Nepal Festival

Nepal offers the country of festivals in addition to the region of mountains. Every year, the Nepali people celebrate more than 50 festivals. The dates of Nepal's festivals are set by astrologers using the lunar calendar; religious festivals have set dates. The festivals are still celebrated by the people with the same fervor and jubilation as they were founded hundreds of years ago, when there were no other forms of amusement available.

• Dashain (VijayaDashami)
  • The biggest celebration of the year, Dashain, is observed by the Nepali people between the months of late September and early October. Dashain, which is observed on the shortest day of the year, is the most auspicious holiday in the Nepalese calendar and is observed nationwide by people of all castes and creeds. The fifteen days that make up Dashain are in the bright lunar fortnight and end on the day of the full moon. In every region of Nepal, people adore the goddess Durga in all of her incarnations and offer her copious sacrifices. They cover the goddess' days in blood because they think the rite is meant to give her a holy bath. The huge victory of the gods over the bad demons is the reason why Dashain is celebrated. According to legend, Lord Ram won the conflict after calling upon the goddess Durga. The major holiday is marked by the victory of good over evil, which is represented by goddess Durga destroying the terrifying monster who frightened the entire planet while assuming the form of a vicious water buffalo. The first nine days reveal that the goddess Durga and the demon Mahisasur's nine-day battle was hazardous. The demon was slain on the tenth day, and the final five days describe the celebration of triumphing over the demon with the goddess' blessing. In Nepal, people revered goddess Durga by thinking of the divine mother goddess during the joyous celebration of Dashain. Every dwelling is cleansed in preparation for Dashain, and the mother goddess is invited so she can come and bestow her blessings.
• Tihar
  • We may say that Tihar, the festival of lights, is the second largest celebration after Dashain. It is observed between October and November. Laxmi, the Goddess of Wealth, is worshipped over these five days of celebration. In the hopes that Goddess Laxmi will visit the home, people clean and adorn their homes. They also burn candles, oil lamps, and other lights, making the entire area appear bright. Crows, dogs, and cows are worshipped over this five-day period, and they are given honors such as vermilion, garlands, and delectable food in recognition of all that they provide to human existence. Even in the days before postmen and postal systems, crows are regarded as the messenger that conveys the news. Dogs are the most obedient animals, and as true guardians, they protect our home from burglars. Cows are regarded as the national animal of Nepal and are a symbol of wealth in Hinduism. The Newari people of Nepal also prepare the Mha puja during Tihar, which is a rite for worshiping one's own body and life. The Newari New Year, also known as Nepal Samba, falls on this day.

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• Teej
  • Hindu married women celebrate The Teej as a day to honor their man. The festival takes place in August or September. During the time of the Teej festival, women will wear lovely red saris with sparkling glass beads, and they will sing and dance practically everywhere in Nepal. For their husbands' and families' long, healthy, and successful lives, women observe a day of fasting and worship Lord Shiva on this day. In the hopes that they will also have an opportunity to find excellent husbands, the single women also celebrate this event. Women line up in different sections of the Pashupatinath temple beginning in the early morning to pray to Lord Shiva. Each day of the three-day Teej festival in Nepal has a special meaning.
• Dar Din
  • In Nepal, the first day of Teej is also referred to as "Dar Din." The gathering of women who were dressed to the nines gathered in one location on this day to perform dance and sing devotional songs. On this day, a unique food named is consumed. The women party until midnight, at which point the 24-hour fast begins.
• Fasting Day
  • Women worship and pray to the god on the second day of the Teej festival. Women will fill the sacred Pashupatinath shrine and pray to Lord Shiva there. Women congregate in the temple to offer flowers, treats, and money as sacrifices to the god. An oil lamp must be lit in order to complete this ceremony. The oil lamp is said to need to be kept burning all night to ward off evil omen.
• Rishi Panchami
  • The third day of the Teej is the day that Rishi Panchami is observed. Women worship the seven Hindu sages on this day because they think that doing so tends to atone for all of their sins from the previous year. Women in the area take a holy bath using the red mud that can be found on the sacred bush's roots and leaves.
• New Year
  • In Nepal, the New Year is also known as Nava versa. The first day of the first month, Baisakh, marks the beginning of Nepal's own calendar. The Nepali New Year, which occurs on this day in the second week of April, is recognized. Since this day is also a national holiday, people go to picnics they've met at and start get-togethers as they commemorate the day socializing in various ways. The Tibetans and Sherpas who reside in Nepal celebrate their New Years in February. The Boudhanath and Swayambhunath in Kathmandu are distinguished from the throng by their colorful prayer flag decorations and eye-catching decorations. In the New Year, people do the customary dances, celebrate with feasts and family gatherings, dress in their most luxurious jewelry and new outfits, and exchange gifts.
• Saraswati Puja
  • On Saraswati's birthday, the Goddess of Learning, a festival called Saraswati Puja is observed. On this day, schoolchildren worship their pens and books to appease the goddess and beg her assistance in their studies so that they will grow in wisdom and knowledge. Additionally, people worship the Saraswati image, particularly in Swayambhunath, and present the goddess with gifts such as flowers, candies, and fruits. On this day, children receive reading and writing instruction, and people use chalk and pencils to write on stones and slabs. The Saraswati Puja is performed between January and February, and it is seen to be a particularly lucky day for marriages as well since people believe the Goddess bestows her blessings on the newlyweds. In Nepal, astrologers typically decide on the date and hour of the wedding.
• Shivaratri (Maha Shivaratri)
  • One of Nepal's most important celebrations, Shivaratri, also known as the Night of Lord Shiva, usually takes place in January or February. On this day, we honor Lord Shiva, the Lord of the Lords, who formerly resided in the Himalayas. One of the most well-known and revered deities in Hinduism is Lord Shiva. During the festival, more than 100,000 Hindus travel from India and congregate in and around Kathmandu's Pashupatinath Temple, one of the most sacred Hindu sites, to honor Lord Shiva on his birthday. The Lord of Animals is another name for "Pashupatinath," and Lord Shiva was revered as the protector of all living creatures in the Himalayan Kingdom. People who come to worship on this holy day take an early morning wash in the sacred river, fast for the day, and gather around fires to remain warm because it is winter in Nepal. Marijuana usage is only permitted on this holy day, and people consume it and other intoxicants because they believe doing so will please Lord Shiva.
• Holi
  • The celebration of water and color known as Holi, also known as "Phagu" in Nepal, takes place between February and March. This day commemorates the killing of the female demon Holika, who had been plotting to assassinate Pralhad, the king's son and a fervent follower of Lord Vishnu. On this day, young people go in groups with their friends on foot or in automobiles while donning various colors, while those who live in homes celebrate by throwing colors and water balloons at each other and the people who are out on the streets.

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• Ghode Jatra
  • A large horse festival is held in a location in Tundikhel during this festival, which is celebrated in March or April. Although there aren't many religious components to this celebration, people from all over the world come to Kathmandu to watch the horse race and other thrilling sporting events that the army puts on in front of the President.
• Buddha Jayanti
  • Every year in Nepal, the anniversary of Buddha's birth falls in May. People visit Swayambhunath and Boudhanath on this day to pay respects to Lord Buddha as well as to his birthplace, chant prayers, and light butter lamps. In spite of being a prince, Lord Buddha chose to pursue enlightenment after becoming aware of humanity's suffering.
• Gai Jatra (Cow Festival)
  • The annual cow festival takes place in August or September. The cow festival is a well-known holiday in Nepal and it combines humor, satire, ridicule, comedy, and grief all at once. Additionally, it is acceptable to conduct jokes and satires on anyone on this day. The young boys must dress as cows and go through Kathmandu's streets being led by cows in a parade for the family who lost a relative in the previous year. The cow, sometimes referred to as the Goddess, is regarded as Nepal's national animal. The fact that they are not the only ones who have experienced a loss makes them feel better, and the festival also gives them the wisdom to embrace death as a natural part of life, which helps many individuals who have lost loved ones.
• Krishna Janmashtami
  • In August or September, people commemorate the birth anniversary of Lord Sri Krishna, who is thought to be the eighth manifestation of Lord Vishnu. The old Krishna Temple in Patan Durbar Square and adjacent temples housing the image of Sri Krishna are where all devotees of the Hindu deity go to pray, donate food, flowers, and sweets, and chant hymns.

References

Flippo, Edwin B. Personnel Management. London: Oxford Press, 1980.

Gynwal, Ram Prasad. Know Nepal. Kathmandu: Bhundipuran Prakashan, 2012.

Hamilton, Francis B. An Account of the Kingdom of Nepal. New Delhi: Manjushri Publishing House, 1971.

Heywood, Andrew. Politics. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2002.

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