Festivals of Nepal

Nawavarsha/Nepali New Year (April)

The Nepalese follow their own calendar system known as the Bikram Era or Bikram Sambat, which is accredited to King Bikramaditya. This festival celebrates the first day of the first month of the New Year and is observed as a National Holiday. On this occasion, “Bisket Jatra” is held in the city of Bhaktapur with an added importance. During Bisket Jatra, a tall wooden ceremonial poll is erected in one of the main squares. This festival commemorates the great battle of Mahabharata and the wooden pole symbolizes victory. After two days, images of the god Bhairab and his female counterpart Bhadra are enshrined in two large greatly decorated chariots and pulled through crowds of cheering on-lookers. When the chariot reaches the city center, a tug-of-war between the inhabitants of the two neighborhoods takes place. The winners of a tug-of-war are considered blessed with good fortune for the coming year. This festival goes on for nine days. Both Hindus and Buddhist celebrate it with a great pomp and show.

Buddha Jayanti/Baishakh Purnima (May)

As Nepal is the birthplace of Lord Buddha, the light 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, Boudhanath and Lumbini.

Red Machhindranath Jatra (May/June)

This festival is the biggest socio-cultural event of Patan. This festival is also known as Bunga-dyo Jatra. Bunga-dyo, is the Buddhist and as well as Hindu deity of rain. During this festival, Patan breaks out in color, music, dancing, and feasting in this month long religious revere and the year's biggest festival of the city. The deity's image is put in towering chariot and pulled by ropes through the narrow streets of the city followed by a large crowd of worshippers accompanied by a small crowd of traditional musicians adding even more excitement to the occasion. Over a period of several weeks, the chariot is slowly hauled to Jawalakhel where tens of thousands of devotees burn oil lamps and keep an all-night vigil. Rato (Red) Machhindranath month long journey comes to an end as the juggernaut lumbers into Jawalakhel for the final celebration. During the final day of chariot festival the "Bhoto" or sacred waistcoat, itself the subject of many legends, is displayed from the chariot. Astrologers determine this auspicious day. A final ritual is then conducted to mark Lord Machhindranath's departure for one year.

Gaijatra (August)

In this festival teen-aged boys dressed up as cows, parade the streets of the town. This costume springs from the belief that cows help the members of the family who died within that year to travel to heaven smoothly. Some are also dressed up as an ascetic or a fool for achieving the same objective for their dead family members. Groups of mimics improvise short satirical enactment on the current social scenes of the town for the entertainment of the public. The week beginning from Janai Purnima actually unfolds a season of many good religious and cultural activities. All the Buddhist monasteries open their gates to the visitors to view their bronze sculptures and collection of painting for a week. At Patan, one observes the festival of Mataya at this time. The festivity of Gaijatra itself lasts for a week enlivened by the performance of dance and drama in the different localities of the town. Cultural centers, newspaper and magazines to fling humor and satire on the Nepalese Social and Political life are increasingly adapting the spirit of the old festival.

Krishnastamai (August/September)

Krishnastamai or the birthday of Lord Krishna is celebrated in commemoration of the hero of the Hindu epic "Mahabharata". Lord Krishna taught warrior Arjuna the value of Karma in the Bhagwat Gita. He was born at midnight on the eighth day of the dark moon of August. To celebrate the birthday of this beloved Hindu god, worshippers carry ornate and decorate idols and pictures of Lord Krishna through the streets. Often bands of musicians follow or precede the procession, which is called as Shova Yatra. In Patan, thousands of devotees gather to Krishna Temple to worship and receive blessings. There, people from far away gather around the 17th century temple and wait for the midnight hour. Incantation and euphoric prayers fill the atmosphere along with the traditional music and small oil lamps are lit as mark of felicitation and devotion to the deity. The best place to watch the celebration of this festival is at the Krishna Temple in Patan.

Teej (September)

Teej is a festival of womanhood. This is a special festival for married women who are supposed to fast all day and bathe in the holy waters of the rivers. Dancing, folk songs and the red color sari that are worn by them on there wedding day dominate the day of Teej. Red is a symbol of joy and happiness in Nepal and the color used for marriage ceremonies. Married women are supposed to wear a lot of red. The days recall the heavenly occasion when Parvati, daughter of the Himalaya, won the hand of Lord Shiva after severe meditation and fasting. The first day of Teej is called the "Dar Khane Din". On this day women, both married and unmarried, assemble at one place, in there finest attires and start dancing and singing devotional songs. Amidst all this, the grand feast takes place. The jollity often goes on till midnight, after which the 24-hour fast commences. The second day is for worship. The married ones ask for happy and productive marriage and a long life for their husband. Those yet to tie nuptial knots ask for a good husband. It is believed that their married life will be long and happy and they will not lose their husbands if they celebrate this festival. The entrance to Pashupatinath Temple is a good place to watch as crowds of women come down to the river, dressed in brightly colored saris with red marks on their foreheads. Rishi Panchami falls on the third day of Teej. On this day, the seven Rishis (Sages) of the Hindu pantheon are worshipped by women to cleanse all sins of the previous year. Sages are the symbol of the purity of religion and holy practices in this earth. On this day women clad in red dress descend to the holy Temple of Lord Pashupatinath to pray to Lord Shiva. Women clean their teeth and bathe at the holy rivers especially at the Bagmati River near the Temple of Pashupatinath.