|
|
 |
|
|
|
Holiday
& Festivals
In Nepal |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Nepal is known for
its continuous festivals. Nepalese are said to observe more
festivals then there are days in the year. Some of the major
and interesting festivals are listed below:
NAVAVARSHA:
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. The people celebrate it with great pomp
and show. On this occasion, Bisket Jatra is held in the city
of Bhaktapur.
BAISAKH POORNIMA:
(April-May)
As Nepal is the birth place of Lord Buddha, the
Lights of Asia, the triple anniversary of the Buddha’s birth,
enlightenment and death is observed with many colorful
ceremonies on this day. People celebrate the occasion with
great veneration paying homage to Buddha at places like
Swayambhunath and Lumbini.
 RED MACHCHENDRANATH
RATH JATRA:
(May-Jun) This festival is the biggest socio-culture event of
Patan. The wheeled chariot of the deity known as Bungdyo or
red Machhendranath is prepared at Pulchowk, and dragged
through the city of Patan in the several stages till it
reached the prescribed destination (Lagankhel). The grand
final of the festival is called "Bhoto Dekhaune". A
similar kind of chariot festival of Machhendranath (white) is
also held in Kathmandu City in the month of March-April.
DUMJI:
It is celebrate in Sherpa Settlement in the month of July. The
Sherpas of Kathmandu and
Helambu regions participates in
dancing on this day.
 GAIJATRA
(Cow festival):
(July-August)
It
is a carnival-type of festival lasting eight days. Dancing,
singing, comedy and any thing that cause mirth and laughter
are its highlights. Those people whose family members have
died during the years send out persons dressed up as a cow to
parade the main through of the city on the first day of the
festival.
KRISHNASTAMI:
(July-August)
It marks the birthday of Lord Krishna, one of
the incarnations of Lord Vishnu. On this day, an impressive
ceremony at the Krishna Temple in Patan takes place.
 INDRAJATRA:
(August-September)
The festival
of India, the god of rain, is observed with great enthusiasm
in Kathmandu Valley. The festival is celebrated in
August-September lasting for eight days. The chariot of Kumari,
the living Goddess, is taken out in procession through the
main street of Kathmandu. The festival is specially noted for
the echoes of drums and dancing feet of the masked dancers
almost every evening.
DASHAIN OR DURGA PUJA:
(September-October)
The Dashain
festival is the most important festival of the Nepalese. It
takes some time in the month of September-October.
TIHAR (DEEPAWALI):
(October- November)
known as
the festival of lights "Tihar" is celebrated for five days in
October-November. On the occasion of houses are illuminated at
night and the special sweets of diverse kinds are prepared.
CONSTITUTION DAY:
The new democratic constitution of the kingdom of Nepal was
promulgated on November 9, 1990. Since then, this day is
observed as the Constitution day.
VIVAHA PANCHAMI:
(November-December)
This is the famous festival of Janakpur in
Dhanusha district 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.
BIRTHDAY OF HIS
MAJESTY THE KING:
The auspicious birthday of his majesty
king Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev falls on December 28/29 (Poush
14th). This occasion is celebrated with great enthusiasm all
over the kingdom.
PRITHIVI JAYANTI:
This festival is celebrated
in honour of King Prithivi Narayan Shah, the founder of Modern
Nepal, with a colorful ceremony in front of the Singha Durbar
Gate in Kathmandu of January 10/11 (Push 27th).
LHOSAR:
This festival is the most impressively
observed in the month of February by all the Tibetan speaking
populations. They organize folk songs and dances on this
occasion. These dances can be seen in Khumbu regions of Nepal
and also at Bodhnath in Kathmandu.
NATIONAL DEMOCRACY
DAY:
This day is officially observed as
Rastriya Prajantra Divas or National Democracy Day (it
generally falls February 18th i.e; 7th of Phalgun as a mark of
respect to people’s revolution of 1950-51)
 MAHA
SHIVARATRI:
(February)
Shivaratri of the night of
Lord Shiva, is observed in February–March. It is celebrate in
honor of Lord Shiva. A great religious fair takes place in the
Pashupatinath Temple and thousand of Hindus from all over
Nepal and India visit temple.
GHODEJATRA:
(March-April)
Known as a festival of
horses, it is one of the most exciting festivals of the
Kathmandu city. Horse race and other sport take place at Tundikhel on this day. In other parts of the city the various
deities are carried shoulder high on wheel less chariot (khat)
with the accompaniment of traditional music.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
