|
|
| Major
Festivals
Nepal is a land of Festivals. For the Nepalese, festivals
are not merely the annual spectacles, but also are
a living part of their rich cultural heritage. Festivals
effectively bind together the Nepalese people of diverse
cultural backgrounds and beliefs into one nation.
Most Nepalese festivals are related to different Hindu
and Buddhist gods and goddesses and they are celebrated
on such days consecrated for them by religion and
tradition.
Others are observed in honor of personal relatives
such as festivals of Matatirtha and Gaijatra. Yet
other are held to herald the different seasons or
to mark the beginning or end of agricultural cycle.
Some festivals are of national significance such as
Dashain or Tihar; some are confined to the Katmandu
Valley, while still others are celebrated only within
one or two villages or cities. Nepal (New Year's Day)
April-May.
The Nepalese follow their own calendar system known
as the Bikram Era or Bikram Sambat. This festival
celebrates the first day of the first month of the
New Year and is observed as an official holiday. In
Bhaktapur, fifteen kilometers from Katmandu, the new
year celebrations take on added importance as the
"Festival of Bisket" during a tall wooden
post is erected in one of the main squares. This festival
commemorates the great battle of Mahabharata, with
the wooden post symbolizing victory.
After two days, images of god Bhairab and his female
counterpart Bhadra are enshrined in two large chariots
and pulled through crowds of cheering onlookers. When
the chariot reaches a sloping open square, there is
a tug-of-war between the inhabitants of the upper
and lower parts of the town. Winners are considered
to be blessed with good fortune for the coming year.
The festival concludes with several days of dancing
and worship. Thimi, another ancient town of the Valley,
also celebrates the New Year with special festivities.
|
|
Red
Machchhendranath Festival
This festival takes place in Patan. During the celebrations
the towering chariot of Lord Machchhendranath is pulled
by ropes through the narrow streets of the city followed
by a large crowd of worshippers. In front of the chariot,
a small crowd of musicians and soldiers add even more
excitement to the occasion. Over a period of several
weeks, the chariot is slowly hauled to Jawalakhel
where tens of thousands of devotees burn oil lamps
and keep an all-night-vigil. During this chariot festival
the "Bhoto" or sacred waistcoat, itself
the subject of many legends is displayed from the
chariot as all the onlookers strain to catch a glimpse
of the lucky sight. A final ritual is then conducted
to mark Lord Machchhendranath's departure for one
year.
|
|
Buddha
Jayanti (The Birthday of Lord Buddha)
Buddha Jayanti is a great day for the Nepalese. This
day which falls on the full moon of the month of Baisakh
is celebrated to commemorate the birth, attainment
of knowledge, and the death of Lord Buddha the founder
preacher of Buddhism, more than 2500 years ago. It
is a thrice-blessed day. It is the day when he attained
Nirvana (salvation). Prayers are sung and worship
is offered by the Buddhist in leading Buddhist shrines
throughout the country. At Swayambhunath temple for
example, devout Buddhists gather to chant prayers
and burn butter lamps. The next morning, a small shrines
are visited and worshipped. Parading groups walk through
the streets of Katmandu and Patan while special flags
fly from all Buddhist households.
|
|
Indrajatra
The festival is celebrated by both the Hindus and
Buddhists with great enthusiasm. The festival continues
for eight days during which time there is much rejoicing,
dancing and feasting. On the first day, along wooden
pole is erected in front of the ancient Royal Palace
at Hunuman Dhoka, in order to propitiate Indra, the
god of rain. Classical dancers also assemble at the
spot wearing different kinds of masks and dancing
around the courtyard of Hanuman Dhoka to celebrate
Indra's visit. On the third day of the festival, the
Living Goddess or "Kumari" is taken out
in a procession in a chariot. Three chariots of Kumari,
Ganesh and Bhairav are taken round the city for three
days. The King also pays homage to the Kumari during
this time. The festival's many other interesting dances
including the Mahakali, Mahalaxmi, and Dasha Avatara
masked dances, are staged on the plinth of Narayan
temple, just opposite the Kumari temple. On the last
evening of the festival, the long wooden pole erected
on the first day is lowered amid religious ceremonies
and animal sacrifices
|
|
Mani
Rimdu
This typical Sherpa festival is celebrated exclusively
in the Lama monasteries of the Mt. Everest region.
It is held in the month of May, mostly on full moon
day at the Thame monastery in he Khumbu region, near
Namche Bazaar at an altitude of 13,123feet (4000m).
A very spectacular masked dance drama played for three
full days is the main outdoor highlight of the festival.
|
|
Ghantakarna
(July-August)
Taking place towards the end of the Nepalese month
of Sravan, this festivals celebrates the exorcism
of a mythical demon, Ghantakarna, who, according to
legend, was greatly feared throughout the Katmandu
Valley. The festival is celebrated by acting out the
legendary drama in the streets. To begin with, children
of each Katmandu Neighborhood collect money from passersby
which is then used to make an effigy of the demon
god. While this effigy remains in the center of a
rough tent-like structure erected from bamboo poles,
one man impersonates Ghantakarna by smearing himself
with white paint and roaming the local area collecting
donations in a begging bowl. Surrounded by the crowds
of small children, the group then returns to the effigy
and proceeds to take it to the river for burning,
thus marking the victory of the local inhabitants
over the demon god.
|
|
Gai Jatra (August-September)
According to tradition dating back since time immemorial,
every family who has lost one relative during the
past year must participate in a procession through,
the streets of Katmandu leading a cow. If a cow is
unavailable then a young boy dressed up as a cow is
considered to be a fair substitute. It is believed
that the symbol of a cow, revered as a holy animal
by all devout Hindus, will assist the deceased relative's
heavenward journey. Later in the Afternoon, nearly
everyone takes part in another age-old tradition in
which all participants dress up and wear masks; jokes,
mockery and humor of every kind become the order of
the day until the late evening.
|
|
Krishnaashtami
Krishnashtami or the birthday of Lord Krishna, is
celebrated in commemoration of the hero of the Hindu
epic, Mahabharata. On this day, worshippers carry
ornate and decorated idols and pictures of Lord Krishna
through the streets, often with bands of musicians
following or preceding the procession. In Patan, thousands
of devout flock to Krishna temple to worship and receive
blessings.
|
|
Dashain
Dashain is Nepal's most important and lavishly celebrated
festival. The first day of the festival is known as
Ghatasthapana-the placing of the sacred vessel. According
to the tradition, all devout Hindus should take an
early morning bath in the holy river and return carrying
some sand from the riverbed. At the same time, a small
clay pot is filled with water from the same river
and placed by the sand. Barely seeds are planted in
this pot and nurtured for nine days. As with other
Nepalese festivals, this ritual has also a specific
meaning. In this case, the river water represents
the mother goddess Durga, who according to legend,
crushed many powerful demon hordes in an epic battle.
For the next nine days, devouts, go to different prescribed
sites for early morning bathes.
The next major even occurs on the 7th day of the festival
when the sacred flowers and leaves are brought from
the old palace of Kind Prithvi Narayan Shah at Gorkha.
When the flowers reach Katmandu, there is a large
procession to Hanuman Dhoka gate where brass bands
are waiting to celebrate the occasion. At the same
time, guns and cannons are fired at Tundikhel parade
ground.
The eighth day of the festival is known as Mahashtami
and is marked by a fast by all orthodox Hindus. In
the morning, animal sacrifices are carried out at
temples dedicated to Goddess Durga.
On the 9th day, all temples dedicated to Durga are
bathed in sacrificial blood. On this day, even vehicles
and other mechanical items are worshipped and sacrificed
so as to prevent accidents during the coming year.
Similarly, all instruments, weapons and implements
of all professions are worshipped in the hope that
Durga will bless their usefulness and accuracy. In
the evening, there is an elaborate sacrifice at the
Taleju temple near Hanuman Dhoka.
The peak of Dashain celebration is reached on the
tenth day known as Vijaya Dashami, or the Day of Victory.
On this day, all the Hindus are supposed to visit
their elders or superior relatives, starting with
their parents. The main purpose of this visit is to
receive tika and shoots of the barley known as jamara.
Tika is a red dot or smear placed on the visitor's
forehead by the senior relative. Also frequently used
in other festivals and even in daily worship, the
tika consists of vermilion powder, rice and curd.
As all visits cannot be completed in one day, they
continue until the end of the festival.
|
|
Tihar (October-November)
After Dashain, Tihar is probably Nepal's second most
important festival. The first day of the festival
is crow's day. In the early morning, worshippers bathe
either in the Bagmati or some other river. After this
the devouts light a small lamp made of cotton wool
and mustard oil, and placed in a leaf pot. Then the
first portion of every family meal is offered to the
crows.
The second day is known as the dog's day. On this
occasion dogs are given a red tika on their foreheads
and garlanded with flowers. They are then worshipped
and offered large plates of food, including many delicacies.
The next day is the cow's day and these animals are
also worshipped in the similar fashion. This day is
even more important day, as Laxmi Puja, or the day
for worshipping Laxmi the goddess of wealth also falls
on this day. Towards the evening, small candles or
wick lamps are lighted and placed outside the main
door and along windowsills. This becomes a very beautiful
spectacle as the whole city, town and village become
filled with little lights.
The fourth day of Tihar is "self day" or
"self worship". As the name implies, this
ritual aims to felicitate the sprit dwelling in one's
own body.
Brother's day or Bhai Tika is the fifth and last day
of Tihar. On this day, every sister worships her brothers
by blacing a multicolored tika on their foreheads
and offering her blessings. The brothers then in turn
give tika to their sisters after which gifts are also
exchanged. As with many other festivals, Tihar ends
with a grand feast with all family members present.
|
|
|
