Nepal is a multi-religious country.  Nepal is very rich in culture and tradition. Festivals reflect the social, religious, and cultural life of Nepal. Some of the festivals are based on important events of the past. In Nepal, people celebrate different kinds of festivals like Dashain, Tihar (Deepawali), Saune Sankranti, Janai Purnima, Teej, Indra Jatra, Maghe Sankranti (Magee), Holi, etc.

 

16th July 2024

Hindu devotees celebrated ‘Saune Sankranti’ people celebrate as the first festival of the year. (the first day of the Nepali month of Shrawan) by worshiping at Shiva temples, especially on Mondays. In Shrawan month, worshipping Lord Shiva increases the auspiciousness of good results. During this month, worship of Shiva linga ritually from milk, Jal, Bel Patra, and fruits, is done.

 

19th August 20234Janai Purnima falls on the full moon day of the month of Bhadra. On this day a large number of Brahmins at the holy riverbanks. They take ritual dips in the water and offer ablution to the gods. They then change their sacred threads. Brahman priests tie yellow sacred threads around the wrists of the faithful.

 

6th Sep 2024

Teej is a Hindu festival that is celebrated by women of Nepal. Haritalika Teej welcomes the monsoon season is celebrated primarily by girls and women, with songs, dancing, and prayer rituals. The monsoon festivals of Teej are primarily dedicated to Goddess Parvati and her union with Lord Shiva. In this festival women follow a ritual of not eating any kind of food, even not drinking water for the long life of their husbands.

 

28th September 2024

Indra Jatra, also known as Yenya, is the largest street important harvest festival in Nepal, it is an eight-day long Indra-Jatra festival held in the month of September and is one of the most exciting and revered festivals of the Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley. This also marks the beginning of a month-long festival season of autumn. It begins with the erection of a wooden pole made of pine at Basantapur in the Kathmandu Durbar square.

21st October to 24th October 2024

 Dashain also known as Bijaya Dasami is a festival originating in Nepal. It is the longest and the most auspicious festival in the Bikram Sambat celebrated by Nepalese people. It is the most anticipated festival in Nepal. People return from all parts of the world, as well as different parts of the country, to celebrate together. All government offices, educational institutions, and other offices remain closed during the festival period. The festival falls in September or October, starting from the Shukla paksha (bright lunar fortnight) of the month of Ashwin and ending on Purnima, the full moon. Among the fifteen days on which it is celebrated, the most important days are the first, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, and fifteenth.

 

11th November to 15th November 2024.

 

Tihar, also known as Deepawali, is the festival of lights and Yamapanchak. it is the second biggest festival in Nepal. It is a five-day-long Hindu festival celebrated, to honor Yama, the God of Death, meanwhile the worship on the first day Kaag Tihar, is the day of the crow, the informant of Yama is worshipped. The second-day Kukur Tihar is for worshipping the dogs as the agents of Yama. On the third day is Gai Tihar and Laxmi  Puja, the goddess of wealth and luck. On this day cow is offered prayers and food in the morning and Goddess Laxmi is offered elaborate prayers and puja in the evening.  On the fourth day, the Newari community also performs Mha Puja dedicated to oneself. The fifth day is Brothers’ Day when sisters put tika on their brothers’ foreheads and give blessings. During this festival people fully lighting up the entire home with electric lights, oil-wick lamps, and candles.

 

19th November 2024.

 

Chhath is the biggest festival of Madheshi communities, Normally Chhath celebrations are in Tarai-Madhesh districts and western parts of Nepal but a few years back There is a large number of people celebrating Chhath in Kathmandu. Madheshi communities believe that offering Puja to the Sun and Goddess Chhathi during Chhath leads to peace, happiness, prosperity, longevity, and treatment of skin ailments.

 

In Chhath, the source of all power is bathed and eaten clean on the first day of sun worship, Kharna on the second day, Arghya to the sunset on the third day, and Arghya to the rising Sun on the fourth day.

 

15th Jan 2024

Hindu devotees celebrated ‘Maghe Sankranti’ (the first day of the Nepali month of Magh). People gather at their relative’s houses and celebrate this day. People eat Tilaura, Ghee-chaaku, Tarul, Pidalu, etc. People also celebrate this day as the end of the autumn season.

 

8th March 2024

 

Mahashivaratri is a Hindu festival that is dedicated to the god Shiva. It is celebrated on the 14th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Phalguna, according to the Hindu calendar. The festival is observed by fasting, performing puja (worship) to Shiva, and staying awake all night to meditate on Shiva. Pashupatinath Temple is a Hindu temple located in Kathmandu, Nepal that is dedicated to Pashupati, an aspect of Shiva. It is one of the most important temples in Nepal and is considered to be one of the holiest Hindu temples in the world. The temple is a popular place to celebrate Mahashivaratri, and the festival is typically marked by a large gathering of devotees at the temple.

24th March 2024

Holi is celebrated on the day of “Fagu Purnima” every year. This is the day to celebrate the victory of good over evil. People play with colors and colored water with family and friends. We mostly play holy with family members, neighbors, and relatives. They put colors on each other and cheered, “Happy Holi”. They use pichkari to throw colored water.