Five popular feast and festivals of Nepal

Nepal is a diversified country in regards of Culture, traditions, customs, festivals, castes and natural heritages too. It is said that in Nepal there are more festivals than that of days in a year. Being multi-cultural and multi-religious country and occupied by different ethnic groups , it has varieties of festivals. There is a sprinkling of Muslims, Christians, Kirats, Prakrities, Bons, Jains, Bahais, and Sikhs, too. Because of this diversity, the festivals in Nepal, many of which have deep religious significance, cross religious borders and traditions.

The Five most popular festivals of Nepal are described below

1.Chhath:

Chhath Parva is also known as the Festival of the Sun. It is a day is dedicated to the Sun God, held every fourth day of October or November in the English calendar, in areas like Terai and Kathmandu. The festival actually lasts for four days and worshippers hold ceremonies during sunrise and sunset. The Sun God is said to grant the wishes of his faithful devotees. As part of this cleansing process, women submerge themselves in the waters of the riverbanks for two hours.

2.Dashain:

Dashain is the longest and most sacred festival in Nepal with the celebration lasting for fifteen days. During this time, schools, offices, and government institutions are officially closed to focus on the festival. There are slight variations on how it’s celebrated in the northern and southern regions of Nepal, however, all usually focus on the relationship with the family and the sense of community. Nepal get the longest holiday for this festivals as well, mostly it is celebrated for 15 days as people get 15 days holiday which is enough time to go back home, stay with family, get gather with family members and friends ( whom they might not have met for a year or longer) and return to job or work and mainly Nava Durga are worshiped during this festival.

3.Holi:

Holi is a very colourful and playful festival. It is celebrated in the Terai on one day, and in Kathmandu and the hill regions on the next day. It’s also known as the Festival of Love. It has become one of the most well-known festivals of South Asia and has especially become popular for many Westerners and non-Hindus because it’s a great excuse to meet other people on the streets of Nepal. On the day of the festival itself, people smear each other with dye, water balloons and water guns, with paint.

4.Losar:

Lhosar is celebrated by Nepalese ethnic groups who trace their history to Tibet, namely the Gurung, Tamang and Sherpa people. Lhosar is the first day of the new year, and each community celebrates the festival differently. These people celebrate this festival by singing, dancing and feasting, people get gather around the Stupa or public place with dressed in a wide variety of beautiful traditional costumes and these three (Sherpa, Tamang and Gurung) community celebrate the Loshar differently in different day and it is called “Tamu Loshar” the Gurungs’ celebration, Gyalpo Lhosar for the Tamangs’ Celebration and Sonam, Losar for the Sherpa celebration.

5.Buddha Jayanti:

Buddha’s birthday falls on the first full day of the first month of the Hindu lunar calendar and is celebrated by Hindus as well as Buddhists. Unbeknownst to many, Buddha was born in the hinterlands between the border of northern India and Nepal. Lumbini, in particular, in the forest part of Nepal has been cited by UNESCO as the birthplace of Buddha.