The Main festivals of Nepal
Main Festivals of Nepal
Nepal is a culturally diverse country with a rich tradition of festivals and celebrations. Some of them are:
1) Dashain (Vijaya Dashami)
Dashain is one of the most significant and widely celebrated Hindu festivals in Nepal to honor the goddess Durga, who symbolizes the victory of good over evil, as well as the importance of family bonds and community harmony. Devotees offer prayers and sacrifices to seek her blessings for protection and victory in their own lives. It usually falls in the month of September or October, depending on the lunar calendar and lasts for 15 days. It is believed that one must leave the ground once a year by riding the swing in the Dashain festival.
Dashain is a time for family gatherings and feasting. On the tenth day of Dashain, elders in the family apply Tika (a mixture of rice, yogurt, and vermillion) and Jamara (barley sprouts) to the forehead of younger family members. This ritual symbolizes the blessings of the elders and the renewal of family ties. It’s also a time of happiness and togetherness as people put on new clothes, exchange gifts, and visit relatives. Temples and shrines dedicated to goddess Durga are crowded with devotees throughout Dashain and children are engage in playing swing and kite flying. They try to cut the strings of their opponents’ kites while keeping their own kite in the sky. The festival also involves the sacrifice of animals like goats, buffaloes, or chickens as offerings to the goddess. The meat is then shared among family members and relatives as a symbolic act of sharing blessings.
2) Tihar (Deepawali)
Tihar, also known as Yamapanchak is similar to Diwali festival in India but it has its unique customs and rituals. It is a widely celebrated Hindu festival and is considered one of the most important festivals in Nepal. Throughout Tihar, colorful rangoli and oil lamps are lit to decorate homes and public places. The festival is celebrated by singing, dancing, and cultural performances, making it a joyful and vibrant celebration in Nepal.
It usually lasts for five days. On the first day, crows are worshipped. It is believed that they will carry the offerings to their ancestors as a sign of respect. The second day is dedicated to dogs, which are considered sacred animals in Hinduism and guardians of the home. Dogs are adorned with flower garlands and tikas on their foreheads and also offered delicious treats. Cows are worshipped on the third day. In the evening, people perform Laxmi puja to seek blessings from the Goddess of wealth, Laxmi. Homes and businesses are decorated with oil lamps and candles and people light firecrackers. On the fourth day, a symbolic representation of the Govardhan Mountain is worshipped and this day is also known as Goru Tihar. The final day of Tihar is dedicated to the bond between brothers and sisters. Sisters apply tika (a mark) made of seven colors on their brothers’ foreheads, offer them garlands of marigold flower or Gomphrena globosa (Makhamali ful), and perform a ceremonial ritual to wish their brothers long and prosperous lives.
3) Teej (Women’s festival)
Teej, also known as Haritalika Teej, is a Hindu festival celebrated by women that represents the reunion of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, as per Hindu mythology. It is a vibrant and joyous festival that celebrates the bond of marriage and the devotion of women towards their husband. It holds great significance in the lives of married and unmarried women. Married women pray for the well- being and longevity of their husbands while unmarried women pray for a spouse like Lord Shiva. It is believed that Goddess Parvati performed intense penance to win Lord Shiva as her husband. Therefore, her devotion and determination are celebrated through this festival.
Both women and young girls observe a fast on the main day, abstaining from food and water for the entire day. They adorn themselves in colorful traditional attire, wear jewelry, apply henna on their hands, and gather at temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati where they offer flowers, fruits, sweets, and offering prayers for the well- being of their families. The fast is broken only after they perform the evening puja and offer prayers to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
4) Gai Jatra (Cow Festival)
Gai Jatra is a traditional Hindu festival celebrated primarily in the Kathmandu valley of Nepal. It is a Nepali rendition of Halloween which is commended with various occasions loaded with humour, jokes, parody, and so forth as it is lawfully permitted to make jokes about anything and anybody that day. Many TV shows, magazines, and theatre plays demonstrate funny plots. The historical root of the celebration, as per confirm, is that after the passing of his child, king Pratap Malla was extremely stressed over his ruler who was despondency stricken. In this way, he reported that each family who had lost a family member would join a parade to exhibit the images of dead relatives as cows.
Families who have lost a family member, especially a close relative, participate in this festival. They decorate a cow or young children to represent the deceased and then join a procession or parade through the streets of their town or village. The children and adults, often wear traditional Newar attire and colorful costumes. Families make offerings of rice, bread, fruits, and other food items to the cow or child representing their deceased loved ones. They also light oil lamps and offer prayers for the souls of the departed.
It is one of the most popular and culturally significant festivals observed in August or September. It serves as a platform for social commentary, allowing people to express their concerns, grievances, and satire about societal issues, politics, and the world at large.
5) Indra Jatra
Indra Jatra is a traditional Newar festival usually takes place in late August or early September and lasts for eight days. It is one of the most important and vibrant festival celebrated in Kathmandu valley, Nepal, especially in the city of Kathmandu and holds significant cultural and religious importance. It offers a chance for devotees and tourists to catch glimpse of the Kumari and seek her blessings, as she makes public appearances during the festival. The main aim of Indra Jatra is to honor Lord Indra, the Hindu god of rain, and to offer thanks for a good harvest.
The festival starts with the Kumari Jatra where the living goddess Kumari, is paraded in a chariot through the streets of Kathmandu. The Kumari, a young prepubescent girl chosen from the Newar community, is considered the living incarnation of the goddess Taleju and plays a central role in the festival. During the Jatra, you can witness traditional dances and processions featuring various deities and mythical characters. Lakhe Dance performed by masked dancer dresses as demons and various other masked dances, representing different deities and characters from Hindu mythology, is one of the most striking and popular dance performed during the festival. Another importance of Indra Jatra is the erection of the Yosin, a ceremonial pole at Kathmandu Durbar Square which is adorned with various symbols and offerings and represents Indra’s presence. It remains in place throughout the festival and is taken down at the end. Overall, the festival blends Hindu and Buddhist traditions, reflecting the diversity and rich religious tapestry of Nepal.
6) Losar Festival (Tibetan New Year)
Losar, the Tibetan New Year festival, is celebrated by Tibetan Buddhists and other Himalayan Communities in Nepal, Bhutan, and various regions of India. It is a significant and joyous festival celebrated for several days, with the main festivities usually lasting three days. The festival usually falls in either January or February, depending on the lunar calendar. Before the festival, people clean and decorate their homes, make special food items, and engage in rituals to ward off negative energies from the past year.
In Nepal, there are three main types of Losar festivals celebrated by different ethnic groups, each corresponding to their own lunar calendar and cultural traditions. These three Losar festivals are:
Tamu Losar (Gurung Losar)
Tamu Losar marks the Gurung New Year and typically falls in December or January. The Gurung are an indigenous group in Nepal, primarily residing in the hilly and mountainous regions of the country. It’s a day when Gurung families gather, wear their traditional clothing, which includes colorful dresses and ornaments, and perform various traditional dances, often accompanied by traditional instruments like drums and cymbals. Elders give blessings to the younger generations, and families exchange gifts and well- wishes. Colorful prayer flags are hung in homes and around the villages to bring good fortune and promote positive energy.
The celebrations include traditional Gurung dances, music, feasting on special dishes like “Sel roti” and perform prayers and rituals at monasteries and temples. They also offer prayers, light butter lamps, burn incense, and make offerings to Buddhist deities.
Sonam Losar (Tamang Losar)
Sonam Losar marks the Tamang New Year and usually falls in December or January, depending on the lunar calendar. The Tamang are one the indigenous ethnic group living in various regions of Nepal, including the hills and mountainous areas. The festival begins with a visit to monasteries and temples where they offer prayers and perform religious rituals. They seek blessings for the upcoming year and make offering to deities. They also perform cultural dances, often accompanied by traditional musical instruments like drums and flutes. It is an opportunity for tamang communities and families to come together for social gatherings. Homes and villages are adorned with colorful decorations such as garlands, traditional artwork, and prayer flags to create a festive atmosphere. They exchange greetings and gifts, elders offer blessing to younger generations and eats special dishes like Khapse, sel roti and various other Tamang delicacies.
Gyalpo Losar (Sherpa Losar)
Gyalpo Losar marks the beginning of the Sherpa New Year and typically falls in February, based on the Tibetan lunar calendar. The Sherpa are known for their rich cultural heritage and famous for being home to Mount Everest, primarily residing in the Solu Khumbu region of Nepal. People visit monasteries and temples and offer prayers, perform rituals and seek blessings for the upcoming year. Monks perform religious ceremonies and butter lamps are lit as part of the rituals. Sherpa families prepare and share traditional foods (Khapsay and Shyakpa), decorate homes, take blessings from elders and perform cultural dances and traditional musical instruments like drums, cymbals, and horns during these performances.
7) Maha Shivaratri
Maha Shivaratri is a day of reflection, devotion, and seeking Lord Shiva’s blessings for a prosperous and spiritually fulfilling life. The term “Maha Shivaratri” translates to “Great Night of Shiva” and usually falls in February or March of the Gregorian calendar. This festival holds significant religious and cultural importance for Hindus, particularly for devotees of Lord Shiva. During this festival, devotees observe a strict fast on this day and visit Shiva temples to offer prayers, light lamps, and chant mantras dedicated to Lord Shiva.
8) Holi (Festival of colors)
Holi is a celebration of the arrival of spring, the triumph of good over evil, and a time for people to come together, play with colors, and enjoy festive foods and music. It typically takes place in March, on the full moon day of the Hindu lunar month of Phalguna. People of all ages gather in open spaces and engage in throwing colored powders and waters at each other. This water play adds an extra layer of excitement to the festivities.
Holi has several mythological and cultural stories associated with it. The most famous one is the story of Prahlada and Holika. The night before Holi, a ritual called Holika Dahan takes place. A bonfire is lit to symbolize the burning of Holika, a demoness from Hindu mythology and the victory of good over evil. People gather around the bonefire, sing songs, and perform religious rituals.
9) Bisket Jatra
Bisket Jatra is a vibrant and culturally rich festival that showcases the traditions and heritage of Bhaktapur. It marks the Nepali New Year festival celebrated in the town of Bhaktapur, in the Kathmandu valley of Nepal. This festival usually falls in mid- April and lasts for several days, featuring various religious and cultural rituals, as well as lively street celebrations.
According to local folklore, Bhaktapur was once a vast, uninhabited forested area ruled by a serpent king named “Nag.” It is said that to commemorate Bhaktaraja’s heroic victory over Nag and the establishment of Bhaktapur, the people of the town initiated the tradition of pulling massive
10) Ghode Jatra
Ghode Jatra is a traditional festival originated during the rule of the Malla kings in the 17th century as a military exercise to showcase the strength of the cavalry. It has historical and cultural significance in Nepal and is believed that the horse parade helps to ward off evil spirits, and the horses’ hooves pounding the ground are thought to calm the spirit of a demon that is believed to dwell beneath the Tundikhel ground.