Dashain
: is the longest and most
favorite festival of Nepal. Everyone
stays home with their families, offices
close and Radio Nepal plays Dashain
music. The skies of Kathmandu are
filled with kites and the marketplaces
are filled with farmers bringing their
buffaloes, goats and chickens 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 Dashain, 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:
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. Mha 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. 1 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. |
| Teej:
Pashupati, the temple of Shiva, is drenched
in crimson during Teej as women in their
fine red wedding saris crowd the temple
grounds. This unique women's festival
is marked by fasting, folk songs, and
dancing as the women recall Parbati's
devotion to her husband Shiva. Married
women visit their fathers' homes. All
daughters and sisters receive gifts
from their male kin, and an elaborate
feast is prepared for them. It's a loud
and cheerful celebration until late
at night, when strict fasting begins.
Unmarried women who fast on this day
will have good luck in finding suitable
husbands. Married women who fast will
find their husbands faithful and will
see the bond of love grow. The blessings
of Shiva and Parbati ensure that family
life will be joyous for all.
Janai Purnima: A
full moon day, high-caste Hindus chant
the powerful Gayatri mantra and change
their Sacred Thread (janai), while
a raksya 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 to
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
Buddha Jayanti:
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. Swyambhunath
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.
Ghode Jatra: the
festival of horses, is a yearly sports
event taking place at the Tundikhel
parade ground in central Kathmandu.
Its roots go back several hundred
years, though it is also associated
with older religious traditions. At
midnight as the parade grounds, the
images of Bhadra Kali and her sister
goddess are carried from their respective
temples and placed in the middle of
the dark expanse. A third sister goddess
is then brought from another locality
and made bow before the first two
images.The actual horse-racing is
conducted with great gusto and spectators
come from all over the Valley as well
as from more distant, to witness the
exciting event. Their Majesties the
King and the Queen are also a part
of the jatra audience of the ideal
Hindu woman
Fagu Purnima: or
Holi is one of the most colorful and
playful festivals of Nepal. The chir
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 throughout the week
you may be splashed with colored powder
and water balloons. The last day is
the wildest youths covered with red
vermillion powder roam the streets
as inviting targets.
Losar: Sherpas and
Tibetans welcome their New Year with
feasts, family visits and dancing.
Families done 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 Swyambhunath
stupas. Crowds of celebrants at Bouddha
bring in the New Year by throwing
tsampa (roasted barley flour) into
the air.
Maha Shivaratri:
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 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.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. |
