The rich cultural
heritage of Nepal is
best expressed in
the many large and
small festivals that
occur throughout the
year. Though the
Nepalese have
diverse beliefs and
ethnic background,
all unite in the
celebration of the
year's major
festivals. There are
many kinds of
festivals: some
honor certain Hindu
and Buddhist gods or
goddesses, some
recreate important
events from ancient
mythology and epic
literature, some
herald the seasons
or mark important
times in the
agricultural
calendar, and others
propitiate the minor
deities that
populated the spirit
world of the
country.
Festivals such as
Dashain and Tihar
are of national
significance; some
such as Bisket or
Red Machhendranath
Jatra, belong to the
traditions of the
old Valley towns;
and still others,
such as Mani Rimdu,
are celebrated only
in particular
countryside
community. It has
been said that in
Nepal, "every
other building is a
temple and every
other day is a
festival."
Whatever time one
visits Nepal, there
is certain to be a
colorful and
rewarding festive
experience.
The annual dates for
the festivals were
fixed long ago on
specific days of the
ancient lunar
calendar. Obviously
these do not
coincide with the
solar calendar
currently used in
Nepal, nor with
Gregorian calendar.
Calendars are
printed each spring
at the beginning of
the Nepalese year
which show all three
dates - the lunar,
the Nepalese and
Gregorian. The
Nepalis skip nimbly
from one to the next
while Westerns
flounder in
confusion.
Thus, unless one is
a learned
astrologer,
possessed of
mathematical genius,
there is no way to
foretell the exact
date for next year's
festivals.
The Nepalese New
Year's Day-
On this day a
popular festival
takes place in the 3
rd city of Kathmandu
valley Bhaktapur,
where a gigantic
pole installed with
two long flags
hanged on the top
will be laid down
(rooted out) in a
great pomp and show.
This will last for a
week, many chariots
festivals of Gods
and Goddesses will
be celebrated with
open joys and
cheers.
Red
Machhendranath Jatra
(April)
This festival is the
biggest
socio-culture event
of Patan. It begins
with the chariot
journeys of the most
widely venerated
deity of the Nepal
valley, who resides
in his twin shrines
at Patan and
Bungamati. His
popular name is
Bunga Deo, but non
Newars call him also
by the name of Red
Machhendranath. The
wheeled chariot is
prepared at Pulchowk
and pulled through
the town of Patan in
several stages until
several month later
it reaches
Jawalakhel for the
final celebration of
this festival called
the Bhoto ekhaune.
The two
Machhendranath of
Patan and Kathmandu
form part of same
cult of
Avalokiteswara in
the Mahayan
religion.
Buddha Jayanti
(May)
This day which falls
on the full moon of
the month of Baisakh
is celebrated to
commemorate the
birth attainment of
enlightenment and
the death of Gautam
Buddha, the founder
preacher of
Buddhism, more that
2500 years ago.
Prayers are sung and
worship is offered
by the Buddhists in
leading Buddhist
shrines throughout
the country
including Lumbini in
the Rupandehi
district, which is
the birth place of
Buddha. There is a
great fare held at
Lumbini on this day.
Janai Purnima (Rakchshya
Bandhan) (August)
The full moon of the
month of Shrawan,
the day when this
festival is observed
is considered sacred
all over Nepal and
is celebrated in
different manner by
various groups of
people of Nepal.
However, the most
widely accepted mode
of celebration is
that on this day all
the twice-born
caster take ritual
bath and they change
their sacred thread.
Everyone gets
strings of thread on
his wrist from the
Brahmans as a
protective mark for
the whole year. This
day is also held
sacred for bathing
in Gosainkunda. One
can also see a
pageantry of the
Jhankris attired in
their traditional
costume
as they come to
bathe at Kumbheshwor
at Patan. These
Jhankris also visit
the temple of
Kailinchowk Bhagwati
in Dolkhas district
where they go to bet
for their healing
powers as they are
the raditional
healers of the
Nepalese villages.
Gai Jatra (The
cow festival)
(August)
In this festival
teen-aged boys
addressed up as
cows, parade the
streets of the town.
This costume springs
from the belief that
cows help the
members of the
family who died
within that year to
travel to heaven
smoothly. Some are
also dressed up as
an ascetic or a fool
for achieving the
same objective for
their dead family
members. Groups of
mimics improvise
short satirical
enactment on the
current social
scenes of the town
for the
entertainment of the
public. The week
beginning from Janai
Purnima actually
unfolds a season of
many good religious
and cultural
activities.
All the Buddhist
monasteries open
their gates to the
visitors to view
their bronze
sculptures and
collection of
paintings for a
week.At Patan, one
observes the
festival of Mataya
at this time. The
festivity of Gai
Jatra itself lasts
for a week enlivened
by the performance
of dance and drama
in the different
localities of the
town. The spirit of
the old festival is
being increasingly
adapted by cultural
centres, newspaper
and magazines to
fling humour and
satire on the
Nepalese Social and
Political life.
Krishnaastami
(September)
The day is
celebrated as the
birth anniversary of
Krishna, one of the
incarnations of
Vishnu. Religious
fast is observed and
Krishna's temple
visited by the
devotees on this
day. A procession
goes around the town
displaying the
pictures of Lord
Krishna, a practice
which was started in
the recent years by
a social
organisation called
the Sanatan Dharma
Sewa Samiti.
Teej (September)
This is a festival
for the ladies. On
this day the
Nepalese women go to
Shiva temple in
colourful dresses to
worship Shiva. In
Kathmandu Valley
they go to
Pashupatinath and
then worship Shiva
(Hindu God of
Destruction) and
whatever they wish
that will by
fulfilled.
Indra Jatra
(September)
Like Gai Jatra, this
also heralds a week
of religious and
cultural festivity
in Kathmandu. There
are several face of
this festival. On
the night when this
festival begins
members of the
family in
which death has
taken place within
one year, go round
the town limits of
Kathmandu burning
incense and putting
lamps along the
route. The same
morning a tall
wooden pole
representing the
statue of Indra and
large wooden masks
of Bhairab are put
on display in the
bazaar. Several
groups of religious
dance like the
Devinach, Bhairava
and Bhakku as well
as Mahankalinach
come into life
duringthis week. The
week also commences
with pulling of
chariot of Ganesh,
Bhairava and Kumari
in Kathmandu. On
this historical day,
King Prithwi Narayan
Shah made a
victorious march
with his troops into
the town and
ascended the throne
of Kantipur the old
name for Kathmandu
displacing the Malla
King Jaya Prakash
Malla.
Ghatasthapana -
Bada Dashain (Vijaya
Dashami) (September
- October)
It is truly the
national festival of
Nepal. Every Nepali
is stirred by the
prospects of the joy
that this festival
is supposed to bring
with it. The change
of mood is also
induced
psychologically by
the turn of autumn
season after a long
spell of monsoon,
introducing clear
and brilliant days,
an azure blue sky
and a green carpet
of fields, the
climate is also just
ideal at this time,
it is neither being
too cold nor too
warm. The Nepalese
cherish their
Dashain as time for
eating well and
dressing well. Each
house also sets up a
shrine to worship
the Goddess at this
time. Barley seeds
are planted on the
first day in every
household and
nurtured for nine
days. During this
period Goddess Durga
Bhawani is
worshipped and
offered a lot of
blood sacrifices.
Buffaloes, goats,
chickens and ducks
are killed by the
thousands at the
temples at military
posts and in every
household. One of
the main centre that
witnesses the animal
sacrifice in a large
scale at this time
is the Hanuman Dhoka
palace on the night
of the eighth day
and morning of the
ninth. On the
concluding day of
the festival called
the Tika, the elders
of the family give
Tika to their junior
members and to other
relatives who may
also come to seek
their blessings. The
fresh shoots of the
barley are also
given. Family
feasting and feting
of guests is a
common practice at
this time.
Tihar (October -
November)
It lasts for five
days and is marked
by worship to
different animals
such as crow, the
dog and the cow,
five various days.
The most important
day is Laxmi Puja.
The most endearing
sight of this
festival is
presented by the
illumination of the
entire town with
rows of tiny
flickering lamps on
Laxmi Puja. In the
evening of this day,
the Goddess of
Wealth, Laxmi is
worshipped at every
household and it is
in her welcome that
myriad of lamps are
burnt. On the fifth
day sisters show
their affection
towards their
brothers with a puja
and feed them with
delectable food.
They pray for their
brothers long life
to Yama, the Hindu
God of death.
For one Year after
the death, the soul
of the dead wanders
around awaiting
entrance to the
under world and it
is the inescapable
duty of living
relatives to provide
it with substance,
comfort and peace
once or twice each
year and Bala
Chaturdasi is one of
them. The relatives
pay homage to
Pashupatinath and
offer grains while
taking a round of
the temple.
Shree Panch
Prithwi Jayanti
(January)
The day is
celebrated as the
birth anniversary of
the great conqueror
of Nepal, the first
Shah King of United
Nepal. The great
festivity celebrates
particularly around
the bronze life size
statue of the great
monarch in front of
the magnificent
unique Lion
Palace'Singha
Durbar' in Kathmandu.
On that day a large
procession in its
front with a big
life size photo of
the king in a
well-decorated
chariot starts from
Basantapur in the
ancient Royal Palace
square and ends in
front of Lion
Palace. On the same
day evening, the
ritual bath of White
Machhendra takes
place at Kel Tole,
Kathmandu.
Magh Sankranti
(January)
A Sankranti
signifies the first
day of any month in
the Nepali calendar
year. The first day
of the month of Magh,
which falls in
January is sacred
day in Nepal,
because the sun, on
this day, is
believed to be
astrological in a
good position. It
starts onits
northward Journey in
its heavenly course
on this day, thus
announcing the
commencement of the
Uttarayana. In the
Nepalese belief this
day marks the
division of the
Winter and Summer
Solstice. Bathing in
rivers is prescribed
from this day,
especially at the
river onfluence and
feasting with rich
foods of special
preparation is
common in the
family.
Madhav Narayan
Mela (January)
A religious
procession of the
devotees fasting for
a month ago with a
silver statue of
Lord Vishnu to
Aryaghat, Pashupati,
Deopatan, Kathmandu.
Thousands of people
get together there
to take holy bath in
the Bagmati river at
the time of the
submergence of that
statue of Lord
Vishnu in the
Bagmati.
Basanta Panchami
(January)
On this day Nepalese
people bid farewell
to the winter season
and look forward to
welcome the spring
season. Most of the
people of Nepal
worship Goddess of
learning called 'SARASWATI'.
The people of
Kathmandu valley go
to a little shrine
near Swayambhunath
to
worship this
Goddess.
Maha Shivaratri
(February)
This is the most
famous and
celebrated festival
of Nepal which
attracts large
crowds from far
flung places both in
India & Nepal.
The festival is
consecrated in
honour of Shiva. It
is observed by
bathing and holding
of a religious fast.
All Shiva shrines
become the places of
visit for 'Darshan',
but the greatest
attraction of all is
held by the temple
of Pashupatinath in
Kathmandu. One gets
to see many
thousands of Hindu
devotees coming to
visit the temple of
Pashupati. Among
them are a large
number of Sadhus and
Naked ascetics. Many
people like to keep
awake for the whole
night keeping
vigilance over an
oil lamp burnt to
please Shiva.
Children are seen
keeping awake
similarly over a
bonfire in many
localities. In the
afternoon an
official function is
held to celebrate
this festival at
Tundikhel. The Royal
Nepal Army organises
a show in which
series of gun fire
are sounded. The
ceremony is
witnessed
by His Majesty the
King.
Fagu Purnima
(March)
This is also known
as Holi. Holi is the
festival of colour.
It is observed for
eight days just
before the full moon
of Phalgun and
during this time
people indulge in
colour throwing at
each other. This
festival does not
have any religious
flavour as it is
practised in the
hills of Nepal.
Nevertheless, the
festival has got
some official
status. Because the
colour festival is
always heralded by
the sticking of a
wooden people with
colourful streamers
beside the old Royal
Palace at Basantapur
by the arrangements
of the Government
Religious Endowment
Office.
Ghoda Jatra
(March)
The festival has two
sides of its
celebration. Its
cultural side
involves the Newars
of Kathmandu, who
celebrates it for
several days, The
idols of the Gods of
many localities are
taken in a
procession in their
area in portable
chariots. Every
households will be
feasting at this
time. A demon called
'Gurumapa' is also
propitiated at
Tundikhel. The other
\aspects of the
festival is provided
by the function
organised by the
Royal Nepalese Army
at Tundikhel in the
afternoon of the
main day. Horse race
and acrobatic shows
are presented at
this time in which
His Majesty the King
will be present. A
meeting of Lumari,
Bhadrakali,
Kankeshori and
Bhairab at Asan on
the second day of
the main celebration
is another highlight
of the festival.
Seto
Machhendranath Jatra
(March)
On this day a
popular festival
held in honour of
the white
Machendranath, who
is actually the
Padmapani Lokeswara,
whose permanent
shrine is situated
at Matsyendra Bahal
in Kel Tole in the
middle of the bazaar
in Kathmandu. A huge
chariot of wood
supported on four
large wheels and
carrying tall spire
covered with green
foliage is made
ready for receiving
the image of the
divinity on this
occasion and for
dragging in the old
town. There is such
a spontaneous and
heavy turnout of the
devotees to pay
homage to this God,
who is also said to
be the 'Embodiment
of Compassion' at
this time.
Ram Nawami
(March)
This day celebrates
the birth of Rama,
one of the
incarnation of
Vishnu, a prominent
Hindu God. Religious
fast is observed and
worship is offered
to Rama. A special
celebration takes
place at Janakpur
temple of Rama and
Janaki on this day.
