Nepal is home for several indigenous and ethnic groups. It is a melting pot of multilingual and multicultural dimension. More than 60 ethnic groups have been recorded and many are still exploring, who are prosperous with their own language, costumes and traditions. They have their unique festivals in celebration. In Nepal, people celebrate national festivals and local fair for the whole year in different months. Some of the representative festivals and events are as follows.
Maghe Sankaranti, Fagupurnima and Maha Shivaratri
Maghe Sakranti is celebrated in the month of January, on the first day of Magh according to the Nepali calendar. People eat various dishes of delicious foods as ghee, laddoo and Chaku as well as sweet potatoes. Married daughters come to their parents to join the happiness.
Fagupurnima is a colorful festival, celebrated during the month of March on a full moon day. People celebrate this festival by throwing colors and waters to each other. It is beautifully celebrated in the Terai regions of Nepal.
Maha Shivratri celebration is dedicated to Lord Shiva, celebrated on the no-moon night by the Hindus generally in the month of March. A big fair held in the Pashupatinath area by millions of Hindu devotees. Sadhus paint their bodies by the ashes and worship Shiva throughout the whole night.
Ghode jatra, Gaijatra and Indra Jatra
Ghodejatra is also known as a horse race celebration, generally celebrated in the end of March (15 Chaitra). It is a spectacular celebration at Tundikhel by assembling the horses of police and army. Normally the guests are the senior government officials and high personals.
Gai Jatra is held in the August, especially celebrated inside the Kathmandu Valley. The participants are from those families who have lost their any of the family members or nearest ones. It was started by King Pratap Malla to console his wife, who was very much shocked by the death of a son. It showed that it is not only royal family who lost their dearest one but also many families.
The Indra Jatra is celebrated to pay homage to the god of rain Indra, in the August for eight days. It is celebrated by a mass of people pulling the chariot.
Buddha Jayanti and Lhosar
Buddha Jayanti is the celebration of Lord Buddhas birthday. Buddhist and Hindu devotees march rally and visit Buddhist Stupas and try to spread the message of peace in the world.
Losar is Tibetan New Year. People celebrate it for several days on singing, dancing and eating delicious foods. Tibetans gather around the Stupa with their own costumes.
Chhath Parba and Teej
Chhath is a celebration by worshipping the rising and setting sun by sinking their half of the body in the water. Mostly, it is celebrated in the Terai region by married women. They remain fasting during the festival and sing folk songs.
Teej is a festival celebrated by Hindu women for the three days. It normally falls in August or early September. This festival is celebrated to wish the long life of the husband.
Vijaya Dahami and Deepawali
Dashain is the longest festival in Nepal, celebrated for15 days. It falls during September-October. The Hindu people worship goddess Durga for nine days and put on Tika and Jamara on the 10th day till the 15th day along with the blessing of the elders.
Deepawali is known as Tihar festival, celebrated for five days during autumn. It is the festival of lights. On the fifth day, sisters put tika and garlands to their brothers and brother offer some kind of presents. It is known as the festival, making good relationship between brothers and sisters.
