Festival Tour & Trek in Nepal.
Festivals in Nepal are manifestation of cultural and traditional sensibility of any particular society. Festival in Nepal means not only appeasing of gods and goddess, performance of rites and rituals but also way of warding off evil, pastoral and agricultural prosperity.Longevity, happiness of family and good health of human being. Festival in Nepal also mean of strengthening familial and social ties by way of gathering.
Nepal is known for diversity in unity and unity in diversity. Because of religious, cultural and socio diversity, ethnic variation and geographical condition, festivals and rituals are also observed differently all along the country from each to another group..
Festival in Nepal takes place not only in the city, but on the hills, mountains. We will design an itinerary focusing on the festivals and place from one week, less than a week, more than a week or only few days depending where and what type of festival our visitors will be observing.
Below we give few ideas to start with festival tours and trek in Nepal. Please! Because our festivals are set up on our local calendar that is difficult to mention the fix date of any festivals. But once the yearly local calendar are published we will try to update them.
These are few possibilities of attending on mentioned festivals below:
-Could be overnight camping or Guest house stay in and around Kathmandu Valley;
-Short treks around the hill and around.
-Cultural walks to various religious and historic areas including Cities, Hills and Mountains;
-We will be attending festival with a local communities.
-There will be even a chance visiting local’s and private house during festivals;
Here is short list of our festivals in Nepal.
-Basanta Panchami, Saraswoti Pooja, (celebration fo the deities of knowledge and learning). Between11/15 February. place to observe Kathmandu and other part of Nepal.
Description:
Basanta Panchami or Shree Panchami Honors the deities of Knowledge and learning. Hindus honor the goddess Saraswoti and Buddhist the God Manjushree.Basanta Panchami also announces the beginning of Spring. The day also considered one of the auspicious in the a year to get married. People especially Children visit Saraswoti temples.Traditionally,children are given their first alphabet lesson this day.
- Lhosar,(the new year for Tibetans and Sherpa. between 9/11 February.
Sherpa's and Tibetans welcome their New Year with feasts ,family and dancing. Families put on their finest clothes and jewellery and exchange gifts. Buddhist monks offer prayers for good health and prosperity and perform dances at the monasteries. Colorful prayer flags decorate streets and rooftops. Crowds of celebrants at Buddha Nath and Soyambhu Nath are to be observed in Kathmandu.
Place to Observe:
Boudha Nath,Soyanbhunath in Kathmandu and also Northern Himalayan region of Nepal..
-Maha Siva Ratri (Siva's birth day), between 5/8 May, most of the Siva's temple, interestingly Pasupatinath temple Kathmandu.
The Birth day of Lord Shiva (one of the Hindu God) is celebrated by Hindu Pilgrims, devotees form India and Terai and other parts of country. Shiva's sacred day begins at midnight. Those Hindus pay homage to the sacred Lingam inside the Pasupati Nath temple and then bathe or at least splash a little in the river Bangmati near by the Pasupati Nath temple. The Royal family and his entourage used to pay homage to the LordShiva in the evening but now a days since Nepal is practicing Republic, the President (the head of state) has relocated the place of the King.
Hundred of Sadhus (holy men) reside in attendance camps in the courtyards of the temple situated at the opposite bank, where non-Hindus are also free to wander. Some interesting Yogic demonstrations are also witnessed here.Even the night gets chilly in the evening Several fires are placed till midnight.
Place to observe:
Pasupati Nath Temple Kathmandu,Datttatreya temple in Bhaktapur and other Shiva's temple in the Country.
-Fagu Poornima, (the festival of colors and water balls).between 23/27 March, place to observe, most of the cities in Nepal.
Holi celebrates the death of the demoness Holika. This wicked woman, who was supposed to be invulnerable to fire, tried to many times to kill her nephew , a passionate devotee of Lord Vishnu. In the end she put the boy on her lap and set fire beneath them thinking he would be burned up and she would escape. But instead the boy remained unharmed and Holika, to her surprise immolated herself. The rites of this festival celebrated her end.
Holi begins the first day with the raising of the Pole about afternoon in front of of Kumari house in Basantapur.Holi festival is know as "playing color"Young and an old ,especially the children throw water balls and color powder at each other and please themselves.In the Terai (Southern Nepal) celebrate next day from the Kathmandu valley people celebrate it.
Place to observe:
All over Nepal.
-Nepali New year Mid April:
Baisakh 1st or April 14 (not always according our local Calendar) Nepalese Year,Bikram Sambat is the new Year's Day for Nepalese people.Nepalese people celebrate it as a national festival.
-Bisket Jatra, Mid April Place to observe, Thimi Bhaktapur.
The old kingdom of ancient city of Bhaktapur and its neighboring areas replay a drama passed on over the centuries during this important festival. Images of wrathful and somewhat demonic deities are placed on tottering chariots Raths. hey are offered blood scarifies, flowers and coins. Men brimming with youthful vigor and rice beer, rag the chariots across brick-paved streets of the town, and wherever these Raths stop, amps are lit and devotees overflow into the surrounding alleys. Other gods and goddesses, too are placed on palanquins and carried around so that they may see the sights. There is tongue-bring ceremony at Bode Village, Thimi in which there is a belief that the dedicated will be reserve a place in heaven.
-Chaite Dashain:
Hindus celebrate Dasain twice a year in Nepal. Caite Dasain is one of these. The most public of the ceremonies are the ritual animal sacrifices performed by the army in the courtyard of the police station at Hanuman Dhoka. This commence form 8.00am. and is performed before the banners and insignia of various military units. Goats and buffaloes are the victims, beheaded by a single stroke of the sword. In previous years anyone in the audience could volunteer to dispatch one of the animals, but this custom has lapsed. Western visitors are allowed to view from a balcony overlooking the courtyard, with a splendid view of all the gore. The rites last about two hours and are conclude after the military commander smears each of the banners with the sacrificial blood.
-Ram Nawami:
Hindus worship God Ram as a victorious person .In memory of the victory day, all Hindu worship Ram at various temples, especially in Ram Janaki Temple in Janakpur. Sacrificing of roosters, goats buffaloes at temples are main activities on this day.
Place to observe
Ram Janaki Temple in Jnakpur and other Ram Temples in Nepal.
-Mother's day, 7//10 May,Nepal.
Mother's Day symbolizes love, affection for living mother and memory for dead mother. It is also the day of "Looking at Mother's Face". For the living, it is a reminder to pray for their souls. In this day, a special Mela (Getharing) is organized at Mata Trtha in Kathmandu. There are two pools at Mata Tirtha, the lower one is bigger and used for bathing. The smaller, upper one is called the pond for "Looking at Mother's Face" it is believed or was believed. One could see the face of one's mother in the pool' reflection..
Place to observe
Specially at Mata Tirtha,Kathmandu.
-Buddha Jayanti ( birth day of Lord Buddha),21/24 May onwards.
Buddha Jayanti is the special occasion for both Hindus and Buddhists. They celebrate this day as the day of the Siddhartha Gautama's (Buddha's) birth, enlightenment and death. His birthplace –Lumbini Grove-is in the Terai region of Nepal. Buddhists of all persuasions throughout the valley, as well as pilgrims form abroad, honor the the Buddha on this day. Most particularly at the two great Stupas at Boudhanath and Soyambunath and the largely Buddhist city of Patan. Activity at the main Buddhist Stupas and shrines begins at dawn. Soyambunath and Boudhanath are the busiest sites for the day of Buddha Jayanti.
Place to observe:
Lumbini,Boudhanath and Soyambhunath.
-Teechi Festival, A journey to Mustang 29-31 May 2011.
The Teechi (Locally pronounced TEEJI) festival is an annual event indigenous to Lo-Manthang (Upper Mustang).The name is an abbreviation of the word "Tempa Chirim" which roughly translated as "Prayer for World Peace".Thii festival commemorates the victory of Lord Buddha's incarnation "Dorjee Sonnu" over a demon called Man Tam Ru a vicious creature feeding on human being and causing storms and droughts. The Teeji festival usually takes place during the last week of May and lasts for 3 days. Dances performed by the monks of Lo Manthang's "Choedhe" Monastery during the celebration display
a)The harassment of Ma Tam Ru Ta(in a dance called "Tsa Chham" on the first day)
b)The birth of Dorjee Sonnu as the demon's son(on the second day called "Nga Chham")
c)The attempt to return the demon to lord Buddha's realm (on the final day).
The Teeji festival dances are all organized by the Choedhe Monastery, which is that of the Sakya sect of Lo Manthang. The Monastery abbot is Khemp Tasi Tenzing Rimpoche. Altogether about 75 Monks from Lo Manthang, Nhenyul and Chhosyer live in the Monastery.
Place to Observe:
Mustang, Lo Manthang.
-Saga Dawa festival (May/June),A journey to Kailash,Mansarovar Lake.
Saga Dawa is an important religious festival celebrated at Tarboche in Tibet on the 15th day of the 4th Tibetan month. This auspicious day coincides with Three important events of Buddha's life such as his Birth, Nirvana(enlightenment) and Mahaparinirvana (the great departure).Since the Saga Dawa festival inTibet falls on the holiest month of Tibetan calendar,it is believed that good performance prayer are multiplied by thousand fold during this event.
On this day people will gather with the hundreds of Tibetan pilgrims from the far reach of Tibet, all having endured the long journey to Kailash by over-loaded truck, some by yak caravan, and the extremely devout by full-body prostrations.
Tarboche is marked by a tall flagpole adorned with thousands of fluttering, multi-colored prayer flags and khata. The sacred prayer-pole will be ritually raised as it is every year, and the direction the pole tilts will foretell the future of Tibet for the coming year. It is a very significant ceremony, and monks, lamas and Rimpoches will supervise over the rituals. During the festival, there is plenty of shopping as a good Tibetan never misses an opportunity to make a sale, and products from all over Tibet are mostly available. And after the ceremony, devout Tibetans will gather for a piece of wooden prayer-pole, a 'sacred relic'.
-Red Machhendranath Jatra, June, place to ovserve Patan.
-Trek to GosainKunda Lake, or DudhKunda in Khumbu area during Janai Purnima festival in between 19/21st August;
-Trek to Kaling Chowk to observe Tamang shamans practice their ancient craft at Sindhupalchwok.
-Krishna Asthami (birth of Lord Krishna,between 23/27 August, Patan.
-Teej (especially for Women)between 3/9 September, all around Nepal, especially Kathmandu
-Indra Jatra, September between 15/21. Kathmandu Durbar square.
-Dashain for Hindu Oct. 4 to 14 and Tihar 1 to 5th November.
-Mani Rimdu, November, Tengboche Monastery, Khumbu Everest area.
We will provide correct and prompt info. up on our clients interest and choice
