The religious festivals follow the lunar calendar, while national festivals have fixed dates. Wherever or whenever you arrive in Nepal, you can be pretty sure of being at the right time for one or more special events. Some of the major and interesting festivals are presented below:
New Year's Day (April)
The Nepalese New Year's Day usually falls in the second week of April. i.e. the first day of Baisakh. The day is observed as a national holiday. People celebrate it with a great pomp. On this occasion, Bisket Jatra is held in the city of Bhaktapur. Many Nepalese hold Puja or rituals in their homes to mark this special day.
BuddhaJayanti (April-May)
Ever-benevolent Buddha was born in Nepal and the religion he preached is second most popular in the kingdom. On 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 festival several days in advance. Monasteries are cleaned statues are polished bright prayer flags waft in the breeze and monks prepare to dance. Devotees visit various Chaittyas and Stupas on this day. On the Jayanti day, many Nepalese and foreigners pay a visit at Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha. It is a Public Holiday.
Ghodejatra (April)
Known as the festival of horses, is one of the most exciting festivals of Kathmandu. Horse race and other sports take place at Tundikhel on this day. In other parts of the city, various deities are carried shoulder-high on palanquin (khat) accompanied by the traditional music.
Red Machchhendranath Rath Jatra (May-June)
This festival is the biggest socio-cultural event of Patan. The wheeled chariot of a deity known as Bungdyo or Red Machchhendranath is made at Pulchowk and dragged through the city of Patan in several stages till it reaches the appointed destination (Lagankhel). The grand finale of the festival is called the 'Bhoto Dekhaune' or the "showing of a vest”. A similar kind of chariot festival of Machchhendranath (white) is also held in Kathmandu city in the month of March-April. The festival is celebrated both by the Hindu and Buddhist in a grand way.
Dumji
It is celebrated in all the Sherpa settlements in the month of July. The Sherpas of Kathmandu and Helambu regions participate in dancing on this day.
Gaijatra (Cow festival) (July- August)
It is a festival that is dedicated to the departed souls. The family members of that family whose dear ones have been departed from them disguise themselves as cow and pay a visit to the temples, which ends on reaching to Hanuman Dhoka. It is a carnival that lasts eight days. Dancing, singing, comedy and anything that causes mirth and laughter are its highlights.
Krishnastami (July-August)
It marks the birthday of Lord Krishna, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. On this day, impressive ceremonies are conducted at the Krishna Temple in Patan and at Changu Narayan. Devotees pay a visit to Krishna temples, fast, and stay awake throughout the prior night singing chants and bhajans. His Majesty the King and Queen to pay homage to the God visit to the Krishna Mandir of Patan every year on Krishnastami.
Indrajatra (August-September)
The festival of Indra, the God of rain, is observed with great enthusiasm in Kathmandu Valley by thousand of people as well as His Majesty the King and Queen. 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 for the echoes of drums and dancing feet of the masked dancers almost every evening.
Gaura Parva (August- September)
Gaura Parva is dedicated to Goddess Gauri. It is celebrated with great enthusiasm and vehemence, for consecutive two days mainly by the locals of the Far Western Nepal. An important ritual apart from other rituals related to the festival, is that it is an occasion for married women to put on the sacred thread. Deuda Dance is the major part of the festival in which the participants hold hands and form a circle, dancing in the in the same pace, singing the Deuda.
Dashain (October)
Dashain, the festival devoted to Goddess Durga, the symbol of omnipotent motherhood is the greatest, longest and exuberantly celebrated Hindu festival. Dashain is also called Durga Puja or Vijaya Dashami. This festival observed in the month of October, is celebrated for fifteen days. Dashain had its origin in the earliest days and it commemorates the victory of righteousness over the forces of evil. Goddess Durga is worshipped in this festival for nine days. This period of nine days is called Navaratri. From the first day till the ninth day, nine alternate forms of goddess Durga is worshipped. Goddess Durga signifies the victory of good over evil. Observed for nine days of worshipping of goddess Durga ends with Grand Tika- rite on the tenth consecutive day. Vijaya Dashami is a time of showing goodwill and bestowing blessings. People forget their ill feeling and quarrels and welcome one another. It is considered to be an auspicious time. It is the time when the idea of “Peace on earth and good-will towards men’ fills the minds of people.
Tihar (Deepawali) (October-November)
Known as the Festival of Lights and Deepawali- Tihar , celebrated for five days is another big and most dazzling festivals of Hindus. Houses are illuminated at night and special sweets of different varieties are prepared. In this festival we worship Goddess Laxmi, the Goddess of wealth, Crow, Dog, Cow and Ox. During the festival all the houses in the city and villages are decorated, cleaned and lit up with oil lamps. During the night the entire village or city looks like a sparkling diamond. This festival is celebrated for five days starting from the thirteenth day of the waning moon in October. We also refer to tihar as 'Panchak Yama' which, literally means 'the five days of the underworld lord'. We worship 'yamaraj' in different forms in these five days. In other words this festival is meant for life and prosperity.
Chhath
This festival is mainly celebrated in Janakpur by the Maithali – speaking people. It has been a cultural convergence of both the Maithali- speaking people and the people migrated to Janakpur from Hill areas. Chhath festival is marked for four days. Men and women prepare special dishes made up of special rice and molasses and taste them after an audience to the moon. They take a dip in Ganga Sagar, the famous lakes of the area. During the four-day-festival, the devotees worship the rising and setting sun. They have a belief that worshipping the sun would help cure the diseases like Leprosy and bring about longevity and prosperity to their family members. Local people say that the festival has become more important after migrants from the hills also adopted it as their own cultural asset.
Vibhaha Panchami (November-December)
This is a famous festival of Janakpur in the eastern Terai. The occasion commemorates the marriage of Sita to Ram, one of the most venerated Hindu divinities. It attracts thousands of pilgrims from India and Nepal to Janaki Temple in Janakpur.
Maghe Sakranti (January)
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 marks the coming of warmer weather and better days of health and fortune.
Loshar (February)
Loshar is the New Year for various castes in Nepal including the Gurungs, Tamangs, Lamas and Tibetan. They organize folk songs and dances on this occasion. These dances can be witnessed in Khumbu, Helambu and other northern regions of Nepal and also at Bouddhanath in Kathmandu.
Maha Shivaratri (February)
Shivaratri or the Night of Lord Shiva is observed in February-March. It is celebrated in honor of Lord Shiva. A great religious fair takes place in the Pashupatinath Temple and thousands of people from all over Nepal and India flock the temple to worship Lord Shiva.
Fagu Purnima or Holi (February- March)
Holi is a colorful occasion when people smear each other with colored powder
and splash water balloons to one another. The Chir pole is erected at the Kathmandu Durbar Square gaily decorated with colorful flags. That is the formal announcement to everybody to join in the revelry. At the end of the festival, the chir is taken down and burnt.
Chaitra Dasain (March- April)
Another important Hindu Festival celebrated in dedication to Lord Ram, Lord Shiva and Goddess Durga. Red vermilion powder, family blessings, and goat and duck sacrifices are essential to praise the victory of Ram, hero of the epic Ramayan, over the evil king Rawan. Mother Goddess Durga, the source of all power, must be supplicated too for her powers that helped Ram achieve his victory.
