she was about to head out to the Indreshwar Temple for her daily ritual. She cried out for her husband, “You have to wake up now. Today is the end of the harvest, help me out bringing in the grains. They aren’t going to roll themselves in the store! You also need to assist me in the kitchen today, if not then you should make plans to eat at your friend's house today. I can’t do it alone, I hope the harvest is enough to keep us this winter. Wake up!”
With a grunt, Suchandra tries to shrug her off but as Krita pulled the blanket, and as the winds of the fall morning made contact, Suchandra was awake as an owl. Krita left her husband, who looked like he had been hit by a wall of bricks for the temple of Indreshwar.
Along the way, she greeted the elders, took their blessings and heard the words of a celebration of the harvest festival to happen in the evening. She was filled with happiness and said to herself, “A festival that sounds amazing. When was the last time I was at a festival? Oh, When Suchandra and I went to Bhaktapur to see the Biska Jatra. He doesn’t even take me out anymore, he has grown lazy too, well typical of men!” Krita was mesmerized with the thought a festival in town and as she imagined the vibrant streets, the merry music she had a smile on her face. She was so lost in her thoughts, she failed to realize that she had already walked past the temple. Only later to come back to earth, when an elder asked the direction to the temple.
She walked with the elderly gentlemen, as they were headed the same direction. As they reached the temple, she bowed to him and told him that she shall part from here. The elder reached out his hand touched her forehead and said, “Bhagyamani Gui Ma!” ( May you be fortunate!)
As she offered her prayers to the deity she stopped by the local vendor, confused about what to put together for the daily meal. She noticed something peculiar amidst the produces being sold on that very day. The vendor had an assortment of Chaku (Sugar Molasses) and with the evening festivities in mind, she wished to make something new.
She bought a few blocks of Chaku along with a few more products and headed towards home. Suchandra had woken up and had started to prepare to bring in the grains of this seasons harvest. She smiled at him as she stepped inside her home and went towards the kitchen to sort all the produces. She stared at the Chaku as she placed it atop the table and wondered what treat she could whip up with this new ingredient. After placing all the produces, she headed outside to help her husband bring in all the grain.
As if in the blink of an eye, the day had passed by and with a quick lunch they continued taking in all the grain and began inventory. “This year it seems the gods have taken all our fortunes and given it at one go,” said Suchandra with a delightful smile as the grains this year had tripled last years harvest. “Did we cut down someone else's crops too?” Questioned Suchandra.“ Well if we had worked as hard as this year in the previous years, then we could have collected on our fortunes the previous years as well,” said Krita.
As the sun slowly set its way towards the western horizon the evening was soon to approach. The merry tunes of the drums could be heard playing in the distance. Krita is a panic, “What are we to prepare for the tonight?” Suchandra, “Well I don’t know, how should I know!”
Krita left the store in a hurry and made her way to the kitchen and stared at the produces she had collected earlier. Each great but none go together in avid confusion she began checking the stores. She took some rice grains from this year's harvest and took it in a hurry to the mill. She had them grounded to fine grain and wished to make her husbands favourite Chatamari (Rice Crepe). As she began preparing, she couldn’t help but stare at the Chaku she had procured in the morning. She then had an idea! “What if? No, I shouldn’t.”
She called out to Suchandra, “Can you help me in the kitchen? I want to finish early and go watch the festival. Suchandra made his way to the kitchen and Krita asked, “What if we make something different today?” Suchandra amused, “What do you mean by different?” Krita replied, “Can you take that Chaku and have it heated until it turns liquid? I have a thought.”
To which Suchandra replied, “Well if it doesn’t work then I’m be having your thoughts for the night meal.” Suchandra began heating the Chaku and Krita took the rice flour and kneaded it into a dough. She asked Suchandra to grab a dowel and asked him to pour the Chaku into the dough which she had shaped into a triangular and made a hollow in the middle. Suchandra amused didn’t want to get into another conversation began doing what Krita said. As the Chaku reached the rim of the shell she closed the top and had it sealed. She made two horn-like structures, “ These are your horns, the ones that you gain when you have a bit extra alcohol.” said Krita. Suchandra grunting placed two halves of black lentils onto another shell and said, “These are the beautiful eyes that you look at me with every day.” Krita couldn’t help but smile as she placed them onto a steaming basket.
Both had gotten very hungry and with every passing second, they felt like their stomach was coiling up like the body of a snake. “They must be ready, check them I’m very hungry” cried Suchandra. “ No they need more time, the shell wouldn’t even have hardened.“ said Krita. “Just a few minutes longer, your patience will be rewarded.”
In a short while, Krita opened the lid of the steamer and stared at a beautiful shell’s filled with delicious sugary goodness. Suchandra in a haste tried to grab one and have it devoured but Krita stopped Suchandra and said, “Not until we present it to Annapurna Devi. The only reason we get to have these treats is because of the great harvest we had this year. It’s all because of her blessings.” Krita took two of the shells and placed it in a leaf plate and went up to the pooja room. She got to her knees and placed the treats at the foot of a beautiful ideal of Annapurna and bowed to hear and offered her prayers.“ May you bless us, with a good harvest of grain every year.“ After lighting a bunch of incenses she came down to the kitchen and saw Suchandra’s hungry face. She rushed to pick up two shells and had it placed on a leaf plate and gave it to him. “My dear husband, your patience has been rewarded. Here you go.” Suchandra in the blink of an eye took a big bite of the shell and as he chewed the molten molasses dripped from the side of his lips. His frown turned into a smile and he exclaimed, “Yomari, Gajau Sau Mari!!” ( Such a delicious bread)
It is believed that Krita and Suchandra were the ones who first conceptualized the delicious treat of Yomari. Which today is enjoyed by the people of Nepal in the Punhi (Full Moon) which marks the end of the harvest season.
