Festivals

FESTIVALS

1. Swsthani Puja (Jan-Feb)

Swasthani is an Hindu goddess (Parameshwori) and is responsible for the good fortune of king Navaraj and queen Chandravati. She is known for miraculously granting wishes made in a solemn state by the pure.  The month long festival is marked by month long fasting especially by women for the sake of family welfare and getting good husband. Every evening family member gather and read Swasthani scripture outlined by goddess Parbati. Worshipping Swasthani will bring together parted relations, remove curses, and result in limitless gifts.

1. Maghe Sakranti (Jan)

Maghe Shankranti is celebrated on the first of Magh according to Nepalese calendar and on this day sun is believed to leave its southernmost position and move to northward hemisphere and the days begin to grow longer and warmer. On this day people take early morning bath in a holy river, visit the shrines of Vishnu, and present flowers, incense and food to him. They read the Bhagawad Gita, also known as The Song of theGods, rub mustard oil over their bodies, and enjoy feasts of rice booked with lentils, yams or taruls – a must-and laddu, sweets made of sesame and sugarcane paste. According to Mahabharata, King Bhishma who had the power to control on his own death, happened to choose to die on the day of Maghe Sakranti. Therefore it is believed that one to die on this day might achieve Moksha, a release from rebirth cycle.

1. Maha Shivaratri (Feb/Mar)

Maha Shivaratri “Great Night of Shiva” is annually celebrated and is the day when Shiva was married to goddess Parvati. During the night followers throughout the Indian sub-continent crowd the Pashupatinath temple to worship him where there is no space even for sesame seed. Colorful  sadhus, the wandering sages who emulate Shiva, rub ashes over their bodies, give lectures to disciples, meditate or practice yoga. Devotees pray to Shiva’s image inside the temple at midnight and may queue for up to six hours to look at the image. Bonfires are lit, neighbours and friends share food, and devotees enjoy two days and a night of music, song, and dance throughout the Pashupati complex and in the streets.

1. Basanta Panchami (Jan/Feb)

Basanta or spring is the loveliest time of the year and on this day we worship goddess Saraswati who is the creator of art, music, science and all education. This is very auspicious day as children are taken to Saraswati temple and asked to read and write first letter of their life. Artists, musicians, teachers and students bring flowers, unbroken rice and other gifts to please her.

1. Losar (Feb/Mar)

Losar, Tibetan New Year, is important festival for Sherpas and Tibetans who welcome their New year with feasts, family visit and dancing. Famines done their finest clothes and jewellery and exchange gifts. Buddhist monks offer prayers for good health and prosperity, and perform dances at the monasteries. Colorful prayer flags decorate streets and rooftops; the colors seem especially brilliant at the Boudha and Swayambhu stupas. Crowds of celebrants at Boudhan bring in the New Year throwing tsampa (roasted barley flour) into the air.

1. Fagu Purnima (Feb/Mar)

Fagu Purnima or Holi is one of the most colorful and playful festivals of Nepal that welcomes of spring and summer. It is also observed to get blessing of God for coming harvests and fertility of the land and celebrated in most of South Asian countries. The chir pole, decorated with colorful flags and erected on the first day of Fagu at Kathmandu’s Durabr Square, is a formal announcement to all; hide your good clothes, for throughout the week you may be splashed with colored powder and water balloons. The last day is the wildest youths covered with red vermilion powder roam the streets as inviting targets.

1. Seto Machhendranath Jatra (Mar)

Seto Machhindranath Jatra, a chariot procession dedicated to the God of rain, is considered one of the biggest festivals celebrated especially in Newar community of Kathmandu. A long chariot-decorated with flowers and greenery, with the replica of the main deity, is taken out in procession through the main through fares of old Katmandu. The holy chariot was pulled by hundreds of devotees from Jamal to Ason and Indrachowk of Kathmandu.

1. Chaitra Dashain (Mar/Apr)

Chaitra Dashain also called Chaite Dashain is the last festival in Nepali calendar year and after this festival we have new year ahead within few days. The festival has two days of celebration. First day of Ram Navami (The birth day of Lord Ram Chandra) and second day is Dashami. Red vermilion powder, family blessings, and goat and duck sacrifices are essential to praise the victory of Ram, hero of the epic Ramayana, over the evil king Rawan. Mother goddess Durga, the source of all power, must be supplicated too, for her powers helped Ram achieve his victory Hindu woman. 

1. Ghode Jatra (Mar/Apr)

Ghode Jatra, the festival of horses, is a yearly sports event taking place at the Tundikhel parade ground in Kathmandu. Its roots go back several hundred years, though it is also associated with older religious traditions. At midnight as the parade grounds, the images of Bhadra Kali and her sister goddess are carried from their respective temples and placed in the middle of the dark expanse. A third sister goddess is then brought from another locality and made bow before the first two images. The actual horse-racing is conducted with great gusto and spectators come from all over the valley as well as from more distant, to witness the exciting event.

1. Bisket Jatra (Apr/May)

During this important festival, the old kingdom of Bhaktapur and its neighboring areas replay a brama passed on ober the centuries. Images of wrathful and somewhat demonic deities are placed on tottering chariots. They are offered blood sacrifices, flowers, and coins. Men brimming with youthful vigor and rice beer drag the chariots across brick-paved streets of the town, and wherever these raths stop, lamps are lit and devotees overflow into the surrounding alleys. Other gods and goddesses, too, are put on palanquins and carried around so that they may see the sights. At Bode village, there is a tongue-boring ceremony in which the dedicated may reserve a place in heaven.

1. Nepalese New Year’s Day (Apr/May)

Nepalese people follow their own calendar known as Bikram Sambat and New Year is called Nawabarsha. The day usually falls in the second week of April and on the first day of first month of the New Year and is observed as an official holiday. On this occasion people go for picnics, have get-together with friends and family. Musical programs are organized in different places to mark Happy New Year. In Bhaktapur, the New Year celebrations take on added importance at Bisket Jatra where images of god Bhairav and his female counterpart Bhadrakali are enshrined in two large chariots and pulled through crowds and cheering on lookers. When the chariot reaches a sloping open square, there is tug-of-war between the inhabitants.

• Buddha Jayanti (Apr/May)

Ever-benevolent Buddha was born in Nepal, and the religion he preached is the second most popylar in the kingdom. On full moon day, the Lord’s birth, enlightenment, and salvation are applauded throughout the valley with celebrations. Swayambhunath and Boudhanath stupas are prepared for the oncoming festivities several days in advance. Monasteries are cleaned, statues are polished, bright prayer flags waft in the breeze, and monks prepare to dance. On the Jayanti day, people reach the stupas before dawn, go around them and give offerings to the many Buddha images.

1. Janai Purnima (Jul/Aug)

Janai Purnima, the Sacred Thread Festival, high caste Hindus chant the powerful Gayatri Mantra and change their Sacred Thread (Janai) worn across the chest. This is also the day of Rakshya Bandhan when a red or yellow protection cord is tied around the wrist by Hindus and Buddhists. Pilgrims journey to the mountains north of Kathmandu. Here they emulate Lord Shiva by bathing in the sacred lake of Gosaikund. Those unable to make the trek celebrate at Shiva’s Kumbheswar Mahadev temple.

• Gai Jatra (Aug/Sep)

The Gai Jatra (also known as cow festival) is one of the the most popular festival in Nepal. Cow represents Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, and guides the souls of the departed to the gates of the Netherworld. But Gai Jatra is not a somber occasion. Satire, jokes, fancy costumes and colorful processions are the order of the day as people recall how an eighteenth-century king rallied his people to cheer his queen upon the death of their son. Those who have experienced the death of close ones during the past year share their sorrow and take comfort in the fact that the Gai has safely transported the departed souls on their afterlife journey. Young men wearing women’s saris, children dressed up as cows, and whimsical characters of all sorts fill the streets. Special issues of local magazines poke fun at everyone and everything – even the most important people aren’t spared.

• Shree Krishnasthami (Aug/Sep)

Krishnasthami or the birthday or Lord Krishna is celebrated in commemoration of the hero of the Hindu epic Mahabarata. On this day, worshippers carry ornate, decorated statues and pictures of Lord Krishna through the streets, often with bands of musicians following or preceding the procession. There is tradition to observe fasting till midnight. Thousands of devotees flock to the ancient Krishna Temple in Patan to keep vigil through the glorious night of his birth and to worship and receive blessings.

1. Teej (Aug/Sep)

Teej is a festival celebrated by Nepalese women for the long life of their husbands. Pashupatinath-the temple of Shiva is drenched by women in their fine red wedding saris. The unique women’s festival is marked by fasting, folk songs, and dancing as the women recall Parbati’s devotion to her husband Shiva. It is loud and cheerful celebration until late at night, when strict fasting begins. Unmarried women who fast on this day will have good luck in finding suitable husbands. Married women who fast will find their husband faithful and will see the bond of love grow. The blessings of Shiva and Parbati ensure that family life will be joyous for all.

1. Indra Jatra (Sep/Oct)

Indra, King of Heaven and lord of rain, has once again blessed the Kathmandu Valley. As the end of the monsoon nears, farmers look forward to a rich harvest; everyone is grateful to the deva for his help. For eight days, Kathmandu’s Durbar Square is the focus of a great celebrations fit to – flatter the King of Heaven. Indra’s dhwaj or flag, is erected on the first day. It is said that many centuries ago, Indra’s mother needed specially – scented flowers but could not find them in heaven’s gardens. Indra discovered parijat flowers in the Kathmandu valley and tried to steal them for his mother. He was caught and imprisoned by the valley people. When his mother came in searching for him the people were appalled by what they had done. They released Indra and dedicated one of the most colorful festivals of Nepal to him to appease his anger. Masks and statues representing Vishnu, Bhairab, and Shiva are shown to the public and the Goddess Kumari witnesses the special occasion from her chariot. Indra  is thanked for the rains and assured once again that he is respected in the Kathmandu valley.

1. Dashain (Sep/Oct)

Dashain or Dushera or Vijaya Dashami, is one of the most celebrated festivals in Nepal. Dashain is the celebration of victory of good over evil. The weather is ideal at this time; neither too cold or too warm. People play kites during these days. People wake up early in the morning and go to temples of Devi Durga as they worship Durga Bhawani in Dashain. The animals are sacrificed on the night of Kal Ratri to the goddess. On the day of Dashami, everyone puts on new clothes and goest to honor their family elders, where they receive large red tikas of vermilion paste on their foreheads. In the following days of Dashain, families and friends unite, feasts are consumed, blessings are imparted and gifts are exchanged. Nepal’s most beloved festival ends with the full moon.

1. Mani Rimdu Festival (Oct/Nov)

Mani Rimdu festival is celebrated by Sherpa during the fall at Tengboche Monastery in Everest Region. Lamas and Sherpas gather at the monastery for five days for the welfare of the world. There are plays, masks dances, prayers, and feasting. Demons are quelled and the pious rewarded. The days are colorful and trips to the Everest region are very rewarding indeed if they can be organized during the days of the festival.

1. Tihar (Oct/Nov)

Tihar is most celebrated festival after Dashain in Nepal. Also known as festival of light, is time of candlelight, tinsel decorations and festive colored sweets. On different days, there are offerings and small celebrations for crows, dogs, cows and oxen. On the night of Lakhsmi Puja, garlands are hung and lamps are lighted to invite Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, into the home. Mha Puja, the New Year’s Day according to the Nepal Era, is the day of the self, when people give themselves blessings to remain healthy and happy for the rest of the year. Bhai Tika, the last day of Tihar, is the day when sisters make offerings to their brothers. The rituals of breaking a walnut, putting on garlands of makhamali flowers and encircling brothers in rings of mustard oil protects them from Yama, lord of the Netherworld.

1. Bala Chaturdashi (Nov/Dec)

This simple, festive day takes place in the ancient forest, ‘Sleshmantak’ of Pashupatinath. This is oldes traditions of Kathmandy Valley. Families who have lost a love one in the last year keep an all night vigil in the forest, lighting oil lamps and singing songs. Following a ritual morning bath, people walk through the forest, scattering seven types of grain along the paths and over the linga of Lord Shiva to give merit to their late Kinsmen and to cleanse the sins of mythological man called Bala who had been transformed into a demon.

1. Bibah Panchami (Nov/Dec)

All the people of the Hindu world know the story of the marriage of the hero Ram and the princess Sita, as told in the epic Ramayana. King Janak, father of Sita, proposed a test of strength for the suitors of his daughter to string the great bow of Lord Shiva. Warriors, kings and chieftains came from afar, but no man could even lift the bow. Ram lifted the bow with ease and when he tried to string it, the bow shattered into pieces. Ram and Sita were married in Janakpur, now in southern Nepal, and their marriage is celebrated to this day. Each year, idols of ram and Sita are brought out in procession and their Hindu wedding ceremony is re-enacted during a week-long religious fair.  Bibah Panchami reflects the devotion of Hindus to Ram, perhaps the most popular among the incarnations of Vishnu, and to Sita, the model of the ideal Hindu.