:-: FESTIVALS OF NEPAL :-:

       Festival of Nepal has always been a meaningful event where people enjoy themselves more through their direct involvement then just watching them. In Nepal, every festival has same purpose to serve, such as to bring rain or to have good harvest, to avert calamities and so on. In fact, festivals are the best way to understand and appreciate the Nepalese way of life. The Nepalese year is full of festivals which are celebrated according to the lunar calendar. Some of the important festivals are listed below:

Maghe Sankrati:

       Tharu community celebrates the Maghe Sankrati as New Year's Day, which falls on the first day of Magh, usually the mid of January. Even if it is considered the coldest day of the year, it makes the coming of Warmer weather and better days of health and fortune.

Lhosar is most impressively observed in the month of February by the Sherpas. They organize folk songs and dances on this occasion. These dances can be seen in Khumbu, Helambu and other northern regions of Nepal and also at Boudhanath in Kathmandu.

       Shivaratri or the Night of the Lord Shiva is observed in February – March. It is celebrate in honor of Lord Shiva. A great religions fair takes place in the Pashupatinath Temple and thousands of people from all over Nepal and India flock the temple to worship lord Shiva.

Celebrated in the month of February – March. This is a colorful occasion when people smear each other with colored powder and splash water balloons onto one another. The Chir pole is erected at the Kathmandu Durbar Square gaily decorated with colorful clothes and to join in the revelry. At the end of festival, the chir is taken down and burnt.

       Celebrated in the month of March – April. Rd vermilion power, family blessings, and goat and duck sacrifices are essential to praise the victory of Ram, hero of the epic Ramayana, over the evil king Raven. Mother Goddess Durga, the source of all power, must be supplicated too for her powers that helped Ram achieve his victory.

       Godhe Jatra or horse festival is celebrated between March and April. It is one of the exciting festivals celebrated in Kathmandu. Horse race and other sports take place at the Tundikhel parade ground on this day. In other parts of the city, various deities are carried to a shoulder – high on palanquin (Khat) with the accompaniment of traditional music.

       Celebrated in April. Ever-benevolent Buddha was born in Nepal and the religion. His preaching is second most popular in this kingdom. On full moon day the Lord's Birth enlightenment and salvation are applauded throughout the valley with celebrations. On this day, people reach the Stupas before dawn go around them and give offering to the many Buddha images there.

       The Nepalese New Year's Day usually falls in the second week of April. The day is observed as a national holiday. Peolple celebrate it with a great pomp and show. On this occasion, Bisket Jatra is held in the city of Bhaktapur.

Celebrated in May – Jun. This festival is the biggest socio-cultural event of Patan. The wheeled charikot of a deity known as Bungdyo or Rato Machchendranath is made at reaches the destined location (Lagankhel). The grand final of the festival is called the "Bhhoto Dekhaune" or the "showing of vest".

       It is a birth celebration of Guru Rimpoche (Padmasmbhava) that takes place in June in the Khumbu region. It lasts for 6 days. Eight families sponsor th event each year. It is a heavy financial burden, so this responsibility is rotated among the villages. Separate celebrations take place in the villages of Namche Bazar, Khumjung and Thame.

Celebrated in July – August, it is a carnival that lasts eight days. Dancing, singing, comedy and anything that causes mirth and laughter are its highlights.

    Celebrated in July – August, it makes the birthday of Lord Krishna. On this day, impressive ceremonies are conducted at the Krishna Temple in Patan and at Changu Narayan

Festivals is celebrated in August, in which Hindu changes sacred threads and take a holy bath and receive yellow threaded bands in their wrist from Brahmin priests.

       A local Buddhist festival of Patan observed in the month of August. A crowd of devotees playing music and dancing to round all the Chaityas of the city from early morning till late afternoon.

      Celebrated in August – September. Teej is a Hindu Festival celebrated by women. Dancing, folk song and the red color of women's wedding saris dominate the days of Teej. Women observe a fast and flock to Shiva temples where married once pray for a happy conjugal life and unmarried once for a right husband.

Celebrated in August – September. The festival of Indra, the God of rain, is observed with great enthusiasm in the Kathmandu valley. The festival lasts for eight days. The chariot of Kumari, the Living Goddess, is taken out in procession through the main streets of Kathmandu. The festival is specially noted of the masked dances almost every evening.

       Celebrated in October – November. Dhasain festival is the major festival of the Nepalese. Entire country is in enthusiastic mood at the time of the festival. Dasain, the longest and most favorite festival right after the monsoon is a time for shopping eating and socializing with friends, and family. The Dasain celebration marks the victory of good over evils. Durga Bhawani is the emblem of the good. Durga conquered evils on this day. Huge amount of animal sacrifice take place during the festival in temples and in home to please the Goddess, Durga. The final day of the in known as "Tika", a day on which the elder ones give "Tika" to the younger ones and to other relatives who come for blessings.

Known as the festival of lights, Tihar is celebrated for five days. It is observed in the month of October-November. Tihar, festival of lights is one of the most dazzling of all Hindu festivals. In this festival we worship Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth. In other words, this festival is meant for life and prosperity.

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