| NAME OF FESTIVAL |
DATE |
VENUE |
DESCRIPTION |
New Year
(BIsket Jatra) |
13th April |
Bhaktapur |
Bhairav & Bhadrakali's chariots are pulled, celebrate festival all around the Bhaktapur for 9 long days. |
Ram Nawami |
13th April |
All over the kingdom |
Main Character of Ramayan - Lord Ram is worshipped espescially at Janakpur. |
Bal Kumari Jatra |
14th April |
Thimi |
Traditional colorful festival/Toungur pearching eve. |
Matatirtha Aunsi (Mother's Day) |
19th April |
Matatritha near Thankot |
Take ritual bath at Matatirtha whose mother have died last very year. While living mothers are worshipped offering sweets and gifts. |
| Rato Machhendranath Temple |
23rd April |
Lalitpur |
Chariot of Lord Machhendranath is pulled through the street of Patan till Jawalkhel and ends the festival with Bhoto (waist coat) Jatra. |
| Buddha Jayanti |
4th May |
All over the kingdom |
People pray and worship at Buddhist monasteries especially at Boudhanath and Swaymbhunath. |
| Sithinakha or Kumari Sarstha |
25th May |
All over the valley |
A day to clean the wells and beginning of the rainy season. |
| Harisayani Ekadashi |
28th June |
All over the kingdom |
Holiest Ekadashi of the year, worship of Lord Vishnu - the preserver - sacrifices and public sale of meat is prohibited. |
| Teachers' worship day |
2nd July |
All over the kingdom |
|
| Ghanta Karna |
15th July |
All Newar Settlement |
Festival to celebrate the death of demon; Huge statue of straw demons are burned in all the toles of Bhaktapur. |
| Gunla |
17th July
-
15th August |
Kathmandu Valley |
Budhhist holy month - All the Buddhist shrine become centers for varieties of religious activities all through month. |
| Naga Panchami |
20th August |
All over the kingdom |
Day to worship the Naga (Scared Snakes) to protect from water calamities flood. |
| Rachhya Bandhan / Janai Purnima |
30th August |
|
|
| Kumbeswor Mela/Sringa Veri Jatra |
|
Lalitpur, Banglamukhi |
Traditional Musical instruments are decorated and performed. |
| Cows' festival (Gai Jatra) |
31st August |
Bhaktapur |
Colorful and Satirical festival - Gai Jatra carnival is paraded around the town. |
| Matya |
1st September |
Lalitpur |
Buddhist festival of light to honour the victory of Buddha over vice. |
| Shree KrishnaAastami |
6th September |
All over the kingdom |
Lord Krishna's birthday - main character of Hindu epic Mahabharat / Krishna Mandir of Patan Durbar Square is the focus point. |
| Pancha Dan |
|
All over the valley especially - Swambhunath |
Buddhist priest chants cymas while women, waiting in front of their houses give the priests rice and grains as they surpass. |
Gokarana Aunsi
(Nepalese Father's day) |
14th September |
All over the kingdom |
People whose father have died take ritual bath at Gokarna while living fathers are offered with sweets and ifts by their children. |
| Teej |
17th September |
All over the kingdom |
A holy day for woman, women pray to Shiva fasting 24 hours for the well being of their husband and unmarried in a hope of finding husband. |
| Rishi Panchami |
19th September |
|
|
| Indra Jatra |
27th September |
Kathmandu Valley |
Chairot of Kumari along with Ganesh and Bhairav is pulled in downtown Kathmandu. |
| Bala Chaturdasi |
11th December |
Pashupatinath Temple |
Taking holy bath in Bagmati River pilgrimage follows the Mrisgasthali forest scattering varieties of seeds remembering of Balla of dead. |
| Gathasthapana |
15th October |
All over the kingdom |
Begining of biggest festival and good season, baley seeds are planted and Kalash put in the prayer room to start festival. |
| Phulpati |
20th October |
All over the kingdom |
7th day of the festival. Religious items and flowers are brought from Gorkha Durbar for Hanuman Dhoka Parade. |
| Maha Aastami |
21st October |
All over the kingdom |
Small children are worshipped as Ganesh, Kumar and Kumari. |
| Maha Nawami |
22nd October |
All over the kingdom |
Worship Durga and Kali sacrificing male animals at Taleju |
| Dashami |
23rd October |
All over the kingdom |
Main day of Dashain; Worship Nava Durga at Brahmani Temple of Bhaktapur; Put Tika, bless from elders. |
| Tihar or Dipawali |
12th -15th October |
All over the kingdom |
Five day long festival of light, honoring Yama, God of Death. |
| Chatt Parba (Terai) |
18th November |
|
One of the most important festival of Terai, worshipping of Sun, taking holy dip in the rivers of pond. |
| Haribodhani Ekadasi |
22nd November |
|
|
| Mahalaxmi village pooja for Goddess of Wealth and Harvest |
|
|
|
| Gujeswori Jatra, worship of the Goddess |
7th December |
|
|
| Indraiani Puja and Nhaya Gaya Jatra festival |
|
|
|
| Yomari Puni or Dhanya Purni |
26th December |
Newari Settlement |
Celebrated after rice harvest; praying for the greatfulness of mother Earth and preparing rice cakes. |
| Maha Shiva Rat ri |
8th March,2005 |
All over the kingdom, especially at Pashupatinath |
Pay homage to Shiva, stay unsleep for whole night in all toles and square. |
| Bisket Jatra |
9th April, 2005 |
Bhaktapur |
Cultural festival of Bhaktapur celebrated erecting lingum and pulling the idols of Bhairav and Matrika around town. |
| World Tourism Day |
27th September 2005 |
All over the kingdom |
International Inviters are felicitated with various detivities. |
| Maghe Sankranti |
14th January, 2005 |
All over the kingdom |
People take holy bath in river and eat sweetened seasame balls vain tuber |
| Tribeni Mela |
8th February, 2005 |
Salinadi River |
Worship of God Shiva and Parvati and fasting for a month with religious activities at the banks of the Salinadi river, Sankhu. |
| Nava Durga Dance |
|
Bhaktapur and Nearby villages |
Dance of Asta Matrika or Eight mother goddess with TripuraSundari is performed. |
Basnata Panchami
(Sakwgo estival) |
13th February, 2005 |
All over the kingdom |
King receives Tika at Hanuman Dhoka and School children worship goddess of wisdom, music - Saraswati |
| Tibetain New year (Lhosar) |
8th March, 2005 |
Sherpa and Lama community |
|
| Fagu Purnima (HOLI) |
25th March, 2005 |
All over the kingdom |
Colorful festival; playing with colors for fun and frolic. |
| Ghode Jatra |
8th April |
Kathmandu |
Worship Mapa Deyo and Nepalese Army perform horsemanship and gymnastic at Tundhikhel. |
| Chaite Dashain / Seto Machhindranath Jatra |
|
Kathmandu |
Chariot of Machhindranath is pulled through the streets fo Kathmandu and worship to God of rain. |
