The festivals of Nepal are vibrant and unique, reflecting the country’s diverse ethnicity and religious backgrounds. It is not only home to the towering Himalayas and natural beauty but also to many different ethnic communities. Many indigenous groups who have their own culture, religion, and customs also reside here.
Nepal annually celebrates more than 50 festivals, which are celebrated almost every day of the year in at least one part of the country. Hence, the country is also known as the “Land of Festivals.” Nepal follows the Nepali Bikram Sambat calendar, which is around 56 years older than the Georgian calendar. The vibrant festivals have religious, historical, and cultural importance. It also plays a massive role in the lives of the Nepalese and influences their lifestyle.
Visiting Nepal during these festive times is one of the best ways to experience and participate in the local culture. The people of Nepal are world-renowned for their warm hospitality. They happily welcome their guests to join in their celebrations. Although each festival has its own importance, including them all on our list is not possible. So, we have made a short list of festivals in Nepal. Let us begin without further ado!
Table of Contents
Major Festivals of Nepal
Dashain
The majority of the citizens in Nepal are Hindus, and their biggest and most important festival is Dashain. The government of Nepal issues public holidays all over Nepal during the festive season, which are widely celebrated festivals. Dashain represents the Goddess Durga’s victory over the demon Mahisasuhra and is the country’s main festival. The auspicious festival is also a celebration of good’s triumph over evil.
Dashain falls in the harvest season, either in September or October, and the celebration spans 15 days. During this time, Hindus all over the country and abroad worship Goddess Durga and gather with their families and relatives to receive tika and jamara from their elders’ hands. Likewise, the people celebrate Dashain by feasting, flying colorful kites, and animal sacrifices. Dashain’s final day is the Kojagtra Purnima, which coincides with the full moon.
Tihar
After Dashain, Tihar is another major and popular festival in Nepal. Almost all regions celebrate these religious festivals, which are of huge significance. According to the Georgian calendar, it falls in October and the Kartik month of the lunar calendar. It is a five-day festival, and it is also famous as the “Festival of Lights.” The first day of Tihar is crow puja, where Hindu devotees worship the bird crow.
The second day is dog puja, the third is Laxmi Puja, and the fourth and fifth are Govardhan Puja and Bhai Tika. Throughout the festivals, people decorate their houses with colorful lights, oil lamps, and candles. Similarly, the streets of Kathmandu are also illuminated with bright lights. The people also sing and dance in traditional ways during the Tihar festival.
Mahashivaratri
Mahashivaratri is one of the most sacred and holiest festivals in Nepal. It has significant religious significance for Hindus worldwide and usually falls in February or March. The festival is also known as the night of Shiva, the supreme Hindu god of destruction. Hindus visit the holy Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu on the festival day.
Devotees also flock to other Shiva temples and perform puja and other rituals. Many devotees also fast on this day. Thousands of sadhus from India also visit Pashupatinath to pray. The temple is decorated with flowers and oil lamps. At night, huge prayers and rituals take place in the temple. Similarly, programs like Shiv Tandav, music, and dances also occur around the temple premises.
Holi
Holi, or Fagun Purnima, is a festival of colors. It is another Hindu festival celebrated in Nepal. It marks the transition of the winter season into spring, so Holi is also popular as the spring festival. The festival is also a celebration of the victory of Lord Vishnu’s avatar, Narashima’s triumph over Hiranyakashipu. Holi festival marks the defeat of evil by good and usually falls during March.
Although Holi in Nepal is a Hindu festival, people from various religious backgrounds participate in the celebration. They playfully put color powders on each other and splash each other with colorful water and water balloons. Likewise, there is a lot of dancing, singing, and enjoying sweets and other delicacies. The festival takes place for two days: people in Kathmandu Valley celebrate it on the first day, while the locals of the Terai region of Nepal celebrate Holi on the second day.
Gai Jatra
The Newar communities of the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal celebrate the Gai Jatra festival, also popular as the festival of cows. Gai translates to “Cow,” and Jatra refers to “Fair” in English. It is a historical and cultural significant festival for the country. During the Jatra, children from the Newari households, who have lost their loved ones a year before, dress up as cows and other colorful customs and participate in a procession. They believe the procession helps the departed souls rest peacefully in the afterlife.
The Gai Jatra festival’s origin dates back to King Pratap Malla’s reign, which lasted from 1641 to 1671 AD. He had a son, Chakravartendra Malla, who passed away in his teenage years. His queen was inconsolable and kept grieving over their deceased son. After this, King Pratap Malla began Gai Jatra to make his queen realize that no family has lost their loved ones and to help his son ascend to the next life. Since then, it has become one of the festivals that reflects Nepali customs and traditions.
Buddha Jayanti
Buddha Jayanti is one of the major festivals in Nepal. It is the birth date of Lord Buddha, who was born as Siddhartha Gautam in Lumbini in 563-483 BCE. He is of significant importance to Buddhists and Hindus alike. The festival is celebrated throughout the country, which honors his life, path to enlightenment, and death (Mahaparinirvana). The festival falls during the full moon day in April or May.
There are various Buddhist stupas and monasteries in Kathmandu Valley, the biggest of which are the Swayambunath (Monkey Temple) and Boudhanath. These two sites are also the capital city’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Devotees visit these monasteries and stupas, where they hold prayers, chantings, rituals, and other events. Buddhism believes in harmony and peace, so non-Buddhists also celebrate Buddha Jayanti.
Maghe Sankranti
According to the Bikram Sambat calendar, the Maghe Sankranti festival falls on the first day of the Magh month, usually mid-January. From this point onwards, the days become warmer and longer as the sun moves to the northern hemisphere. The festival has an immense cultural significance. Nepal is an agricultural country, and Maghe Sankranti symbolizes abundance and new hope. Hence, all Nepalese celebrate the festival with vigor.
Hindus begin their day by taking ritual baths in the early morning. They also visit temples to pray and offer various offerings like flowers and incense. Similarly, families gather together and eat special food on this day, which includes molasses, ghee, sweets made of sesame seeds, sweet potatoes, and yams. There is a belief that these food items keep their bodies warm.
Other Popular Festivals In Nepal
- Nepali New Year
- Teej
- Indra Jatra
- Bisket Jatra
- Rice Planting Festival
- Janai Purnima
Conclusion
Nepal is diverse, but its residents live in peace and harmony. They respect and tolerate each other’s religion, ethnicity, and culture. These various Nepali festivals showcase the nation’s diversity and how Nepalese celebrate it with joy and dedication. Despite their differences, these diverse communities of Nepal enjoy and enthusiastically participate in each other’s festivals. The ones mentioned in the list are the festivals in Nepal you must experience at least once.
Whether it is Dashain Buddha Jayati or other community or regional festivals, these different festivals offer visitors opportunities to experience Nepal’s rich culture, religions, and diversity. They can also participate in the festivities and the celebrations. So, if you want to visit Nepal, you should align your plan with these popular festivals in Nepal. Get a first-hand experience of the vibrant Nepali culture and festivals while visiting Nepal’s various rich cultural heritage.
FAQs
How many festivals are there in Nepal?
Nepal celebrates more than 50 festivals annually. The country has diverse religions and ethnicities, and they have their unique festivals. Hence, Nepal is also known as the “Land of Festivals,” where a festival is celebrated almost every day in at least one part of the country. The astrologers set the festival dates following the lunar Nepal era calendar.
What is the biggest Hindu festival in Nepal?
Dashain is the biggest Hindu festival in Nepal, and all Nepalese Hindus celebrate this festival as the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. The Nepalese Hindus all over the country and in foreign countries celebrate the festival by worshipping Goddes Durga, receiving tika and jamara from elders, and feasting.
What is the oldest festival in Nepal?
Maghe Sankranti is the oldest festival in Nepal. According to the Nepali calendar, it falls on the first day of Magh month, which falls in mid-January in the Gregorian calendar. Maghe Sankranti has cultural and agricultural significance for all Nepalese people. Families gather to celebrate the festival and eat molasses, sweet potatoes, yams, and sweets.
Which is the longest festival in Nepal?
Dashain is Nepal’s longest festival, lasting for two weeks. It usually falls in September or October of the Georgian calendar and is one of the country’s major festivals. It celebrates the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahisasura. Families gather together to worship the goddess, put tikas from the hands of their elders, and feast together.
Which festival is known as the Festival of Light in Nepal?
Tihar is known as the festival of light in Nepal. It is another major festival in the country that Nepalese Hindus celebrate for five days. Nepalese Hindus worship Goddes Laxmi during the festival and pray for blessings and prosperity. Similarly, they light up their homes with diyo (oil lamps), candles, and colorful lights.
