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
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