Nepal is home for several indigenous and ethnic groups. Nepal is not only the land of mountains; it is also the land of festivals. More than 60 ethnic groups have been recorded and many are still exploring, who are prosperous with their own language, culture and traditions. They have their unique festivals in celebration. In Nepal, people celebrate national festivals and local fair for the whole year in different months. Festivals in Nepal are as number as there are days in a year. Blessed to be one of the most diverse countries in the world, almost everyday Nepal and Nepalese are participating in some sort of festivals and celebrations. There is a saying in Nepal within 365 days Nepal celebrates 366 festivals.
Some of the representative festivals are listed as follows.
- Bijaya Dashami or Dashain
- Deepawali or Tihar
- Fagu Purmina
- Gai Jatra
- Janai Purnima
- Naag Panchami
- Teej
- Rishi Panchami
- Krishna Janmastami
- Rato Machchhendranath
- Buddha Jayanti
- Nepali New Year (Bisket Jatra
- Ghode Jatra
- Chhath
- Maha Shivaratri
- Lhosar
- Maghe Sangranti
- Gathemangal or Ghantakarna
- Chaite Dashain and Ram Nawami
- Mother’s Day
- Gaura Parba
- Father’s Day
- Indra Jatra
- Bala Chaturdasi
- Bibah Panchami
- Yomari Punhi
Some of the most celebrated festivals in Nepal:-
Vijaya Dashami (DASHAIN)
Dashain is the most important festival to Nepalese people. It is a celebration of good victory over evil. Dashain is the longest festival in Nepal, celebrated for 15 days. It falls during September-October. The Hindu people worship goddess Durga for nine days and put on Tikka (rice, red vermillion and yoghurt) and Jamara on the 10th day till the 15th day along with the blessing from the elders. Large bamboo swings callled as Linge ping are set up. Most families offer male goats, ducks, chickens, eggs and coconuts to the goddess Durga. People return to their home villages and spend the fifteen-day festival with their families. This the time when everyone get vacation so they visit to the relatives , gather together , play card for fun , eat a lot and enjoy. Flying kites is another way of celebration of dashain. Kites a visibles all over the skies before a month ago dashain begins.
Deepawali (TIHAR)
Deepawali is known as Tihar festival, celebrated for five days in the mid of month Kartik. It is the most beautiful festival among all as it’s the festival of lights. Tihar is Nepal’s second most important festival, after Dashain. In each of the three days, a different deity is worshipped. First day we worship and feed crow, the messenger of Yama (the bringer of death , the second day we worship and feed dog (Bhairav), on the third goddess Lakshmi is worshipped, the bringer of wealth the fifth day, forth day Gobardhan puja and the fifth day Bhai tika, where sisters put tika and garlands to their brothers and brother offer some kind of presents. It is known as the festival, making good relationship between brothers and sisters. Tihar is celebrated by lighting different cable light all over the house , lightening oil lamps , candles, playing with fireworks and then gathering people for dancing and singing (Deusi aand Bhailo). The most beautiful festival as the whole nation sparkles with the use of different varieties of lights .
Naya barsha (New Year)
Naya barsha is known as “’New Year” in Nepal. Nepal has its official calendar that begins from the first day of the first day month Baisakh. This very first day is observed as Nepali New Year which usually falls in the second week of April. People go for picnics, have get-togethers and celebrate the eve by clubbing and partying and in various ways. This day is also a national holiday in Nepal. Greeting and delivering messages for the future year and bidding goodbye to the previous year is done during this day.
Maghe Sankranti
Maghe Sankranti is celebrated in the month of January, on the first day of Magh according to the Nepali calendar. People eat various dishes of delicious foods as ghee, laddoo and Chaku as well as sweet potatoes. Married daughters come to their parents to join the happiness. This festival is also a festival of gathering of all spread family members all over the nation.
Fagu Purnima or Holi
Fagu Purnima or Holi is a festival of colors, celebrated during the month of Falgun or March on a full moon day. People celebrate this festival by using different colors and waters to each other. It is beautifully celebrated in all regions of Nepal. Holi is a very colorful and playful festival. It is celebrated in the Terai on one day, and in Kathmandu and the hill regions on the next day. People smear colored powders on their friends, relatives and family members, and throw colored water and water balloons. It’s important not to take any valuables belongings during this festival. Celebration of Holi has a significant religious belief.
Maha Shivratri
Shivaratri or the night of Lord Shiva that falls in the month of Falgun normally (between February/March) is one of the major festivals of Nepal. This festival celebration is dedicated to Lord Shiva, celebrated on the no-moon night by the Hindus. Lord Shiva is the most worshipped God in the Hindu religion. It is celebrated as a birthday of Lord Shiva. A big fair held in the Pashupatinath area by millions of Hindu devotees. Sadhus paint their bodies by the ashes and worship Shiva throughout the whole night. The best place to witness the festival is at the Pashupatinath temple of Kathmandu, where thousands of Sadhus (Hindu holy men) and visitors around the world come and smoke marijuana and hashish, considered dear to Lord Shiva. People also drink Ghatta Bhang, a drink made by mixing ground nuts, spices, herbs and extracts of marijuana into milk. The devotees also freely indulge in using marijuana as believed to please Lord Shiva and marijuana use is legal only on this sacred day around Pashupatinath area.
Ghode jatra (Horse festival)
Ghodejatra is also known as a horse race celebration, generally celebrated in the end of March (15 Chaitra). Ghode Jatra is important in the Kathmandu Valley and is celebrated to ward off demonic Gurumapa. It is said the soul of the demon still lives underground at Tundikhel. To prevent him from rising again, a horse race is organised on this day by the Nepal Army. It is a spectacular celebration at Tundikhel by assembling the horses of police and army. Normally the guests are the senior government officials and high personals.
Gai Jatra
The festival’s name is Gai Jatra (literally meaning the festival of cows). Gai Jatra is held in the August, especially celebrated inside the Kathmandu Valley. The participants are from those families who have lost their any of the family members or nearest ones. This festival is celebrated by wearing different types of traditional costumes and to make people feel happy by doing clown activities. The first and the oldest tradition incorporates a cult and a worship of the ancient god of death – Yamaraj. Thus, the festival marks the acceptance and celebration of death in a positive way.
Indra jatra
The Indra Jatra is celebrated inn the name of the god of rain Indra, in the August for eight days. It is celebrated by a mass of people pulling the chariot. The main theme behind its celebration for the call of rain for agriculture. This festival is mostly celebrated by the Newar community but participation and witnessed by all tribes of people. Indra Jatra: This festival named after Lord Indra- the God of Rain and also the King of Heaven is celebrated by both the Buddhists and Hindus in Nepal. This festival lasts for eight days with singing, mask dancing and rejoicing. The chariot of Kumari – the Living Goddess is taken through the main streets of Kathmandu with thousands of devotees. People get to enjoy various classical dances like elephant dance, lakhe – a very popular dance of a man with a mask. The crowd of excited people from performers to spectators engulfs the streets of Kathmandu during this festival.
Buddha Jayanti
Buddha Jayanti is the celebration of Lord Buddha’s birthday. Buddha’s birthday falls on the first full day of the first month of the Hindu lunar calendar and is celebrated by Hindus as well as Buddhists. It is observed at Buddhist shrines and monasteries throughout Nepal, but a particularly grand ceremony is held at Buddha’s birthplace in Lumbini. Buddha Jayanti is celebrated every year during May in Nepal. On this day people swarm in Swayambhunath and Boudhanath. The festival is also celebrated organising various types of cultural and other programs.
Chhath Parba
Chhath is the most important festival mostly observed in the Terai region and falls on the seventh day after Tihar. Devotees do fast and make offerings to the sun by gathering at river banks. The Terai region is the best place to observe this festival or the Rani Pokhari tank in central Kathmandu. Chhath is a celebration by worshipping the rising and setting sun by sinking their half of the body in the water. Mostly, it is celebrated in the Terai region by married women. They remain fasting during the festival and sing folk songs and celebrate in their own tradition way.
Yomari Punhi
Yomari is a sweet snack prepared by members of Nepal’s Newar ethnic group. In December, Yomari punhi is celebrated by the communities of Newars. Yomari Punhi celebrates the end of the rice harvest. You can find yomari on sale in Newari parts of Kathmandu at this time (Patan in particular). Travellers interested in Nepali food shouldn’t miss this one. Yomari is a food prepared by flour and chaaku (mlack color sweet ).
Teej
Teej is a festival celebrated by Hindu women for the three days. It normally falls in the month of Bhadra (August or early September). This festival is celebrated to wish the long life of the husband. Teej is is a Hindu married woman’s day for her man. This festival is celebrated in August/September. Women clad in beautiful red sarees with shining poteys (glass beads), singing and dancing is the sight almost everywhere in Nepal during the festival. On this day women observe a fast and pray Lord Shiva for the long, healthy and prosperous life of their husbands and their families. The unmarried women also observe this festival with unabated zeal with the hope that they will get to marry good husbands. From early dawn, women queue up in the multiple lines in Pashupatinath to offer their prayers to Lord Shiva. Teej is the most famous festival among Nepali women and has a government holiday on the caalender.
Lhosar
Lhosar is celebrated by Nepalese ethnic groups namely Tibetans, Taming, Gurung and Sherpas. This is the New Year of the Tibetan, Sherpa, Gurung and Tamang of Nepal. The Buddhist monasteries in Kathmandu like Boudhanath and Swayambhunath are decorated with eye catching colorful prayer flags pulling the crowd the whole day and night during this festival. The people perform their traditional dances and welcome their New Year with friends and family gatherings wearing all the cultural coatumes, new clothes and finest jewelries . Lhosar is the first day of the new year, and each community celebrates the festival differently. Various programs are organized for the gathering of people in a open place like Tundikhel in Kathmandu and they have fun singing and dancing in their culture and tradition.
Bisket Jatra
Bisket jatra is celebrated by pulling a huge chariot carrying the god Bhairab through the streets, ending with a chariot battle at Bhaktapur’s Khalna Tole. This is a major holiday in Nepal. A particularly lively place to spend the day is Bhaktapur, where the Bisket Jatra festival takes place. A huge numbers of local and devotees from other cities come to participate the festival. This is biggest festival of Bhaktapur. Newari people gather , play their cultural instrument , perform their cultural dance and then drink and eat verities of Newari dishes.
MOTHERS DAY
Mothers day is the greatest festival of Nepal as it iis the day for the respected Mother who gave birth to all of us. On this day, children (including adult children!) offer sweets, fruits and gifts to their mothers to show their respect and gratitude. Those whose mothers have passed away visit Mata Tirtha in the west of Kathmandu, take a holy bath and make offerings in their mother’s memory.
Kushe Aushi or Gokarna Ausi (Fathers day )
Kushe aushi is another respected festival of Nepal as it is the day Fathers are worshiped with great respect for which how he raised up facing different difficulties and situation. This day son and daughter staying separate from parents come to visit them with the offerings like sweets, fruits, gifts and many more, no matter with their busy daily schedule. Those who have lost their father they come to pray and perform Sharada (offering ) at the Gokarna temple in Kathmandu in memory of the deceased father. This day does not coincide with the international Fathers day its according to lunar calendar of Nepal
Naag panchami
Naag means snake in Nepali, we worship snake as a god. Naag Panchami falls in the middle of the monsoon. It is a Hindu festival that worships the serpent god, Naag. Pictures are posted in doorways, and milk is offered to him. It is believed that worshipping Naag protects against snake bites. This festival marks respect to serpents as the water guardians, and to ensure regular rainfall in the Kathmandu Valley for easy agriculture . Various musical events and cultural programs are organized to the areas where there are temple of Naag for the celebration.
Janai Purnima
Janai Purnima is Sacred Thread Festival. On this day, Hindu men, especially the Brahmins and Chettris perform their annual change of Janai ( thread) and all who celebrates this festival put a sacred thread around their wrist. Gosaikunda, the sacred pond in high altitude, witnesses the great celebration on this day. During this festival grains products like red beans , heartshaped pea, green dry peas and many other are consumed a lot.
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