Festivals in Nepal: The Living Colors of Culture and Tradition

Nepal is a living museum, preserving history, traditions, rituals, and cultural heritages. The tapestry of festivals is well-preserved and attractively showcased. Festivals in Nepal combine emotions, colors, and music, to bring the community to celebrate faith and life. Let us understand the festivals and their importance in Nepal.

Here are 10 festivals in Nepal you must experience if you want to experience Nepal.

1. Dashain (Vijaya Dashami)

2. Tihar (Deepawali)

3. Chhath

4. Maha Shivaratri

5. Maghe Sankranti (Maghi)

6. Indra Jatra

7. Bisket Jatra

8. Gai Jatra

9. Teej

10. Holi

Let’s celebrate them:

1. Dashain (Vijaya Dashami)

Dashain is the most auspicious and most anticipated festival in Nepal. It is celebrated by Nepalese Hindus all over the world. It is 15 days 15-day-long celebration of the victory of good over evil. Dashain honors Goddess Durga who defeated the demon Mahisashur. Although these festivals are connected with a particular religion, their symbolic meaning is deeply rooted in Nepalese society. Despite their religious beliefs, people of every ethnicity celebrate Dashain and Tihar with the same joy and excitement. The two festivals fall in the autumn season and are observed as the longest festival holiday. It usually takes place in September or October. The festivities include flying kites, playing linge ping (swing made of bamboo), animal sacrifices, putting tika on foreheads, and feasting with family and friends.

2. Tihar (Deepawali)

After two weeks of Dashain comes Tihar- the festival of lights and flowers. It is a five-day celebration of joy and reverence in Nepal. It usually falls in October or November and honors the animals that are integral to Nepalese life. Animals include crows, dogs, cows, and oxen. The houses are decorated with rangoli designs, marigold garlands, and diyos (oil lamps). This symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. On the last day of Tihar, sisters worship their brothers and bless them for their long and prosperous lives.

3. Chhath

Chhath is celebrated after the six days of Tihar, on the sixth day of the lunar month of Kartika (October–November) in the Hindu calendar Vikram Samvat, which is hence also called Surya Shashti Vrata. It is mostly celebrated in the Terai region of Nepal, which involves offerings to the sun during the rise and set. This includes taking the holy dip in the rivers or ponds, fasting, and standing in the water for a long time. In addition to the Sun god, Chhathi Miaya (goddess) is worshipped for the well-being of the children and their long lives. This ancient festival dates back to the Vedic period and highlights the strong community bonds and cultural pride as people come together to celebrate and express their devotion to the sun god.

4. Maha Shivaratri

One of the principal deities of Hinduism, Lord Shiva is honored in this festival. Sages and worshipers believe on the day of Shivaratri; the stars are at an optimum position raising spiritual energy. So it is the night of spiritual significance. It is considered as the unification of masculine and feminine energy. Maha Shivaratri is marked as the marriage of Lord Shiva and Parvati. This festival is celebrated on the 14th day of the dark fortnight in Falgun (February or March).

On this day, thousands of Hindu devotees visit the holiest shrine of Hindus, the Pashupatinath temple, which is also considered the protector of Kathmandu Valley and Nepal. For this festival, the Pashupatinath temple is covered with flowers. Numerous Sadhus come from India to pray at Pashupatinath and perform Lord Shiva’s spiritual Tandav dance on this day. Since it’s a night festival, devotees celebrate the whole night, chanting and praying for light over darkness. At home, people gather together, light bonfires, and prepare holy meals on Shivratri.

5. Maghe Sankranti (Maghi)

Maghe Sankranti is celebrated on the Nepalese calendar’s first day of the month of Magh (mid-January). The festival marks the end of the winter solstice and the beginning of longer days. The festival hopes to bring the end of the cold season and expects warmer weather and better days of health and fortune. It is a time of family gatherings and feasting on traditional foods like sesame seeds, molasses, ghee, and yam. The festival also involves taking holy dips in rivers and offering prayers to deities for prosperity and good health.

Further, the same day is observed as Maghi- in the Tharu community in the Terai region. It is their new year. Maghi is one of the biggest festivals and is celebrated with much enthusiasm, featuring traditional dances, communal feasts, and dressing up in traditional dress.

6. Indra Jatra

The Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley celebrates this Jatra full of excitement and devotion. It is the most awaited and revered festival of the community. It is a seven-day celebration that marks the beginning of the two greatest festivals of the Hindu Nepalese, Dashain, and Tihar. It is an eight-day-long Jatra festival that falls in September. It is celebrated to commemorate the time when Indra came down to earth; as per Hindu mythology, Indra is the King of Heaven.

The Jatra begins with the erection of a wooden pole made of pine with a flag on its top at Basantapur Square in front of the old Hanuman Dhoka Palace. Further, the chariot of Living Goddess Kumari is taken out for procession on the street of Kathmandu. It is followed by two other smaller chariots carrying a representative of Ganesh and Bhairav is taken to different parts of the old Kathmandu through the narrow alleys where people gather to watch and pay homage. Thousands of spectators gather to see the joyful procession led by masked dancers known as Lakhey. The festival of Indra Jatra ends with the lowering of the (lingam) pole bearing Indra’s flag amidst religious ceremonies.

7. Bisket Jatra

Bisket Jatra, celebrated in Bhaktapur, is a nine-day extravaganza that marks the beginning of the Nepalese New Year. This festival is a rich tapestry of tradition and legend. This showcases the rich cultural heritage of Bhaktapur. The raising of the pole “Yosin” at Bhaktapur Durbar Square, symbolizes the beginning of the festival. The crowds pull the chariot with the statues of deities Bhairab and Bhadrakali, through the streets of Bhaktapur. This reflects the symbolic struggle between good and evil. The unique and dramatic ritual of tongue-piercing is performed during the festival. It is also called Bode Jatra. This demonstrates endurance and devotion. On the final day, participants joyfully throw vermilion powder (sindoor), which paints the streets as a sea of red. This is called “Sindoor Jatra” and signifies good fortune and celebration. The highlights of the festival are a chariot procession, traditional dances, and musical performances. They not only mark the beginning of a new year but also enhance the festive atmosphere, foster a deep sense of community and unity, and preserve the cultural heritage of Bhaktapur.

8. Gai Jatra

Gai Jatra means ‘Fair of Cows’. This jatra is performed by the Newar community as the remembrance and mourning of the death of a loved one in the past year. The most distinctive feature of this festival is the procession of cows, often accompanied by people dressed in colorful costumes and unconventional attire. The participants in the procession lead a decorated cow or young children dressed as a cow and honor the deceased. It is believed that the processions of cows will guide the souls to their afterlife. The festival takes place in August or September in Kathmandu.

9. Teej

Occurring around August, Teej is a festival celebrated by women all over Nepal for three days. Decked up in red sarees and red tika, bangles, women sing and dance to traditional folk songs for days. It is especially significant for married women when they get a special invitation to visit their maternal home and feast.

Following a long feast also known as Dar, the women, sit for a 24-hour long fasting, where most do not eat or even drink water. What is fascinating is to watch women of all age groups, young and old, dance for hours in the heat, and rain, without a drop of water or food for an entire day. The significance of such a festival is for women to ask for special blessings from Lord Shiva, to find a good husband in life, and to pray for his longevity and prosperity.

On the final day of this three-day festival, Women satisfy seven saints by offering them food, money, and various offerings, and also bathing with Red mud, and brushing their teeth with Datiwan (branches of a bush tree) hoping this purifies their body and soul.

10. Holi

Holi is one of the most popular festivals all around the world. It is widely known for being celebrated in India, however, it is also celebrated in Nepal. The festival is celebrated in March, which marks the arrival of the season of renewal and rebirth, and victory of good over evil. People celebrate this festival by applying powder of colors to each other in exchange for happiness. People also throw colorful powders and water at each other. Friends and families come together and delve into the festival by dancing, sweet treats, and feasting. The colors turn the streets into a canvas of hues. In recent years, Holi has gained popularity even among tourists.

One added festival among Buddhist tourists is Buddha Jayanti.

11. Buddha Jayanti

Buddha Jayanti is a festival celebrated by Buddhists all around the world. As Nepal is the birthplace of Buddha, Nepal celebrates Buddha Jayanti as one of its grand festivals. It falls on the Full Moon Night of May or June. This festival commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and passing of Lord Buddha. On this auspicious day the followers of Buddha and Buddhists all over the world like to pilgrimage to the birthplace of Buddha, Lumbini, Kapilvastu. The monks come and pay their homage to Buddha. They meditate and chant their mantras. Maya Devi temple is decorated with lights and flowers. The Buddhist monasteries, chaityas, and gumbas are decorated and crowded with numerous visitors on Buddha Jayanti. It is a sight to witness.

These are some of the important and popular festivals of Nepal. The list is far from complete, as many more festivals are observed all over Nepal. Different community celebrates their festivals in their own time. There are more festivals than the days in a year.

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