Nepal is a nation rich in religious and cultural diversity. Inspite of its small area, Nepal has always been rich in national and ethnic festivals and fairs. Although Nepal has been declared a secular state, the domonant Hindus celebrate numerous unique festivals.The diversity of religion, culture and tradition among the various ethnic communities offer a number of distinct festivals, fairs, ceremonies and processsions that are significant in maintaining unity among the different communities of the nation. In reality the identity of the nation is actually represented by the collective identity of each individul community. It is the duty of the society to pereserve the culture and tradition of the country as it serves as the identity of the nation and its ancient civilization. Any festival, fair, ceremony or procession in the nation is important for the identity of the nation. It has been observed that the festivals and ceremonies of the different communities of Nepal that have been organized since the ancient time have helped in spreading positive message about the country arround the world. Nationally and ethnically significant festivals and ceremonies like worships, prayers, dances. songs, gatherings, feasts and fairs not only spread the message of the brotherhood and communal harmony but are hugely important for the preservation of the cultural heritage. Such displays of original culture and traditional rituals also help in bringing together the relatives, kins and friends dispersed around the country and even those who moved abroad. Likewise, it offers also an important oppoutunity to share happiness and goodwill in the society. Most of the festival and fairs are associated with some ancient mythology or historic anecdotes. Thus these make a direct connection to the cultural roots and historic origin. Nepal's cultural diversity can also be gauged by the festivals and celebrations. Apart from the national calendar, that is different than the international one, there are at least three other major new year celebrations unique to the Newar community, Gurung community and the Tamang and Sherpa communities. Such diverse culture and the wealth of the festivals have helped to establish a unique identity of Nepal.
Dashain - A Great Festival Of Nepal
Dashain is the greatest and most important festival celebrated in Nepal. Regarded as the national festival, Dashain is observed for 9 days with much enthusiasm. It is also known as Navaratri, or Durgapuja. The ancient festival kicks off from the new moon day of Ashwin, the sixth month of the Hindu Lunar Calendar, normally coinciding with September or October. The first day is called 'Ghatasthapana' and the festival is started by planting the traditional 'Jamara' or saplings of an assortment of grains. Special prayers of Goddess Durga are organized at homes and temples which continues for nine days called 'Navaratri'. The festivities heighten from the seventh day called the Saptami or Fulpati. Family members that have moved away from home for various reasons also arrive home to celebrate the festival.
People offer worship to the 'Jamara' in the morning while delicacies are served in the day. Special prayers are offerred to Goddess Durga on the eighth day 'Mahaastami'. Most households offer a sacrifice of male goats to the Goddess, followed by a feast. The ninth day 'Mahanavami' is also celebrated amidst prayers, feast and worship. Goats are also sacrificed on the day, while some people, mostly the entrepreneurs, worship their vehicles, offices, hotels and factories. The tenth day is called 'Vijaya Dashami' which holds a special significance. There is a tradition of receiving 'Tika' and 'Jamara' from the hand of elders along with their blessings. Folks visit their elders to receive their blessings on the day. The roads turn full of people with bright red Tika on their forehead and yellow saplings tucked on their ears travelling to the homes of their elders. There is also a tradition of travelling to one's relatives to receive the tika untill the full moon day.
Tihar
Tihar is the second most important festival after Dashain and holds special significance to the Hindu women who observe the festival with much enthusiaasm. The five day festival is also known as Yama Panchak because of its association with Yama, the God of Death and the Underworld. The first day is called 'Kag Tihar' and is observed by offering worship to crow, the messenger of Yama. Dogs are worshipped on the second day or the 'Kukur Tihar'. The day honours the man's best friend for all its devotion and love. Dog is also considered as Yama's custodian and is believed to have accompanied King Yudhisthir to the heaven, as per the epic Mahabharat, while all his mighty brothers have perished along the way. Tihar's third day is observed as the Gai Tihar or Laxmi Puja. Tihar starts in earnest on this day when cows are worshipped as the incarnation of 'Laxmi' the Goddess of wealth. People clean themselves and their homes in the morning and worship the cows, considered sacred for the Hindus. In the evening Laxmi is worshipped with all corners of the home lighted up with oil lamps, candles and colourfull light bulbs. The tradition is also known as the Dipawali or festival of lights. People observe the tradition holding a belief that goddess Laxmi will visit their homes that night while staying away from those homes kept dark. People also entertain with 'Bhailo' songs in the evening. Oxen, the original beasts of burden, are worshipped on the fourth day known as the 'Goru Puja' or 'Gobardhan Puja'. The bullocks hold a significent place in the rural society as they toil hard throughout the year pulling the ploughs to till the fields. Deusi songs are performed in the evening with the groups of men moving from house to house. The final day of Tihar, 'Bhaitika', is considered the most important and celebrates the eternal love and affection between brothers and sisters. Sisters put seven coloured Tika on the forehead of their brothers and garlands arround the neck wishing for their prosperity, health and long life. It is believed to commemorate the day When Yama's sister Yamuna worshipped her brother according to Hindu scripture.Thus the five day festival is concluded amidst love and affection between the brothers and sisters.
Buddha Jayanti
About 2500 years ago in the year 623 B.C. Shakya queen Myadevi of Kapilvastu gave birth to a divine child at the sacred and beautiful Lumbini Garden when she was returning to her husband's palace in Taulihawa after a visit to her father's home at Devdaha. Years later the Prince Siddartha Gautam of Kapilvastu left home in the dead of the night abandoning his wife Yashodhara and son Rahul to search for the key to peace and harmony in the world. Following years of travelling, learning and meditation, he was finally able to decipher the truth. He then began to spread the message of peace arround the world and became known arround the world as Buddha. Lord Buddha is considered messenger of world peace and is also called the light of Asia. Not only the Buddhists but also Hindus follow his faith and worship him as ninth incarnation of God Vishnu. Buddha's birthday that falls on the Baisakh Purnima - the full moon day of the first month of Hindu Lunar Calendar - is celebrated as an important festival by the Buddhists as well as Hindus. The festival is observed with much enthusiasm at various Buddhist shrines and monasteries throughout Nepal. A grand ceremony is celebrated at the birthplace of Buddha, Lumbini with participation of thousands devotees. Special prayers are also organized at Kathmandu's Swayambhu, Bouddhanath and other stupas.
Mahashivaratri
The festival of Mahashivaratri is celebrated by the Hindus with much fervor amid special worships and prayers to Lord Shiva, considered the protecter of the Hindu religion. Most of the devotees clean themselves and keep fasting in the very day. They visit the nearby temple of Lord Shiva to pay their homage. The full splendor of the festivity is witnessed at the Pashupatinath Temple of Kathmandu. Thousands of Sadhus from arround the world representing various orders and sects gather at Pashupatinath for the festival. The sadhus as well as young admirers of Lord Shiva could seen pulling at the clay pipes of hashish considered dear to Lord Shiva. While elsewhere people also take 'bhang' a special concoction made by mixing ground nuts, spices, herbs and extracts of marijuana plant in milk. Though there are different folk lores regarding the start of the festival, it is believed to have originated in the Vedic era.
Chairot Procession Of Machhindranath
The Chairot Procession Of Machhindranath of Lalitpur is one of the important religious festivities of the Kathmandu Valley. Lalitpur's Machhindranath known popularly as Red Machhindranath due to red colour of the idol is the original Machhindranath, while the equivalent deity of Kathmandu is also known as white Machhindranath. The Chairot Procession of Lalitpur's Machhindranath starting from the Baisakh Shukla Pratipada - the new moon day of the Hindu Lunar Calendar - is Nepal's longest running festival and ends with the 'Bhoto Jatra'. However the procession of Kathmandu's Mchhindranath kicks off from the Chaitra Purnima - Full Moon day of the last month of Hinu Lunar Calendar. Meanwhile, in Lalitpur, on the same day, the idol of the deity is placed on a palanquin and taken to the Mahamandap at Lagankhel for a grand bath. Only after 14 days is chariot procession started amid grand festival. The deity is taken from its resting place at a temple in Lalitpur's Nabahal and is placed in the special chariot constructed at Pulchowk. Th deity is kept here for four additional days and then the procession is started. Local residents pull the charot from the Pulchowk to Gabahal, Patan, Sundhara and Jaulakhel amidst grand ceremony. A panel of astrologers decides the precise moment, under the most auspicious stellar combination, to start the procession. The duration of the procession may therefore may vary from year to year. The festivity culminates into the 'Bhoto Jatra' four days after the chariot reaches Jaulakhel.
