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Nepal
is not only the land of mountains;
it is also the land of festivals.
There are more than 50 festivals
celebrated in Nepal every year.
While the national festivals have
fixed dates, religious festivals are
set by astrologers following the
lunar calendar. The best part about
the festivals in Nepal is that all
the events are celebrated with the
same enthusiasm and galore the way
it used to be hundreds of years ago
when people had no other means of
entertainment.
NAVAVARSHA: The Nepalese New
Year�s Day usually falls in the
second week of April. i.e. the first
day of Baisakh. The day is observed
as a national holiday. The people
celebrate it with great pomp and
show. On this occasion, Bisket Jatra
is held in the city of Bhaktapur.
BAISAKH POORNIMA: (April-May)
As Nepal is the birth place of Lord
Buddha, the Lights of Asia, the
triple anniversary of the Buddha�s
birth, enlightenment and death is
observed with many colorful
ceremonies on this day. People
celebrate the occasion with great
veneration paying homage to Buddha
at places like Swayambhunath and
Lumbini.
RED MACHCHENDRANATH RATH JATRA:
(May-Jun)
This festival is the biggest
socio-culture event of Patan. The
wheeled chariot of the deity known
as Bungdyo or red Machhendranath is
prepared at Pulchowk, and dragged
through the city of Patan in the
several stages till it reached the
prescribed destination (Lagankhel).
The grand final of the festival is
called "Bhoto Dekhaune". A similar
kind of chariot festival of
Machhendranath (white) is also held
in Kathmandu City in the month of
March-April.
DUMJI:
It is celebrate in Sherpa Settlement
in the month of July. The Sherpas of
Kathmandu and Helambu regions
participates in dancing on this day.
GAIJATRA (Cow festival):
(July-August)
It is a carnival-type of festival
lasting eight days. Dancing,
singing, comedy and any thing that
cause mirth and laughter are its
highlights. Those people whose
family members have died during the
years send out persons dressed up as
a cow to parade the main through of
the city on the first day of the
festival.
KRISHNASTAMI: (July-August)
It marks the birthday of Lord
Krishna, one of the incarnations of
Lord Vishnu. On this day, an
impressive ceremony at the Krishna
Temple in Patan takes place.
INDRAJATRA: (August-September)
The festival of India, the god of
rain, is observed with great
enthusiasm in Kathmandu Valley. The
festival is celebrated in
August-September lasting for eight
days. The chariot of Kumari, the
living Goddess, is taken out in
procession through the main street
of Kathmandu. The festival is
specially noted for the echoes of
drums and dancing feet of the masked
dancers almost every evening.
DASHAIN OR DURGA PUJA:
(September-October)
The Dashain festival is the most
important festival of the Nepalese.
It takes some time in the month of
September-October.
TIHAR (DEEPAWALI): (October-
November)
known as the festival of lights "Tihar"
is celebrated for five days in
October-November. On the occasion of
houses are illuminated at night and
the special sweets of diverse kinds
are prepared.
CONSTITUTION DAY:
The new democratic constitution of
the kingdom of Nepal was promulgated
on November 9, 1990. Since then,
this day is observed as the
Constitution day.
VIVAHA PANCHAMI:
(November-December)
This is the famous festival of
Janakpur in Dhanusha district in the
eastern Terai. The occasion
commemorates the marriage of Sita to
Ram, one of the most venerated Hindu
divinities. It attracts thousands of
pilgrims from India.
LHOSAR:
This festival is the most
impressively observed in the month
of February by all the Tibetan
speaking populations. They organize
folk songs and dances on this
occasion. These dances can be seen
in Khumbu regions of Nepal and also
at Bodhnath in Kathmandu.
NATIONAL DEMOCRACY DAY:
This day is officially observed as
Rastriya Prajantra Divas or National
Democracy Day (it generally falls
February 18th i.e; 7th of Phalgun as
a mark of respect to people�s
revolution of 1950-51)
MAHA SHIVARATRI: (February)
Shivaratri of the night of Lord
Shiva, is observed in
February�March. It is celebrate in
honor of Lord Shiva. A great
religious fair takes place in the
Pashupatinath Temple and thousand of
Hindus from all over Nepal and India
visit temple.
GHODEJATRA: (March-April)
Known as a festival of horses, it is
one of the most exciting festivals
of the Kathmandu city. Horse race
and other sport take place at
Tundikhel on this day. In other
parts of the city the various
deities are carried shoulder high on
wheel less chariot (khat) with the
accompaniment of traditional music.
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