12 Festivals of Nepal you should not miss

What fascinates foreigners to visit Nepal? Its mountains, Rivers, lakes and lovely people. Why are nepalese people so lovely if you ask. Its because they are rich in culture. Everyday of their life is a festival. They have more festivals than the days in a year. This is not just a metaphorical statement. It does hold some reality to it. There literally are more than 365 festivals in Nepal but today we are only going to scratch off the surface of a few majors ones.

Dashain

Dashain (Nepali: दशैं Daśãi, also Baḍādaśãi बडादशैं or Bijayā Daśamī Nepali: बिजया दशमी) is the 15-day-long national festival and holidays of Nepal. It is the longest and the most auspicious festival in the Nepalese annual calendar, celebrated by Nepalese people throughout the globe. It is not only the longest festival of the country, but also the one which is most anticipated.As one of the popular countries,Nepal has its national festival as Dashain. The festival falls in September or October, starting from the shukla paksha (bright lunar fortnight) of the month of Ashvin and ending on purnima, the full moon. Among the 10 days for which it is celebrated, the most important days are the first, seventh, eighth, ninth and the tenth, but tenth day is very important Throughout the country Shakti is worshiped in all her manifestations. This festival is also known for its emphasis on the family gatherings, as well as on a renewal of community ties. People return from all parts of the world, as well as different parts of the country, to celebrate together. All government offices, educational institutions and other private offices remain closed during the festival and holidays period.

Tihar

Tihar (Nepali: तिहार), also known as Deepawali and Yamapanchak or Swanti (Nepal Bhasa: स्वन्ती:), is a five-day-long Hindu festival celebrated in Nepal and in the Indian states of Assam and Sikkim including in Darjeeling district of West Bengal. It is the festival of lights, as diyas are lit inside and outside the houses to make it illuminate at night. It is popularly known as Swanti among the Newarsand as Deepawali among Madhesis. Set in the Vikram Samvat calendar, the festival begins with Kaag Tihar in Trayodashi of Kartik Krishna Paksha and ends with Bhai Tika in Dwitiya of Kartik Sukla Paksha every year.

Tihar is the second biggest Nepalese festival after Dashain. It is considered to be of great importance as it shows reverence to not just the humans and the gods, but also to the animals like crows, cows, and dogs that maintain an intimate relationship with humans. People make patterns on the floor of living rooms or courtyards using materials such as colored rice, dry flour, colored sand or flower petals outside their house, called Rangoli, which is meant to be a sacred welcoming area for the Gods and Goddesses of Hinduism mainly Goddess Laxmi.

Chhath

In contex of Nepal, Chhath (Nepali: छठ, छठी, छठ पर्व, छठ पुजा, डाला छठ, डाला पुजा, सुर्य षष्ठी) is a festival of the Terai and Mithila region of Nepalcelebrated by the Nepalese people of Tharus, indigenous Maithils and Madhesi ethnic groups in all the major parts of Nepal including Kathmandu, the capital city of the country. In modern days, Chhath is even celebrated in hills by Pahadi people. The government of Nepaldeclares the Public holidays all over Nepal during the Chhath festivals. It is a Hindu festival dedicated to the Hindu Sun God, Surya and Chhathi Maiya (ancient Vedic Goddess Usha). The Chhath Puja is performed in order to thank Surya for sustaining life on earth and to request the granting of certain wishes.

The Sun, considered the god of energy and of the life-force, is worshiped during the Chhath festival to promote well-being, prosperity and progress. In Hinduism, Sun worship is believed to help cure a variety of diseases, including leprosy, and helps ensure the longevity and prosperity of family members, friends, and elders. The rituals of the festival are rigorous and are observed over a period of four days. They include holy bathing, fasting and abstaining from drinking water (Vratta), standing in water for long periods of time, and offering prashad (prayer offerings) and arghya to the setting and rising sun.

Janai Purnima

The Janai Purnima also known as Rakshyabandhan festival takes place on the full moon day of Shrawan i.e. Shrawan Purnima every year. In the year of 2071, it was on 25th Shrawan and in 2072 its on 12th of Bhadra. It is celebrated by Hindus and other Hindu related religions like Buddhist, Jain, belonging to aumkaar (ॐ कार )family. The Buddhist bathe in sacred streams and visit their temples and the Brahman priests offer an ornamental thread to the wrists of their followers and in return receive gifts. Many pilgrims visit Gosainkunda and bath at the sacred lake. Mainly the people of Brahmin and chettri community change the sacred around their neck. This festival has different names. Newars in Nepal celebrate it as Kwati Punhi Indian celebrate it as rakhi (raksha) bandhan.

Nag Panchami

Nag Panchami takes place on the 5th of Shrawan to commemorate the battle between Nag and Garur. The stone image of Garur at Changu Narayan is said to perspire during the festival and priests are sent to wipe the perspiration off with a handkerchief. They later present it to the king and water is used to make it into a snake bite remedy, despite the fact that there are few snakes inhabiting Nepal. There is a belief that nag panchami is the day of welcoming the other festivals in the Nepal.

Krishna Janmashtami

Krishna Janmashtami (Devanagari कृष्ण जन्माष्टमी, IAST: Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī), also known simply as Janmashtami or Gokulashtami, is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. It is observed according to Hindu luni-solar calendar, on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) in the month of Shraavana of the Hindu Calendar, which overlaps with August and September of the Gregorian calendar.

It is an important festival particularly to the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism.[4] Dance-drama enactments of the life of Krishna according to the Bhagavata Purana (such as Rasa lila or Krishna Lila), devotional singing through the midnight when Krishna is believed to have been born, fasting (upavasa), a night vigil (jagarana), and a festival (mahotsava) on the following day are a part of the Janmashtami celebrations. It is celebrated particularly in Mathura and Brindavan, along with major Vaishnava communities in India and Nepal.

Gai Jatra

This entirely Newar festival is held on the 1st day of Bhadra. Newars who have lost loved ones during the year traditionally disguised themselves as cows and danced around the palace of the king. However, in modern times, the ceremony is performed only as a masked dance with the singing of songs. Gaijatra, the festival of cows, (gai means cow and jatra means festival in Nepali: गाईजात्रा, and Nepal Bhasa: सापारु) is celebrated in Nepal, mainly in Kathmandu valley by the Newar and Tharu community. It is also a grand festival in Jumla, celebrated by people of all caste . The festival commemorates the death of people during the year. During the festival, cows are marched in the streets and generally celebrated in the Nepalese month of Bhadra (August–September).

Indra Jatra

The Indra Jatra festival begins on the 26th of Bhadon and lasts for eight days. This festival is held in early to mid September and marks the end of the rainy season. On the first day a lofty wooden post is erected before the king’s palace or at other Darbur sites and dancers from all across Nepal perform with masks. If an earthquake ever occurred on the opening day of the festival this was considered a bad omen and the festival would have to be restarted.

On the third day, young virgins are brought before the king and worshiped and then carried through Kathmandu, mounted on oars. The highlight is parading the Kumar Devi (living god) through Kathmandu on a special chariot built just this purpose. The chariots are parked outside the Kumar Devi’s house at the Kathmandu Durbar Square.

Maghe Sankranti

Maghe sankranti is observed in the month of January on the first day of the month of Magh, bringing an end to the ill-omened month of Poush when all religious ceremonies are forbidden.On this day, the sun leaves its southernmost position and takes off for its northward journey, so Maghe Sankranti is similar to solstice festivals in many other traditions. People participate in holy bathing in this festival and auspicious foods like laddoo, ghee, sweet potatoes etc. are distributed. The mother of the house wishes good health to all family members. According to Mahabharata, king Bhishma, who had the power to control his own death, happened to choose to die on the day of Maghe Sakranti. Therefore, it is believed that to die on this day might achieve Moksha, a release from the rebirth cycle.

Ghoday Jatra

Traditionally on the 15th of Chait, all horses and ponies belonging to government servants were assembled at the grand parade ground and entered into a race in front of the king and top officials who are stationed around a central monument. The monument bore Sir Jang Bahadur‘s statue. After the event, gambling is allowed for two days and nights and the festival ends with an illumination of the monument. In 1875, Bahadur’s statue and four dragon monuments were moved into a newly built temple in his honor, hence the location of the festival moved.

Holi

The festival takes place on the last day of [Fhalguna|Fhagun]]. In Nepal, a wooden post, known as a chir is adorned with flags and erected in front of the palace. It is burned at night, representing the burning of the body of the old year.

Maha Shivaratri

Maha Shivaratri is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of the god Shiva. There is a Shivaratri in every luni-solar month of the Hindu calendar, on the month’s 13th night/14th day, but once a year in late winter (February/March, or Phalguna) and before the arrival of spring, marks Maha Shivaratri which means “the Great Night of Shiva”.

It is a major festival in Hinduism, but one that is solemn and marks a remembrance of “overcoming darkness and ignorance” in life and the world. It is observed by remembering Shiva and chanting prayers, fasting, doing Yoga, and meditating on ethics and virtues such as self-restraint, honesty, noninjury to others, forgiveness, and the discovery of Shiva. The ardent devotees keep awake all night. Others visit one of the Shiva temples or go on pilgrimage to Jyotirlingams. This is an ancient Hindu festival whose origin date is unknown.

Teej

Dedicated to the Goddess Parvati, commemorating her union with Lord Shiva, the festival is celebrated for well-being of spouse and children and purification of one’s body and soul. The festival is a three-day-long celebration that combines sumptuous feasts as well as rigid fasting. Teej is celebrated by women, for the long life of her husband and long and firm relationship between them in this life and all the lives to come.

The folk music and dances add more flavor to traditional values of Teej. Women in red dance and sing in the street, going to temple in holy and fasting mood. Teej is also called Haritalika Teej. This festival is celebrated by Nepali Hindu women all across the world.

Buddha Purnima

The birthday of Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, is celebrated as Buddha Purnima across the world. It falls on a full moon day in the month of Vaisakh (April/May) according to the Hindu calendar. In Theravada Buddhism, it is also observed as the day Buddha, born as prince Siddhartha Gautama (c. 563-483 BCE), attained Nirvana (salvation) under the Mahabodhi tree at Bodh Gaya, Bihar, and as his death anniversary.

Buddha Purnima is a major festival celebrated with great fervour in countries like Sri Lanka (where it is called Vesak), Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, Thailand, Tibet, China, Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Mongolia, Cambodia, Singapore and Indonesia, though celebrations vary from country to country.

Devotees visit temples, light candles and incense sticks, pray and offer sweets and fruits before the statue of Lord Buddha. Sermons on the life and teachings of Buddha are held and attended by followers in larger numbers. People usually dress in white and distribute kheer as according to Buddhist lore, on this day a woman named Sujata had offered Buddha a bowl of milk porridge.

Source: Wikipedia