Festivals of Nepal
Upcoming : Bisket Jatra (9th - 18th April)
The festival is centered on creation and the mating between the God Bhairav and Goddess Bhadrakali which produced the world and everything in it. The God Bhairav is the fierce form of Lord Shiva and Bhadrakali is the wrathful form of the Mother Goddess.
On the first day of the street festival a large 25 ft Yoshin-Pole is placed into a hole and raised vertically in the air. Then the Gods are removed from their temples and placed in large wooden chariots. The chariots are pulled through the crowded streets by the people of Bhaktapur.
On the last day of the festival the Bhairav Chariot is parked in Gahi Tole. At midnight the smaller Bhadrakali Chariot is repeatedly rammed against the Bhairav Chariot in a not very subtle display of their explosive copulation. It is destructive and a little bit dangerous for those standing close.
A giant game of tug-of-war is performed between the east and west side of the city. It is said the side of town which wins the tug-of-war will be the most prosperous for the following year. Bisket Jatra festival tour >
The Teechi (Teeji) festival is an annual event indigenious to Lo - Mangtang (Upper Mustang). The name is an abbreviation of the word "Tempa Chirim" which means the victory of Lord Buddha's incarnation "Dorjee Sonnu" over a demon called Man Tam Ru a vicious creature feeding on human beings and causing storms and droughts. The Teeji festival usually takes place during the last week on May and lasts for 3 days. Dances performed by the monks of Lo Manthang's "Choedhe" monastery during the celebration display.
a) The harassment of Ma Tam Ru Ta.
b) The birth of Dorjee Sonnu as the demon's son.
c) The attempt to return the demon to lord Buddha's realm.
Gatha - Muga (Ghantakarna) - 29 July
Ghanta-Munga festival is also called Gathemangal or Ghantakarna. At the time when local community used to rely heavily on agriculture for livelihood, they were very suprestitious about evil spirit spelling evilness onto their harvest. They consulted a famous Tantric to permanently ward off their fear. People were told to put on iron rings on fingers and hammer iron nails into door lintels to drive away evil spirit.
Nag Panchami - 4th August
Nagas (snake god) are worshiped during this festival. Nagas are worshiped for rain and water. Devotees put a picture of Nag high above their doorway and perform rituals. Offering in the form of food are left in the yards and paddies for snakes.
The Kathmandu Post 11 - 19 - 10
Janai Poornima and Rakshya Bandhan
The full moon day festival is about reciting Bedic mantras and changing sacred thread of Hindus. Pilgrims crowd in shrines to receive welfare thread around their wrist. Pilgrims from far flung places visit Gosainkunda (sacred lake). They prey to lord Shiva by bathing in the sacred lake. Kumbheswar Mahadev temple at patan is also crowded with pilgrims where a pond is specially prepared for festival.
Gai Jatra - 14 August
The gai or cow is holy to Hindus as she represents Laxmi, the goddess of wealth. It is believed that she guides the souls of the deprated to the gates of the heaven. The festival is an occasion for satie, jokes and colorful processions. People who hace lost their family members take comfort in the fact that the holy cow has safely transported the departed souls on their afterlife journey. Children dressed up as cows, and Sadhu as well as other whimsical characters of all sorts fill the streets. Special issues of local magazines are circulated full of satire and jokes of reputed and famous people.
Teej 31 August
Teej is a Hundu married woman's day for her man. Married and unmarried women crowd Pashupatinath and other temples of lord Shiva. Women dressed in beautiful red saris with shining glass beads (Pote), singing and dancing is a common sight during this festival as women recall Parbati's devotion to her husband Shiva. It is believed that married women fast on this day for longivity of their husbands and will see the bond of love grow. Unmarried women fast on this day to have good looking husbands.
Married women visit their father's homes. All daughters and sisters receive gifts from their male kin, and an elaborate feast is prepared for them. It's a loud and cheerful celebration until late at night, when strict fasting begins. The blessings of Shiva and Parbati ensure tht family life will be joyous for all.
Be in Kathmandu for celebration !!!!
Kathmandu Tour - 3 - 6 days
Dashain 3rd -6th Oct
Dashain is the longest and most favorite festival of Nepal. Skies of Kathmandu filled with kites. Big swings are set on the grounds for children and grown ups alike. Animals like buffaloes, goats, ducks and chickens are sacrificed to the goddess Durga on Kal Ratri (the dark night) to celebrate her victory over evil. Following day, on Nawami, people clean their vehicles and sacrifice animals or eggs for safe journey throughout the year. The next day, on Dashami (Tika), people dress up well and visit elders to receive large red tikas of vermilion paste on their foreheads. In the following days of Dashain, families are friends unite, feasts are consumed, blessings are imparted and gifts are exchanged.
Mani Rimdu Festival 11, 12, 13 Nov
The Mask Dancing festival at Tengboche
Mani Rimdu is the most important festival in Tengboche. Trips to the Everest region can be rewarding if they can be organized during the days of the festival. It consists of nine days of ceremonies and meditation (Drupchen). This is concluded by a special blessing ceremony given by Tengboche Rinpoche to the public and the world renowned mask Dances performed by the monks at Tengboche Monastery.
Events in mani Rimdu Festival :
- Preparations including making the sand mandala and Tormas
- Drupchen ceremonies
- Monks practice dancing without masks
- Giving the blession to the general public (Wang)
- Famous Mask Dances performed by the monks in a special day long ceremony. Afterwards the Sherpa community sing and dance the whole night long.
- Concluding fire puja
Tihar 25th - 28th October
The festival of lights
Tihar is celebrated as the second biggest festival after Dashai. It is the festival of Lights tinsel decorations and sweets. On different days, people worship crows, dogs cows and oxen with vermilion, garland and delicious food for their importatn role in the society, On the night of Lakshmi Puja, Houses are cleaned and decorated with candles, oil lamps and other lights with the belief that Goddess Laxmi will enter the house that is bright and cleanest. Garlands are hung at the doors and windows and lamps are lit to invite Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, into the homes, shops and work places.
Newars community in Nepal also observes Mha Puja, a ritual of worshipping one's own body and soul to remain healthy and happy for the rest of the year. On Bhaitika, the last day of the festival is the day when sisters make offerings to their brothers in return reward them with valuable goods. The rituals of breaking a walnut, putting on garlands of Makhamali flowers and encircling brothers in rings of mustard oil are performed to protect them from Yama, lord of the death.
On Shivaratri festival, devotees observe fast and keep vigil all night. Shivaratri marks the night when Lord Shiva performed the 'Tandava'. It is also believed that on this day Lord Shiva was married to Parvati Ma.
The festival take place at all temples, but particularly at Pashupatinath, hundreds of Sadhus flock here from all over Nepal and India. Another excitement that attracted youngsters and teenagers was on this particular day it is allowed to smoke hashish or Marijuana for gurus and yogis, which is considered as one of the prized possession of lord Shiva. With this trend, Pashupatinath area attracts thousands of teenagers where these illicit drugs are sold and bought openly on this day.