Festivals and fairs are some important parts of Nepalese people's day to day life. Thus they celebrate many festivals throughout a year. Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Chtistianity are some names of major religions adopted and practiced in Nepal. Therefore there are more than 50 festivals in existence. Most of them are mainly set by lunar calendar. And Nepal government has managed or marked them as national holidays to support its people to practice such cultural activities. Nayavasha , Loshar, Teej, Dashain, Tihar, Christmas, Id, Holi, Buddha Jayanti, Gai Jatra, Shiva Ratri, Swaraswati Puja are few examples of them. Despite such cultural practices Nepal celebrate manages holidays to mark and celebrate some important days on its history like Republican Day, Martyrs Day, Prithivi Jayanti, Bhanu Jayanti, Laxmi Jayanti along with some international holidays like Labor Day, International Woman Day. Apart from such holidays all governmental and private offices, schools and industries remain closed on all Saturdays.
Nepalese Holidays
Here by all these holidays are listed according to English calendar.
1. January: New Year as per English Calendar
Prithvi Jayanti and National Unity Day
Maghe Sankranti, Makkar Snani
National Martyrs' Day
The Maghe Sankranti is one important national holiday of Nepal. It is celebrated to mark the beginning of Margh month of nepali calendar. It also marks the end of winter season. It falls on the second or third week of Janurary month.
2. February: Lhosar (Tibetan New Year)
Tribhuvan Jayanti and National Democracy Day
Maha Shivaratri
Loshar is the Tibetan new year especially celebrated by Nepali Sherpas of Nepal. It falls in February of English calendar. It is also registered as national holiday. Many cultural groups especially from Himalayan tribe of Nepal organize many cultural shows and carnivals around the country to celebrate this festival.
Maha Shivaratri another holiday of Nepal which is celebrated throughout the country to honor Lord Shiva. Pilgrims and sadhus on this day go to nearby holy shrine of Lord Shiva to pay their homage. Great fair is organized by Pashupathi Area Development Commission on this day in Kathmandu and pilgrims from the many places visit this holy shrine on this day.
3. March: Holi
Ram Nawami
Holi is a festival of color. It is also celebrated in India, Bangladesh, Shree Lanka and Bhutan. This festival has religious as well as social importance. It is on these days is celebrated as a festival to mark social unity and brotherhood.
4. April: Nayavarsha (New Year of Nepal)
Matatirtha Aausi (Mother's day)
Labor Day
Buddha Jayanti
This day is celebrated as a birth anniversary of Lord Gautama Buddha. It falls in some day of May month of English calendar. Thousands of Buddhists pilgrims visit different holy Buddhist shrine on this day to pay their homage to Lord Gautama Buddha and lit butter lamps and chant different sacred lines with best wishes of restoration of peace and love throughout the world. Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, Lumbini face hundreds of thousands visitors this day. It is also a national holiday.
5. May: Shithi Cha Hey Puja
Republican Day
6. June: International Environment Day
7. July: World Population Day
8. August: Raksha Bandhan (Janai Purnima)
Krishna Janmashtami
This festival marks the auspicious day of birth anniversary of Lord Krishna. On this day pilgrims go to the nearby Krishna Temple to celebrate this day. Music and dance along with feast will be organized on this day. SKON Temple of Budhanilkantha, Krishna Temple of Patan face flocks of pilgrims on this day especially.
9. September: Teej
Indra Jatra
This day is another national holiday of Nepal and in this day nepali girls especially married undergo strict feast and worship Lord Shiva and wish for their happy married life. Unmarried girls too wish for good husband like that of Lord Shiva. Women in red costumes visit holy shrine of Lord Shiva on this day to prey. It falls in some day of August or September of English calendar which is some day of Bhadra month of Nepali calendar.
It is an auspicious day to worship god of rain Indra. On this day Kathmandu celebrates with great excitement and enthusiasm. During its eight days period different ritual dances of masked pilgrims makes it more interesting. Drum, dance, and other cultural show makes it exciting.
10. October: Dashain or Bijaya Dashami or Durga Puja
Tihar or Laxmi Puja or Dipawali (Festive of light)
Ma Puja
Chhath Parba (Worship of Lord Sun)
Tihar is a festive of light which comes after 15 days of end of Dashain. It is some days of October or November of English calendar. It is also the 2nd biggest festival of Nepal after Dashain. This festival goes for 5 days in which people worship crow, dog, cow, ox and brothers/sisters on each day separately with delicious food and garland. They worship Goddess Laxmi, goddess of wealth and prosperity, lit candles, oil lamps and illuminate their home and its premises. Newar community on the fifth day of Tihar celebrate "Ma Puja" which means worship of one's self. It is peculiar cultural practice of this community. It would be nice and really exciting for foreigners to visit Nepal on this period.
Dashain is also known as Bijaya Dashami as it is believed to be the auspicious day of victory of Goddess Durga over Demon. This is the longest and most auspicious festival of Nepali as it goes for 15 days in total. It falls on some days of Aswin and or Kartik months of Nepali calendar which happens to be some days of September and or October of English calendar. During lunar fortnight ending on the day of the full moon people worship Goddess Durga, sacrifice animals to please Her, take holy bath and receives tika and blessings from the elders of the family and relatives.
11. November: Constitutional Day
12. December: AIDS Day
Human Rights Day
0 comments:
Post a Comment