Major Festivals in Nepal
A culturally rich and ethnically diverse country Nepal celebrates hundreds of different festivals. Kathmandu is not only the political center of the nation but also the cultural pivot. 123 different ethnic groups living to follow unique traditions and cultures celebrating their major festivals in a fun-filled mood. Almost every day of the year, there falls a festival in some parts of the country. Unique decorations, fashions, and rituals make each festival interesting. Worshipping the different deities for well-being, power, or wish fulfillment is the uniqueness of each festival.
Besides that, personal celebrations and ceremonies like marriage, Upanayana, Name giving ceremonies, and death rituals follow specific rituals and traditional practices. Except for the death rituals, other celebrations include music, dance, and songs. Nepali people celebrate every festival as a fun-filled cultural event. Here are some of the major festivals in Nepal
1. Indra Jatra
The eight-day-long Indra Jatra festival falls in September and is one of the most exciting and revered festivals of the Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley. This also marks the beginning of a month-long festival season of autumn. It begins with the erection of a wooden pole made of pine at Basantapur Square in front of the old Hanuman Dhoka Palace.
For the pole-raising ceremony, hundreds of spectators gather at the Palace Square and in the surrounding temples. The chariot of Kumari, the Living Goddess, comes out in a procession through the main streets of Kathmandu.
A perfect example of religious harmony
Lakhey are the masked dancers and they take to the streets almost every evening. A musical team with load drums accompanies the Lakhey. The festival commemorates the time when Indra came down from heaven in human form to look for a herb.
Each night of Indra Jatra the shrines and ancient palace buildings around Kathmandu Durbar Square are aglow with oil wicks. Each night on the platform in front of the temple of the Living Goddess, there is an enactment depicting the ten earthly incarnations of Lord Vishnu. The large image of Akash Bhairab’s head is put on display out in the open directly facing his temple at Indra Chowk.
In the afternoon of the day before the full moon, ecstatic mobs gather near Hanuman Dhoka Palace for the long-awaited Living Goddess’ chariot procession to catch a glimpse of the revered little Newar girl who has been deified as Kumari representing Goddess Taleju.
The chariot of the Kumari followed by two other smaller chariots carrying a representative of Ganesh and Bhairav is taken to different parts of the old Kathmandu through the narrow alleys where people gather to watch and pay homage. The festival of Indra Jatra ends with the lowering of the (lingam) pole bearing Indra’s flag amidst religious ceremonies.
2. Dashain
Dashain festival is the most widely celebrated best Hindu festival in Nepal. The celebrations last up to 15 days. Dashain festival is a time of family, friends, and relatives reunion, exchange of blessings, and enjoy the holiday.
People worship nine avatars of the goddess Durga. From the first day of Ghatasthapana to the 7th day of Phool Pati, the 8th day of Mahaastami, the 9th-day Navami, the 10th day of Vijaya Dashami and the 15th day of Purnima Dashain will be celebrated. On which 10th day Vijaya Dashami is considered the main day to celebrate. Those who are busier also took a holiday for this at least one day to celebrate Dashain.
A biggest social festival
Nepalese Hindu people around the world will celebrate the Dashain festival no matter where they are. During Dashain, men and women visit their relatives, and elder’s to seek tika, Jamara, and blessings. During Dashain, there will be a public holiday in Nepal. Schools and colleges will remain closed for 15 days for full festivals to enjoy.
Children and also younger peoples buy new clothes and eat delicious foods, especially meat during Dashain in Nepal. Kite flying is also one of the main events of this festival.
Most foreigners visit Nepal in the Autumn season of Nepal for trek in the Himalayas. Autumn is considered the favorable and best time to visit Nepal also because of being the month of the most celebrated festivals of Nepal such as Dashain and Tihar.
3. Tihar
The shining festival of Tihar is one of the most significant occasions in Nepal. The decoration of bright lights and colors are the special features of the festival. Householders lit candles, lanterns, and nowadays, decorative electric lights. Many candles and lanterns are lit inside and in front of houses. It is the second biggest festival in Nepal after Dashain. After around a month of the Dashain Tihar festival will be celebrated.
The festival is a beautiful celebration for five days. People worship Goddess Lakshmi with joy and enthusiasm. They also worship cows, crows, and dogs and decorate houses and temples with Diyas, electric lights, colorful paper crafts, etc. Kids come to visit neighbors in small groups and sing Tihar songs also called “Dheusire” for blessings, and to enjoy with friends.
Laxmi Puja, Gai Tihar, Kukur Tihar, Kag Tihar, and Bhai Tika are the days of the Tihar festival in Nepal. Among these Bhai Tika is the main day to celebrate. Brothers and sisters accept tika and blessings from each other.
During the Tihar festival, tika is not the same as in Dashain. The seven different colors Tika will use in Tihar. And sisters give some food, and clothes to brothers and brothers also do the same or give money, clothes, some other valuable gifts, etc. Brothers and sisters honor each other, and the sisters pray to Yama (the god of death), for their brother’s long life, and progress in life. Read more…
3. Teej
Teej is the festival celebrated by Hindu women in August or September. Both married and unmarried women celebrate this festival by worshipping Lord Shiva. This festival is celebrated for three days through prayer, songs, and dance.
Women are dressed in red saree, red tika on their heads, and various ornaments. In Teej, women sit for 24-hour prolonged fasting, without any food, and even without drinking water to ask for special blessings from Lord Shiva. Unmarried girls do fasting to get a good husband in their life, and married women pray for the husband’s long life, success, and prosperity is on fasting during the Teej festival.
4. Maghe Sankranti
Maghe Sankranti is a festival celebrated in January. Since the Sun enter the Makar horoscope, people worship the occasion as Makar Sankranti. The Nepali month Magh begins with the day. People take a holy bath in different sacred ponds and river confluences. Sweet potato, sweets, Yam with Ghee, and Solid Molasses are special food for the festival. The Tharu community of plains celebrates the same day as the Maghi festival. It also marks the new year for Tharu and the day is also famous as Maghi larva.
5. Gai Jatra
Gai Jatra is a festival of cows. Especially, the people of Kathmandu valley celebrate the festival in memory of their deceased family members. Initially, the local Newar community celebrates it by participating in the Gai Jatra procession. Now, a day the valley people have moved to different parts of the county. They carry on their tradition wherever they go. In the same way, The people all over Nepal, especially, in local towns celebrate the Gai Jatra performance. This is one of the unique festivals of Nepal. The festival dedicates to diminishing the sadness from the death of family members. At this festival, kids get dressed as cows and take part in cultural events.
Newari people show their cultural dances, sing, and do fun on the streets of Kathmandu Valley. The performers participate in the procession from their homes to the Kathmandu Durbar Square at Basantapur. Similarly, all the Gai Jatra processions starting from the villages are ultimately completed at the respective Durbar Square of Bhaktapur and Lalitpur. All the participants in the performance gather at the lawn of Royal Palace Squares and get offerings from the local people. The local deceased family gives away all the offerings to these participants as a sacred donation “Daana”. The activity carries a spiritual feeling.
6. Lhosar
Lhosar means new year. When Tharu celebrates Magi as a new year, Sherpa celebrates Lhosar as their new year. Lhosar is one of the most popular festivals in Nepal. The new year festival is celebrated by dance, song, and by exchanging gifts. During this period, the major Buddhist monasteries and stupas like Swayambhunath, and Boudhanath are decorated with prayer flags. Devotees pray together to cook exceptional food and People consume changkol, a local Tibetan drink.
Buddhist religious follower communities like Tamang, Sherpa, Gurung, and Thakali will mostly celebrate the Loshar festival in Nepal. The three major popular Losar are Sonam Losar, Tamu Losar & Gyalpo Losar and it has been celebrated at different times.
7. Janai Purnima
Janai Purnima is a festival of love and purity. People celebrate this festival in the Nepali month of Shrawan. On this occasion, people share gifts and greetings among brothers and sisters. Like other festivals, people eat unique dishes during the day. Kwasi (sprouted beans) is one of the main dishes prepared during the festival.
The main attraction of the Janai Purnima festival is that sisters tie the sacred thread to their brothers and pray for good health in the lower plains of the country to mark the festival. But in Nepal, people tie a sacred thread on their hands from their elders, especially from their family priests. And young male guys will tie a holy ribbon on their body and the man (matured after doing Bratabandha) wear Janai, the sacred thread during the day for the purity
8. Buddha Jayanti
Buddha Jayanti is a Buddhist national festival in Nepal. There will be no public holiday for all, but Buddhist religious people will get a leave on this day. On the full moon day which is in May, Buddhists will celebrate Buddha Jayanti in Nepal.
Buddha Jayanti is the sacred birthday of Lord Buddha. Hence, Buddhists from all over the world visit Nepal to celebrate this festival. Temple management committees and devotees decorate the Buddhist temples like Swyambhunath, Boudhanath, and other temples all over Nepal with butter lamps on the day.
9. Holi – Fagu Purnima
Holi or Fagu Purnima is an annual festival in Nepal. The festival falls on the full moon day of the month of Falgun. People celebrate the festival for two days. Holi, also known as the Festival of Colors, is one of Nepal’s most celebrated celebrations. The festival falls on Nepali Falgun month (February to March in the Solar Calendar). Holi, like Dashain and Tihar, celebrates the triumph of good over evil and the arrival of spring.
During this beautiful event, Nepalese and international tourists will toss dry powder and colored water at each other to offer their heartfelt blessings and well wishes. The people of the hilly region of Nepal mark the festival on the first day. Whereas the Terai plains of southern Nepal celebrate the festival on the second day. To make it more clear, a famous city like Kathmandu will celebrate Holi on the first day, and another renowned city of Nepal- Chitwan will celebrate this festival on the next day.
Holi, one of the most important Hindu festivals, is mostly observed in India, Nepal, and other Indian immigrant communities across the world. However, when it comes to the greatest venue to celebrate Holi, Kathmandu will never disappoint!
The majority of stores close their service on the day. The entire Kathmandu valley engulfs in a carnival atmosphere. People douse with Holi powder and colored water whether they know each other or not. Some will be gently touched, some will be splattered, and yet others will be pursued by colorful water balloons. Please don’t be upset in any circumstance. This is a type of holiday benediction.
10. Mahashivaratri
Mahashivaratri is one of the major celebrated Hindu festivals in Nepal. This festival basically worships Lord Shiva. All the monks gather at various Shiva temples and worship. Devotees fast for the whole day and stay in a long queue to see the temple. The decorating lamps glorify the entire temple premises. The Idols are taken to the bath in Holy water. All the devotees of Nepal and India will visit the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu. Devotees chant ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ all night. And there will be a huge crowd and celebration on this day.
11. Chhat Parva
Nepal marks the festival all over the Hilly and Terai regions of the country for four days. People take a ritual bath in the river. Devotees fast on the first day of the festival and worship the sun and offer prayers. They lit lamps and sing. People gather in the evening to perform cultural activities. Mainly people of Kathmandu valley and the lower plains of the Terai region including other hilly regions of Nepal. celebrate the festival
12. Tiji
Tiji is a unique celebration among the major festivals of Nepal. The festival is celebrated for almost three days in Lo-Manthang of Upper Mustang. This festival usually takes place in May. It’s a purification festival that takes place at the beginning of every harvest year. People perform ritual dances during this festival. Locals of Lo Manthan of Upper Mustang celebrate Tiji for World Peace.
Trekkers plan a trip to the Upper Mustang trek during this festival time to witness the beauty of the Tibetan people of Nepal and their cultural activities and rituals.
13. Shree Krishna Janmashtami
Krishna Janmashtami falls in August, on the day of Bhadra Krishna Ashtami. People worship Lord Krishna on the day, celebrating his birthday. Krishna Janmashtami includes traditional singing and dancing. Many devotees keep on fasting and worship Lord Krishna. Visitors offer flowers and food to Lord Krishna. Temples are bright with the offerings.
14. Chaite Dashain
Chaite Dashain or small Dashain is a famous religious festival. It falls in the last month, Chitra of the Nepali lunar calendar. Devotees fast on this day and visit temples to devote gods. They also worship the goddess Durga. At Chaite Dashain, people will eat delicious foods and enjoy themselves with their family, friends, and relatives, and also seniors offer tika to the juniors with all their blessings.