FestivalsPeople & CultureClimate

Major Festivals
Nepalese have preserved and continued thousands of years old festivals and traditions. Hence, you will find an innumerable Numbur of colorful festivals throughout the year. No matter in which season you visit Nepal you will find one kind of festival or another.

Nepal has many kinds of festivals. All Nepalese observe the national festivals. Some regions celebrate regional festivals. Different ethnic groups observe local festivals. All Nepalese together have more than 50 major festivals they celebrate not less than 120days a year. The interwoven prevailing pattern of Hinduism and Buddhism allows the devotees of one religion to take part in the other’s festival. Nepalese have the holidays during the national festivals and regional holidays for regional festivals.

The following festivals listed under different months indicate how often Nepalese celebrate their festivals. Jan-Feb

Maha Shivaratri (February)
Lord Shiva is one of Nepal's most popular gods. During Maha Shivaratri, his ` `Great Night", followers throughout the Indian sub-continent crowd the Pashupati temple to worship him. On this occasion "there is no space even for a sesame seed": Colorful sadhus, the wandering sages who emulate Shiva, rub ashes over their bodies, give lectures to disciples, meditate, or practice yoga. Devotees pray to Shiva's image inside the temple at midnight and may queue for up to six hours to look at the image. Bonfires are lit, neighbours and friends share food, and devotees enjoy two days and a night of music, song, and dance throughout the Pashupati complex and in the streets.

Losar (February)
Sherpas and Tibetans welcome their New Year with feasts, family visits and dancing. Families don their finest clothes and jewellery and exchange gifts.

Buddhist monks offer prayers for good health and prosperity, and perform dances at the monasteries. Colorful prayer flags decorate streets and rooftops; the colors seem especially brilliant at the Bouddha and Swayambhu stupas. Crowds of celebrants at Bouddha bring in the New Year by throwing tsampa (roasted barley flour) into the air.

Holi or Fagu Purnima (March)
Fagu Purnima is one of the most colorful and playful festivals of Nepal. The chit pole, decorated with colorful flags and erected on the first day of Fagu at Kathmandu's Durbar Square, is a formal announcement to all; hide your good clothes, for througout the week you may be splashed with coloured powder and water balloons. The last day is the wildest, youths covered with red vermillion powder roam the streets as inviting targets.

Ghode Jatra (April)

Visitors are often amazed by the fine horses of the Nepalese army, and Ghode Jatra is a time for the most graceful of these animals to perform before the public eye. Legends relate that this "horse festival" was begun after the Kathmandu people buried a demon under the soil of Tundikhel showgrounds. They say that he may rise again and cause worry to the world if he is not trampled on by horses each year. So every spring, this victory over evil is celebrated in the Valley by organizing palanquin processions and grand display of showjumping, motorcycling feats, and gymnastics. Their Majesties the King and Queen, the Living Goddess Kumari, and thousands of people from all over the country are a part of the jatra audience.

April-May
Bisket Jatra (April)

During this important festival, the old kingdom of Bhaktapur and its neighboring areas replay a drama passed on over the centuries. Images of wrathful and somewhat demonic deities are placed on tottering chariots. They are offered blood sacrifices, flowers, and eoins. Men brimming with youthful vigor and rice beer drag the chariots across brick-paved streets of the town, and wherever these raths stop, lamps are lit and devotees overflow into the surrounding alleys. Other gods and goddesses, too, are put on palanquins and carried around so that they may see the sigbts. At Bode village, there is a tongue-boring ceremony in which the dedicated may reserve a place in heaven.

Red Machhendranath (May)

Until a few decades ago, before the Kathmandu VaIIey became a pureiy commercial hub, it was an agricultural land which depended upon the rainy monsoon for its important rice crop. Today, though traditional farming practices have reduced, the pre-monsoon season still sees great worship made to Red Machhendranath - a rain god. Patan's streets and palace complex are made even more evocative by wavering lamp and candle lights, women busy cooking feasts, and men gathering strength to pull the chariot of their red deity. As Lord Machhendranath views his followers from the high seat of his chariot, its four wheels - representing the powerful Bhairab - receive rice and vermilion powder, the king of serpents is asked for blessings, and his jewelled vest is shown to the public.

Buddha Jayanti (May)

The ever benevolent Buddha was born in Nepal, and the religion he preached is the, second most popular in the kingdom. On May 6, a full moon day, the Lord's birth, enlightenment, and salvation are applauded throughout the valley with celebrations. Swayambhu and Boudhanath Stupas are prepared for the oncoming festivities several days in advance. Monasteries are cleaned, statues are polished, bright prayer flags waft in the breeze, and monks prepare to dance. On the Jayanti day, people reach the stupas before dawn, go around them and give offerings to the many Buddha images there.

Janai Purnima and Raksha Bandhan (August)

On Janai Purnima, a full moon day, high-caste Hindus chant the powerful Gayatri mantra and change their Sacred Thread (janai), while a raksha bandhan, a red or yellow protection cord, is tied around the wrists of other Hindus and Buddhists. Pilgrims journey to the mountains north of Kathmandu. Here they emulate Lord Shiva by bathing. in the sacred lake of Gosaikund. Those unable lo make the trek celebrate at Shiva's Kumbheswar Mahadev temple. Here, a pool with an image of Shiva at its center is filled with water believed to have come from Gosaikund.

August-Sept
Gai Jatra (August)

The gai or cow is holy to Hindus . She represents Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, and guides the souls of the departed to the gates of the Netherworld. But Gai Jatra is not a somber occasion. Satire, jokes, fancy costumes, and colorful processions are the order of the day as people recall how an eighteenth century king rallied his people to cheer his queen upon the death of their son. Those who have experienced the death of close ones during the past year share their sorrow and fake comfort in the fact that the gai has safely transported the departed souls on their afterlife journey.

Young men wearing women's saris, children`dressed up as cows, and whimsical characters of all sorts fill the streets. Special issues of local magazines poke fun at everyone and everything - even the most important people aren't spared.

Dasain (October)

Dasain is the longest and most favourite festival of Nepal. Everyone stays home with their families, offices close and Radio Nepal plays Dasain music. The skies of Kathmandu are filled with kites and the marketplaces are filled with farmers bringing their buffaloes, goats and chicken to sell. The animals are to be sacrificed on the night of Kal Ratri to the goddess Durga to celebrate her victory over evil. On the day of Dashami, everyone puts on new clothes and goes to honor their family elders, where they receive large red tikas of vermilion paste on their foreheads. In the following days of Dasain, families and friends unite, feasts are consumed, blessings are imparted and gifts are exchanged. Nepal's most beloved festival ends with the full moon.

Tihar (November)

Tihar, known as the Festival of Lights, is a time of candlelight, tinsel decorations and festive colored sweets:. On different days, there are offerings and small celebrations for crows, dogs, cows and oxen. On the night of Lakshmi Puja, garlands are hung and lamps are lighted to invite Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth into the home. Maha Puja, the New Year's Day according to the Nepal Era is the day of the self, when people give themselves blessings to remain healthy and happy for the rest of the year. Bhai Tika, the last day of Tihar, is the day when sisters make offerings to their brothers. The rituals of breaking a walnut, putting on garlands of makhamali flowers and encircling brothers in rings of mustard oil protects them from Yama, lord of the Netherworld. Nov-Dec