Nepal festivals

Nepal festivals explain cultural and religious events of multi-religious, multi-linguistic and plural cultural societies, such as Dashain, Deepawali, Mani Rimdu, Lhosar, Chhath, Eid, and Sakela. Nepal marks agriculture-based culture. The lunar calendar fixes the festival date and time with a dark fortnight (new moon) and bright fortnight (full moon) for 15 days. 

Festivals are most important in uniting families, communities, groups, villages, and cities. Millions of Nepalis working overseas, the Lahure, return home with souvenirs to celebrate their festivals. Government offices, schools, and banks are closed during the festival. Nepalese tradition, culture, customs, food habits, and dress are unique. Wine of rice and millet is culturally accepted. People entertain with traditional dress, cuisine, drink, festival swing, playing card, and gambling.

Nepal festivals celebrate with a chariot procession, animal sacrifice, mask dance, shaman dance, and ritual bath. Devotees ring a bell, hang prayer flags, wear flower garlands, eat festival bread, bless Tika from older and perform a cultural show with music. Devotees visit sacred temples with a butter lamp, vermilion powder, flowers, incense, and food. Religious harmony faces all castes and ethnic groups (125) in Nepal. The fifteen most popular festivals are below. 

1. Dashain 

The Great Hindu festival celebrates for ten-day as the Vijaya Dashami. Triumph is over evil Goddess Durga's victory over Mahishasur and God Ram's victory over Ravana. It falls between September and October. People paint houses, wear their favourite dresses, and enjoy the swing and Ferris wheels. Government and non-government offices, schools, and colleges are closed. Family members return home to celebrate the event. The festival season is perfect with a blue sky, Himalaya view, moonlight, and harvesting crops.

Dashain begins on Ghatasthapana planting Jamara, a new seed of barley, maize, and paddy for the Tika. People worship Goddess Mahakali for the first three days for power. Next three-day pray to Goddess Mahalaxmi (Owl rider and Garuda rider) for wealth. For the last three-day, devotees worship Goddess Maha Saraswati for knowledge.

Dashain is quite interesting after seven days (Fulpati). In the eight and nine days, Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami, goat, hen, sheep, buffalo, and pig are sacrificed at Durga temple, believing they get a new life. On the tenth day, Vijaya Dashami, seniors bless juniors with Tika (rice, curd, banana, and red colour) and Jamara (sprout grains) on the forehead. The festival can continue for 15 days until full moon day (Kojagrat Purnima). It unites friendship, cooperation, humanity, and happiness among neighbours and relatives. This festival especially offers delicious foods, meat, bitten rice, sweets, pickle and banana.  

2. Tihar   

The second most popular Hindu festival is Deepawali. It celebrates five days between October and November. It describes the light and flower festival using rice flour bread and marigold flowers. According to a myth, God Yama (God of death) visit his sister's home to celebrate the 5-day festival. On the other hand, God Rama returned to Ayodhya with the victory over Ravana. Those events originated at this festival.

Deepawali festival honoured certain animals, crow, dog, ox, and cow. On the first day, the crow (messenger of death) worships with the flower, rice, and bread. On the second day, a dog (the door guard of God Yama) worships with tika, garland, rice, and bread. On the third day, a cow (the mother goddess) in the morning and Goddess Laxmi (the Goddess of wealth) worshipped in the evening with a candle, red powder, garland, butter lamp, and food. Devotees worship their properties inviting Laxmi to their home. 

On the fourth day, the ox worships with a flower, Tika and food. The ox is a noteworthy animal for farmers to plough fields and pulls carts. On the fifth day, Bhai Tika (Brother festival) celebrates between sister and brother with Tika and Garland. They exchange gifts, food and happiness with rice flour bread, sweets and clothes.

Public gambling with cowrie shells and cards, Deusi, Bhailo, and Carol displays at a house and street. Newar people celebrate their New Year in Kathmandu Valley, according to Nepal Sambat. They worship themselves called Maha Puja. 

3. Holi 

Holi is a Hindu colour festival that falls on the full-moon day between February and March. According to a myth, Demon Hiranyakashipu wanted to kill his son Prahlad (devotee of the God Vishnu). He set up a campfire and kept his daughter Holika (not a problem with fire) and son Prahlad. As a result, Prahlad was alive, but Holika died of burning. People believed God Vishnu saved Prahlad from the fire.

Next myth, Demon Putana wanted to kill baby God Krishna by feeding her milk. Krishna drank her milk then Demon Putana passed. The festival started after this happiness.

People celebrate the festival with dry colours and watercolours. On the first day, it celebrates in the Hilly Region, Kathmandu, and Pokhara. Annually, Holi celebrates in front of Kumari House in Kathmandu Durbar Square after setting up a Chir (a pole with colourful clothes). Youngsters exchange colour powders with each other. On the final day, people burn the Chir. Ashes were put on the children's foreheads to remove the crying issue. On the second day, Holi celebrates in the Terai Region with mixed colours for joy and happiness. 

4. Teej 

Teej is the Great Women Festival annually held in July and August from the 2nd day to the fifth day in a bright fortnight. Married and unmarried women worship God Shiva wishing a good husband, prosperity, and happiness. Women take a special midnight dinner (Dar) for the following day of fasting.

Teej is a woman's festival to cleanse her sins if unknown touched during their period. Hindu women visit the Holy River and Rivulet for the ritual bath. Later, with a priest, they worship Sun God and Seven Vedic sages (Saptarishi). They wear a red sari and traditional ornaments and sing Teej songs facing their problem. Women dance in a group playing tom-tom (Madal). 

Lakhe dance performs with a mask. Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu and all over Shiva Temples in Nepal celebrate this festival. Men are not allowed to dance and watch from outside. 

5. Bisket 

Nine-day New Year festival is held annually in Bhaktapur Durbar Square in mid-April. Locals pull wooden chariots around the quadrangles. A legend mentions two snakes originate from the newly married princess's nose. Prince used to kill by the snakes. Later, a prince was found a secret by a woman in this city. Afterwards, he cut the snakes twenty times with a sword. Prince saved his life. The Bisket translates twenty cuts. In another myth, A couple of Tantric became snakes after a mistake of their wife while practising being a python. The snakes requested King to return their earlier form but were unsuccessful.

The festival celebrates between the Upper and Lower Village (Sukuldhoka and Nasmana with Gahiti) in front of Nyatapola Temple. Locals set up a 55 hands-long pole and established two chariots for Bhairab and Bhadrakali. Locals pull the divine chariots to their village. They tied eight ropes in a poll representing the eight Goddesses (Astamatrika) and a symbol of the two snakes mentioned above.

History believes the Kashi (Banaras) Bhairab used to attend the festival. At the time, Bhaktapur Tantric saw God and request him to stay in Bhaktapur. God Bhairab denied his request, Tantric blocked four directions, but Bhairab returned to Banaras and left his body. As a result, the statue of Bhairab used a carved separate head and a body in Bhairabnath Temple in Taumadhi Tole is displaying.

6. Shivaratri 

Shivaratri is an interesting Shaivites festival held annually between February and March in Shiva temples. Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu is celebrated the birthday of God Shiva with a bonfire. Approximately 4000 Indian Sadhus visit Pashupati to join the festival.

Shivaratri describes a great night of the God Shiva, which celebrates with devotional songs, votive lamps, and dance. Devotees take a ritual bath on the holy River Bagmati in the morning. One million devotees visit Pashupatinath Temple on the special festival day.

Shivaratri is an opportunity to interact with different Sadhus, Naga Babas, Aghori Babas, and normal Babas. The Nepal government honoured Sadhus by providing food and accommodation. Sadhus live in and around Ram Temple. Pashupati Area Development Trust distributes clothes and money to Sadhus before returning home. They can stay more after the festival. Nepali youngsters gossip with the Sadhus. 

7. Rato Machhindranath Jatra 

Machhindranath Jatra is popular between Hindus and Buddhists in Kathmandu Valley. Both religions worship the Red Machhindranath. He is the God of compassion and rain, the Karunamaya in Buddhism. According to a myth, the King and the locals of Kathmandu Valley brought him from Assam in India. Kathmandu Valley became dry without rain for twelve years in the 7th century. When people welcomed God in Kathmandu, occurred heavy raining. Afterwards, God honoured the protector of Kathmandu Valley.

Machhindranath Jatra celebrates for one month in April and May. The chariot festival arranges by the Newar community. The God lives six months in Patan and six months in Bungamati Village, 6 km south of Lalitpur district. A thirty-two-hand long, nine-storied chariot set up on four wooden wheels. It symbolizes four figures of Bhairab. The festival was postponed for four days because God Machhindranath used to visit Kirtipur to meet his girlfriend during the celebration.

At last, government officials show the Bhoto (sacred golden vest) to locals. The vest displays at least three times to the owner to claim ownership. Another myth mentioned that Karkotaka Naga of Taudaha gifted the golden vest to a farmer. The farmer lost the vest. It said the vest stole by a ghost. Later Karkotaka Naga found it and gave the farmer again, though he rejected it. As a result, since the festival celebrates claiming the vest. 

8. Chhath 

Chhath festival celebrates held in October and November on the sixth of the bright fortnight. Annually it celebrates in Terai Region and Kathmandu Valley. People worship the Sun God at sunrise and sunset times. Devotees wish a son and prosperity to their families. Pilgrims go for a ritual bath in Holy Rivers, Janakpurdham, Ganga Sagar, and Dhanush Sagar. Since 2011, the annual festival celebrates the Bagmati River, Rani Pokhari and Kamal Pokhari in Kathmandu. They establish a statue of the Sun God with horses (vehicles) and celebrate with music. 

9. Janai Purnima 

Janai Purnima falls on a full moon day in July and August. Hindu Brahmins visit local's homes to tie a sacred thread. Early morning people take ritual baths in the holy rivers, lakes and springs. Brahmins wear sacred thread to their shoulder and hand.

The sacred thread is power and protection from ghosts and evil eyes. Newar people of Kathmandu Valley feed rice to a couple of frogs with a memory of who killed Demon Ghantakarna. This agriculture base culture celebrates rice plantation. They drink mixed sprout beans soup with rice for energy. 

10. Buddha Jayanti 

Buddha Jayanti is a birthday celebration of Lord Buddha. He was born in Lumbini Garden in western Nepal in 623 BC. It celebrates on a full moon day in April and May. It believes that Siddhartha Gautama was born and died on the full moon day.

Buddha Jayanti is popular with peace lovers around the world. Pilgrims visit Lumbini and Monastery to pray with a butter lamp. Lama chants and worships with mantras. They hang prayer flags and spin a prayer wheel. Lumbini, Boudhanath, Namo Buddha, and Swayambhunath offer to celebrate their birthday. 

11. Mani Rimdu 

Mani Rimdu is a Buddhist festival held on a full moon day in November-December. The mountain festival celebrates annually in Tengboche after Namche Bazaar and Chiwong Monastery in Everest Region. Sherpa people celebrate a full moon day in the Thame Monastery in May. Monks perform a dance wearing scary masks of deities. They exhibit thirteen dances to chase a ghost and make a wish for monsoon water.

Mani Rimdu celebrates for three days with a victory of Buddhism over the Tibetan Bon religion (believed a human sacrifice). On the first day, the monk worships in a courtyard of the monastery. On the second day, monks dance wearing a typical dress. On the third day, the festival will end with several activities. Sherpa people, tourists, and locals take part in the ceremony. The Nyingma-Pa sect Monastery of Tengboche remains crowded during the festival. 

12. Losar 

This festival is known as the New Year celebration of the Bhotia people. Annually it is held in February-March. According to the Tibetan calendar, every year changes an animal symbol. There are twelve animals, monkey, rooster, dog, pig, mouse, bull, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse and sheep. 

People wear traditional dress, dance, drink, and wish a happy New Year. Every 60 years, the special event, Ranching, celebrates happiness. The different ethnic groups, the Gurung, Sherpa, and Tibetan people, celebrate Losar separately.

13. Yartung 

Yartung is an exciting horse festival celebrated annually between August and September. People from Manang and Mustang gather at Ranipauwa (3750 m), Muktinath, the trekking route of Annapurna Circuit. Eighteen years locals especially take part in the horse race. With traditional dress from Northern Mustang and Manang, youngsters bring decorated horses for the competition.

Yartung is a mountain festival celebrated for three days in the summer season. Drinking and gambling is their activity. Trekkers can observe this festival while they are Annapurna circuit trek. The mountain horses are strong it decorates as a bridegroom. Both young and middle-aged participate in the race after training. 

14. Dumji 

Dumje festival is a birth celebration of Padmasambhava, which celebrates in the Everest Region. The Bodhisattva belongs to Nyingmapa Sect according to Tibetan Buddhism. The mountain festival at the monastery celebrates in May and June.

Dumje festival celebrates for six days. Monks pray, chant and dance wearing a mask and typical dresses. Sherpa people wear ethical dresses and drink with family, friends, and relatives. People wish peace and prosperity for the country. Sherpa people from Namche Bazaar, Thami, and Khumjung participate in this festival. The family of locals rotates to manage this festival for financial support. 

15. Indra Jatra 

Indra Jatra (Yenya) is eight days Hindu festival dedicated to the King of heaven (God Indra), the God of rain and harvest, celebrated in Kathmandu Valley. It falls annually in September with an indication of changing monsoon season. It celebrates by erecting a ceremonial pole - Ya-Sin (Indradhoj Linga), especially in Kathmandu Durbar Square. The ceremonial pole is brought from Nala forest Suryabinayak, Bhaktapur and kept in Bhotahity for a few days. Festival teams exhibit mask dances of the Ten Incarnations of God Narayan. Lakhe dance, Pulu Kisi (Elephant) dance, and Mahalaxmi dance are displayed. The chariots of Living Goddess Kumari, God Bhairab, and God Ganesh circumambulate the premises of the Kathmandu city centre around Katmandu Durbar Square. 

Indra Jatra has a myth. Once, God Indra and his mother were imprisoned in Kathmandu Valley by its locals. Locals released them after an agreement to provide dew for farmers and heaven for deceased people. The president, prime minister, foreign diplomats, and high officials visit the square to watch the festival at Gaddi Baithak (throne room). They take blessing with Kumari.

Moreover, Nepal festivals are Gaura Parva, Gaijatra, Bala Chaturdasi, Saraswati Puja, Ram Nabami, Kushi Aunsi, Haribodhani Ekadashi, Baisdhara Mela, Gunla Dharma, Haribodhani Ekadashi, Gadimai Mela, Maghe Sankranti, Archery Festival, Sita Jayanti, Balkumari Jatra, Sapantirtha Mela, Maibeni Mela, and Kuse Aunsi.