Most Popular Festivals in Nepal

A culturally alive country in the north of the Indian subcontinent, the entity of Nepal is wrapped within the Himalayas and is famous for the number of colorful festivals across the length and breadth of the country symbolizing the ethnic palette of this region. Nepalese festivals represent colorful rituals, where one can be deep in the spiritual culture of the country and enjoy much variety of shows.

These are just a few of the numerous festivals that are part of the cultural calendar of the people of Nepal, which gives everyone a view of the true treasures of traditions, faith, and rejoicing. If you are in search of religious experience, or ethnic experience, or if you are in search of food for your soul, the festivals in Nepal are sure to carve their mark in your heart.

Dashain

Dashain is the longest and the most favorable festival of the Nepalese people in which people get together with their families and enjoy the religious occasion. Known by Hindus around the globe, the festival famous as Dashain speaks of the triumph of the good over the bad. The Festival is observed for 15 days and each day carries its importance. Ranging from cleaning and beautifying houses to the receiving of tika and blessings from the elders, Dashain is all about change. People celebrate festivals and get to gather for dinner parties, flying kites and or traditional games. Thus, while the atmosphere sparkles Mangal Dhun and the aroma of good food wafts through the air, Dashain in every sense of the word represents unity, love and festivity.

Tihar

Tihar or Deepawali or Yamapanchak is a five days flashy colored Hindu festival of Nepal to pay honor different animals. Every day of the twelve has its own importance, but the second day of this zodiac’s calendar is devoted to the adoration of dogs, as they are considered faithful companions. The third day, Laxmi Puja, is all about Goddess Laxmi who is referred as the goddess of wealth and people also draw beautiful designs on the floor, known as rangoli and also light up their houses. Sisters also makes a practice of putting tika on the forehead of their brothers in order to guard the brother. Tihar is filled with happiness, thanking, and religious awakening and also for building up unity in communities.

Maha Shiva Ratri

The well-known Hindu occurrence in Nepal is called Maha Shivaratri where people honor the Lord of Destruction and regeneration Shiva. This auspicious day is on the 14th day of the dark half of the Falgun month which is usually falling in February- March. Followers abstain from consuming food, chant mantras, and/ or participate in religious ceremonies, and offer their prayers at Shiva shrines, particularly the Pashupatinath Temple in Nepal. The night is said to be when Shiva dances, the fabulous Tandava. People of Nepal burn lamps with oil, incense, and ring bells while reciting different mantras and prayers to please the Gods for long life, wealth and learning. Shivaratri is a sacred night in the context of faith and spirituality, as it is considered as nights of spiritual awakening in Nepali ethnic culture.

Holi

Holi or the Day of Colors is a colorful festivity of Nepal that comes with the intention to welcome the spring and the win of the good over the evils. This is indeed a colourful festival with lots of music, dancing, and fun frenzy of throwing colored powder water. Groups of people especially women and children use bland and cover each other with bright coloured powders to celebrate the reunion of families. Delicacies like Gujiya and Thandai are popular during the celebration of this festival. Holi celebrated in Nepal has different feeling of forgiveness, renovation and new creation. It serves as a constant reminder to; let go of previous abuses/accidents and live life to the fullest.

Ashar 15

Asar 15 which is also called Asar Pandhra is one of the major festivals of the Nepalese people that falls on the 15th of Asar in the Nepali calendar. This day is called ‘Ropai ‘ and this is the official starting of rice planting session in this country because farmers on Asar 15 cultivate the fields with rice saplings. The natives put on green outfits, consume beaten rice (chiura) with yogurt and engage in different cultural dances and festivities in order to welcome the monsoon. Some of its significance includes; It offers an account of hope and prosperity of the Nepalese people while also holding direct relation to its agricultural background.

Teej

Teej is a  Hindu festival and is celebrated widely in the Nepalese community in which women and girls are the most active participants as it is to mark the marriage of Goddess Parvati to Lord Shiva. This propitious festival is celebrated in the monsoon month generally in August or September, during which people abstain from eating rice, cook and dance to their heart’s content and women dress themselves up mainly in red. Under the categories of worship and devotion, women pray for the health of their husbands and families, too. There are processions, singing and dancing on the streets. Teej is not only a festival but it is the Nepali society culture, tradition of the couple specially husband and wife.

Janai Purnima

Janai Purnima is one of the major festivals observed in Nepal, which festival is called Raksha Bandhan in India. This auspicious day comes on the day of full moon of the hindu calendar’s shrawan month which more or less falls in the month of july or august. Hindus and Buddhists in Nepal regard the festival as culturally and religiously significant. Similarly, the once-in-a-lifetime rite of passage for Brahmins and Chhetri men who switch the color of their janai or sacred thread receives blessings from elders today. Moreover, people fast and also bind a piece of religious colourful thread (Rakhi) around the wrist of their siblings as a mark of love and protection. The day also signifies people taking holy bath in the river and offering prayers to their gods and goddesses and having delicious items.

Nepalese New year

Hindu New Year of Nepal or Nepali New Year is observed in mid April symbolizing the beginning of the Nepali calendar year. This falls in the Hindu lunar calendar and marks the beginning of spring and is locally referred to as ‘Baisakh 1’. This colorful function is celebrated very effectively throughout Nepal that has its own conventional music, dance and sumptuous meals. They wash and colourful their houses, wear clean and beautiful clothes and go to all sorts of places praying for success and good health. Activities such as colourful parades, dances and meetings, famous shows and other festive events. It is the combination of traditional and contemporary aspects that mostly represents Nepalese culture and New Year, which is a very joyous occasion in the country.

Jatras

Festivals of Nepal are diverse and help in making the cultural fabric of Nepal colorful and vibrant, dedicated to specific traditions and gods or goddesses. Out of them, celebrated Jatra like Bhoto Jatra, Godhe Jatra, Indra Jatra, and Bhaktapur Jatra are much celebrated for their reproductions of rich tradition and group concordance.

Bhoto Jatra: is celebrated in Lalitpur and it’s the ending festival of Rato Machhindranath Jatra. When this festival is being celebrated, a Holy black velvet vest known as ‘bhoto’ is produced and taken in a circular procession within the community. This is a revered event as it symbolizes protection; people jam to traditional music and Moran dances besides feasting.

Godhe Jatra:  absolutely has a paramount attention towards the deity of fertility and agriculture. Here, we find the movement of a large decorated ‘Godhe,’ accompanied by merry making and dance among the people, stressing on thanking the gods for the harvest and prayers for better yield in the future.

 Indra Jatra: is the festival second only to Jana Bhumi Jatra and dedicated to Indra, the deity of Rain. There are colourful machinery, cultural dance & drama, and the installation of the elaborate wooden pole in the Kathmandu Durbar Square. It is both a solemn affair of worship, and at the same time a joyous occasion.

Bisket Jatra: is an annual festival celebrated in Bhaktapur most notably includes; the Bisket Jatra; a chariot festival. Gigantic floats with wooden carriages are being taken out in streets to represent histories and people’s unity. The festival of this community is celebrated in the month of April and it symbolizes the New Year , colourful chariot and traditional ceremonies dances attract the most visitors.

These festivals represent the cultural diversities and the essence of Nepali society exhibiting the number of cultural festivals of this country.

Maghe Sankranti

Maghe Sankranti takes place in January to signify the movement of the sun and crosses the Capricorn zodiac, which signals longer days and the end of winter as well. This festival is greatly celebrated, more so in the Terai districts, and is performed with a lot of energy. Feasting on sesame seeds, molasses and yam such foods are some of the customs held with the intention of warming the body and enhancing the Receipt of health. Folk participate in ceremonies, go to shrines, and also appreciate meetings. At the same time, in the mountains, this festival is directly linked to the harvest period. Families get together during Maghe Sankranti, happiness in recognizing the arriving of the new seasons and the celebration of cultural practices.