Indrajatra

The Indra festival,in honour of the ancient Aryan God Indra.The living goddess Kumari is taken in procession through the streets of Kathmandu and the king receives blessings from her.Traditional Newar folk dances are performed in the streets around the Durbar Square, Basantpur square and Indra Chowk area.On this same day, in 1768 ,King Prithvi Narayan Shah conquered Kathmandu and took the major step in the process of unifying Nepal.The festival continues for four days.

Bada Dashain

This is the biggest festival in Nepal and lasts 15 days in all although the main festivities are concentrated in nine days during which all schools and government offices are closed.On the seventh day,called "Fullpati",you can see ,around noon or afternoon, a procession for government officials in national dress preceded by a band from Royal Palace in Durbar Square.

On the ninth day, goats and buffaloes are sacrificed around noon in the courtyard called 'Kot' behind Durbar Square and a stream of blood flows.Similar sacrifices are made in the temples of goddesses through the country and on this day every household in Nepal eats meat.

The tenth day,Bijaya Dashami, is the highlight of the festival and all Hindus and many Buddhists go to the relatives and elders in order to receive a 'Tika' ,which is rice immersed in a curd with red pigment color placed on their forehead.On the streets of Kathmandu on this day you will hardly see a person who does not wear this red mark on their forehead.

In late afternoon,if you walk two blocks from Durbar Square to the temple of Naradevi,you can see the Festival of the Sword(Khadga Jatra).This day is supposed to represent the victory of good over evil.According to legend the Goddess Durga killed a demon on this day.

The final day of the festival, a full moon day, is marked by much gambling in some Nepalese households.Dashain is not only the biggest festival but a happy one because the weather is perfect.

Tihar

The third and fifth days are the most important of this five-day festival.In western India it is the biggest Hindu festival and in Nepal it is second only to Dasain.

On the first day crows, the messengers of death, are honoured and fed.

The second day is in honour of dogs,the guardians of the dead and the mount of Bhairab.

The third day is set aside for cows as the incarnation of Laxmi.The goddess of wealth.This day is called Deepavali,the festival of lights, and all the households of Kathmandu are illuminated by lamps to the Goddess of Wealth.This festival always fallls on a new moon so the effect is particularly delightful.It is said that the Goddesss Laxmi will shun any household not illuminated on this day,which is also an occasion for gambling.

The fourth day is also a new year for Newars.In this day people worship their own body or soul.Known as Mha Puja.In newari Mha means body.And families get together to celebrate this occasion.

The fifth day of the festival is Bhai Tika and is meant especially for brothers and sisters who are supposed to get together on this day.On this day sisters place tikas on their brothers forehead to protect them from evil.And sisters also bless them for longer life.In return ,brothers make generous gifts to their sisters.

Bala Chaturdashi

People come from all over the valley and beyond to the temple of Pashupatinath to take part in a ceremony which consists of scattering seeds of different kinds and burning candles in memory of their dead relatives.The evening is the best time to observe the ceremony as you will see many pilgrims performing religious rites and singing and dancing.The best place to watch is from across the Bagmati which gives a good view of the illuminated temple and pilgrims from far away villages spend the night around the temple.

Tibetan New Year

There are religious celebrations in Bodhnath Stupa around noontime and the Buddhist monks give blessings.This festival is essentially a family affair when friends and members of the family get together.

Maha Shivaratri

The birthday of Lord Shiva usually falls in the cold month of February.On this day thousands of pilgrims come from Terai and from India.

Holi or Fagu

Holy is the colorful festival to mark the beginning of spring.People put on new clothes which get ruined when they go round throwing color powder, colored water and just plain water(often in small balloons and the like) at each other. The festival used to last for eight days.

Chaitra Dashain

Chaitra Dashain is also called a small dashain in contrast to October's big Dashain.This festival is similar in many respects and many goats and buffaloes are sacrificed to the goddess durga at the 'Kot Square'.And image of the goddess is pulled on a chariot through the streets.

Bisket Festival

A wooden pillar is erected in the evening on the first day of this Bhaktapur festival.On the second day which is also the first day of nepali new year,a chariot is pulled from the pillar to the temple of Bhairavnath in the same square as the five-storey Nyatapolo pagoda.The pillar is shaken violently in the evening and then lowered with the great rejoicing.The chariots of Ganesh,goddess Mahakali and goddess MahaLaxmi are carried on the shoulders of the devotees.

Buddha Jayanti

Since the Nepal is birth place of Buddha and there are still many buddhists amongst nepalese,this festival is celebrated to mark the birth day of Lord Buddha.There are many pilgrimages to buddhist shrines ,specially to the Swayambhunath and Bodhnath Stupas.Also,pilgrims take a long journey to the birth place of Buddha that is Lumbini on this day.Lumbini is situated at the western part of Nepal.

Rato Macchindranath Jatra

The festival of Red Macchindranath takes place in Patan over a period of two months and is one of the complex festivals.During the celebrations, a chariot bearing the image of Macchindranath ,revered by both Hindus and Buddhists moves in a series of daily stages through the streets of patan.

Naag Panchami

Images of the serpent 'Naga' are stuck over the doors of house during the festivals of snakes.Since snakes are to believed to have power over the monsoon rainfall,it is important that they are appeased. Their image also keeps evil from entering the home.

Janai Purnima

All high caste hindus wear a sacred thread over their left shoulder and tied under their right armpit.On this day, each year the sacred thread is replaced after a day long fast.And also the priest put sacred janai or holy thread around the wrist of Hindu people.On this day,specially newar people prepare special dish on their homes.That dish is known as 'Kwati'.Kwati is prepared with nine different types of beans. Kumbheswore temple in Patan and holy lake of Gosaikunda are important places for this festival where people take holy dips.

Other Festivals

There are many other small festivals that is celebrated throughout the year.They are Gokarna Aunshi(father's day), Matatirtha Aunshi(mother's day),Ghantakarna, MagheSankranti, Yomari Punhi,Ram Navami, Paancharey, GhodeJatra,Vivah Panchami(marriage of Lord Ram with Sita), King's Birthday, SithiNakha,etc.

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