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Nepal Festivals |
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Nepal
is not only the land of mountains, but, also the land of
festivals. About more than 50 festivals are celebrated
in Nepal every year. While the national festivals have
fixed dates, religious festivals follow the lunar
calendar, which does not coincide with the solar
calendar. All these festivals are celebrated with
enthusiasm and galore and all the people take part in
these festivals. Some of the festivals which are
celebrated in Nepal are Sweta Machhendranath Snan, Maghe
Sankranti, Basanta Panchami, Maha Shivaratri, Losar,
Holi, Ghode Jatra, New Year's Day, Gunla, Buddha Jayanti,
Krishnashtami, Janai Purnima (Raksha Bandhan), Gai Jatra,
Teej, Dasain and Tihar. |
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Sweta Machhendranath Snan
Sweta (white) Machhendranath Snan Festival is celebrated for
about a week in the month of January. During this festival,
the Machhendranath is bathed, oiled, perfumed and painted. The
Goddess Kumari visits him at his elaborate temple near Asan
Tol. If he is pleased by the music and offerings from his
devotees, the people of the valley can look forward for the
satisfactory rainfall during the season.
Swasthani Puja
The Swasthani Puja Festival is held between the month of January and
February. The Goddess Swasthani is the ultimate gift grantor,
but, if she is insulted, she can make life miserable. By
worshipping Swasthani, Parvati attained Lord Shiva as her
husband. During the worship or Puja, the Swasthani scripture
is read every evening for a month. The worship of Goddess
Swasthani brings parted relations together, limitless gifts
and remove curses.
Maghe Sankranti Festival
The Maghe Sankranti Festival is celebrated on the occasion of the sun
entering the southern hemisphere. The Maghe Sankranti is
celebrated in the month of January. On this day, the people
take an early morning bath in a holy river, worship the Lord
Vishnu and present flowers, incense and food to him. They read
the Bhagwad Gita, the holy scripture, rub mustard oil over
their bodies, and enjoy feasts of rice cooked with lentils,
yams or Taruls, Laddu, sweets made of sesame and a sugarcane
paste.
Basanta Panchami Festival
Basanta or spring season is the loveliest time of the year.
The festival of Basanta Panchami is celebrated in the month of
February to welcome the spring season. On the Basanta Panchami
or the fifth day of spring season, the people gather at
Kathmandu's Durbar Square and His Majesty, the king and other
dignitaries celebrate the season. The band plays the
traditional song of spring. In Swayambhunath and the Nil
Barahi temple, near Lazimpat, there is a different
celebration. On this day, the people worship the goddess
Saraswati, the goddess of learning at the temple. Artists,
musicians, teachers, and students bring flowers, unbroken
rice, and other gifts to please her. |
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New
Year Day
The Bikram Era is the official calendar of Nepal.
This solar calendar was started by king Bikramditya and
starts from the first day of the first month of Baisakh.
The new year 2057 of the Bikram Era corresponds to
2000-2001 of the Christan Era. The New Year's Day is an
official holiday. The first day of the month of Baisakh
is observed as the Nepali New Year and falls in the
second week of April. It is also known as Navavarsha in
Nepal. On this day, the devotees visit the Pashupati
temple to take a dip in the holy Bagmati river and visit
other religious spots. The people People go for picnics,
have get-togethers and celebrate the day by socializing
in various ways. It is |
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a day to seek blessings from
family priest and one's elders as well.
Ghode Jatra Festival
On the Ghode Jatra Festival, the horses of the Nepalese army perform
the graceful events before the public. According to the
legends, this "horse festival" was celebrated after the people
Kathmandu people buried a demon under the soil of Tundikhel
showground. They say that he may rise again and cause worry to
the world if he is not trampled on by horses each year. So in
the spring season, in the month of April, this victory over
evil is celebrated in the valley by organizing palanquin
processions and grand display of show jumping, motorcycling
feats, and gymnastics. The King and Queen, the Living Goddess
Kumari, and thousands of people from all over the country take
part in the festival. |
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Maha Shivaratri Festival
During Maha Shivaratri Festival or the great night, the devotees
throughout the Indian sub-continent visit the Pashupati temple
and worship the Lord Shiva. The Maha Shivratri festival is
celebrated in the month of February. The devotees gather here
is such a large number that there is no space even for a
sesame seed. The saints who emulate the Lord Shiva, rub ashes
over their bodies, give lectures to disciples, meditate and
practice yoga. The devotees worship the Lord Shiva till the
midnight. On this day, the people lit bonfires, share food with
neighbors and friends, and enjoy two days and a night of
music, song, and dance throughout the Pashupati complex and in
the streets.
Losar Festival
Losar Festival, the Nepal New Year is celebrated in the month of
February. The Sherpas and Tibetans welcome the New Year with
feasts, family visits and dances. The people wear their finest
clothes and jewellery and exchange gifts. The Buddhist monks
offer prayers for good health and prosperity, and perform
dances at the monasteries. The colorful prayer flags are
decorated at the streets and rooftops and they seem as
brilliant at the Bouddha and Swayambhu stupas. In the Bouddha
stupas, the people celebrate the New Year by throwing tsampa
(roasted barley flour) into the air. |
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Holi Festival
Holi or Fagu Purnima is one of the most colorful and
playful festivals of Nepal. The Holi festival is
celebrated in the month of March. The chit pole are
decorated with colorful flags and erected on the first
day of Fagu at Kathmandu's Durbar Square. On this day, a
formal announcement is made to all the people to hide
their good clothes or you would be splashed with
coloured powder and water balloons. On the last day, the
youths cover their body with red vermillion powder and
roam the streets.
Buddha
Jayanti |
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The
Buddha Jayanti is observed as the birth of Lord Buddha
on the full moon day in the month of May. The Lord
Buddha was born in Nepal, and he preached Buddhism,
which is the second most popular religion in Nepal. On
this day, the people celebrate the Lord's birth,
enlightenment, and salvation throughout the valley with
celebrations. Before the coming of the festival, the
Swayambhunath and Boudhnath Stupas are prepared for the
festival several days in advance. The people clean the
monasteries, polish the statues and monks prepare for
the dance. On the Buddha Jayanti, people reach the
stupas before dawn, go around them and give offerings to
the various Buddha images.
Gunla Festival
The Gunla festival is celebrated by the Buddhists of the
Kathmandu valley in the month of August. This festival
is celebrated to welcome the monsoon season. The
celebrations of this festival was started about
twenty-five centuries ago by the Buddha. It is a time
for prayer, fasting, meditation and religious music. The
devotees climb past jungles, stone animals, great
statues of the Buddha, and begging monkeys to
Swayambhu's hilltop where daily prayers begin before
dawn. Important Buddhist statues, oil lamps, prayer
flags and scroll paintings are displayed in the
monasteries, and the teachings of Lord Buddha are
remembered as the rains nurture the crop of rice,
Nepal's most important crop.
Krishnashtami Festival
The festival of Krishnashtami is celebrated in the month
of August. This day is celebrated as the birthday of
Lord Krishna, one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu. On
this day, an impressive ceremony takes place at the
Krishna Temple in Patan and Changu Narayan temple
Janai Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) Festival
The Janai Purnima or Raksha Bandhan festival is celebrated in the
month of August. On this day the high-caste Hindus chant
the powerful Gayatri mantra and change their Sacred
Thread (janai). The people ties a red or yellow
protection cord around the wrists of other Hindus and
Buddhists. The pilgrims make a journey to the mountains
north of Kathmandu. Here they please the Lord Shiva by
bathing in the sacred lake of Gosaikund. Those unable lo
make the trek celebrate at Shiva's Kumbheswar Mahadev
temple. Here, a pool with an image of Shiva at its
center is filled with water which is believed to have
come from Gosaikund.
Gai Jatra Festival
The gai or cow is holy to Hindus. She represents Laxmi,
the goddess of wealth, and guides the departed souls to
the gates of the another world. The Gai Jatra or Cow
festival is celebrated in the month of August. Satire,
jokes, fancy costumes, and colorful processions are the
part of the festival as the 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 comfort so that the gai can
safely transport the departed souls on their afterlife
journey. The young men wear the women's saris, children
dressed up as cows, and whimsical characters of all
sorts fill the streets. The special issues of local
magazines shower its fun on everyone and everything. |
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Teej Festival
The festival of Teej is celebrated in the month of
August. On this day, the women dressed up in their
fine red wedding saris visit the Pashupatinath
temple of Shiva. The women celebrate the festival
by fasting, folk songs, and dances and recall the
goddess Parvati's devotion to her husband Shiva.
The married women visit their fathers homes and
all daughters and sisters receive gifts from their
male kin, and an elaborate feast is prepared for
them. It is a loud and cheerful celebration until
late night, when strict fasting discontinues. On
this day women observe a fast and pray to Lord
Shiva for the long, healthy and prosperous life of
their husbands and their families. |
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The
unmarried women also observe this festival with the hope
that they will get to marry good husbands. The blessings
of Shiva and Parbati ensure that family life will be
joyous for all.
Indra Jatra Festival
The festival of Indra Jatra is named after the Lord
Indra, King of Heaven. This festival is celebrated by
both the Buddhists and Hindus in the month of September
in Nepal. On this day, the people worship the Lord Indra,
to be grateful to him, who has blessed the valley. This
festival is celebrated for eight days in the Durbar
Square in Kathmandu with singing, mask dancing and
rejoicing. On the first day, the Indra's dhwaj or flag
is erected. 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
people of the valley. When Indra's mother came searching
for him the people were punished for what they had done.
As a result, they released Indra and dedicated one of
the most colorful festivals of Nepal to him to appease
his anger. On this day, the masks and statues
representing Vishnu, Bhairab, and Shiva are shown to the
public, and the Goddess Kumari witnesses the special
occasion from her chariot. The chariot of the Living
Goddess Kumari is taken through the main streets of
Kathmandu. On the first day, the King of Nepal also pays
homage to Goddess Kumari. The people gather at the
streets of Kathmandu valley to enjoy the festival. |
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Dasain Festival
Dasain is the longest and most favourite festival
of Nepal. This festival is celebrated in the month
of October in Nepal. On this day, everyone stays
at the home with their families, offices are
closed. The skies are filled with kites and the
marketplaces are filled with farmers bringing
their buffaloes, goats and chicken to sell. These
animals are then sacrificed on the night of Kal
Ratri to please the goddess Durga. On the day of
Dashami, everyone puts on new clothes and goes to
honour their family elders, where they receive
large red tikas of vermilion paste on their
foreheads. In the following days of Dasain,
families and friends unite, take
part in the feasts, impart the blessings and exchange
the gifts. |
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Tihar Festival
Tihar also known as the Festival of Lights is celebrated
in the month of November. This festival is a time of
candlelight, tinsel decorations and festive colored
sweets. This festival is celebrated for five days and on
different days, there are offerings and small
celebrations for crows, dogs, cows and oxen. On the
night of Lakshmi Puja, garlands are hung and lamps are
lighted to invite Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth into
the home. Maha Puja, the New Year's Day according to the
Nepal Era is celebrated as the day of the self, when
people give themselves blessings to remain healthy and
happy for the rest of the year. On Bhai Tika, the last
day, the sisters make offerings to their brothers and
the rituals include breaking of walnut, putting on
garlands of Makhamali flowers and encircling brothers in
rings of mustard oil to protect them from Yama, lord of
the Netherworld. |
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