Nepal is known to be one of those countries in the world where major festivals are celebrated from different cultural backgrounds. The county is rich in culture, traditions, and religion, where people celebrate with great enthusiasm throughout the year. The major festivals celebrated in Nepal have their own unique customs, rituals, and significance, bringing people together in joy and unity.
The major festivals celebrated in Nepal include various cultural programs, music, and a variety of local cuisines. The major festivals celebrated in Nepal include Dashain, Tihar, Holi, Teej, Buddha Jayanti, Losar, and Maha Shivaratri. Among these festivals, Dashain is considered to be the biggest Hindu festival, symbolizing the victory of good over evil, while Tihar is known to be the festival of lights and honors.
Many Nepalese consider celebrating festivals in the name of honoring gods, goddesses, ancestors, and preserving traditions, as well as bringing communities together. Celebrating festivals in Nepal is considered to be the triumph of good over evil, celebrating changing seasons, and preserving the norms and traditions that have been followed by our ancestors.
In Nepal, festivals are even celebrated as a form to strengthen relationships and promote harmony among diverse ethnic and religious groups. Through these celebrations, Nepalis pass their traditions to future generations while spreading happiness and togetherness in society.
Nepal is known to be a rich country, where people from different religious and cultural backgrounds celebrate various festivals based on their norms and traditions. However, some common major festivals are celebrated by people of various ethnic backgrounds.
Dashain is considered the most auspicious, longest, and highly important Hindu festivals in Nepal, which last around 15 days. This festival is celebrated in the name of the victory of good over evil, where Goddess Durga is worshipped. During this time, the monsoon finally ends, making it a perfect time for family gatherings and performing spiritual ritualas.
Ghatasthapana is considered the first day of Dashain, when all the Nepalese plant barley seeds. Then, a priest starts the puja where the head of the family performs all the rituals in the name of Goddess Durga. Every morning, the kalash is worshipped in the morning and evening, and is kept away from direct sunlight. Finally, on the 10th Day, the seed will have grown by 5 – 6 inches, also called Jamara in Nepali. The same rituals are performed until the seventh day.
Similarly, on the seventh day, Phulpati is celebrated, where the kalash, banana stalks, Jamara, and sugar cane tied with red cloth are brought by Magars from Gorkha. During this time, hundreds of formally dressed government officials gather on the Tudikhel ground for some special events. The event is attended by the President at Tundikhel, and the Phulpati parade marches towards the Hanuman Dhoka. The Nepali Army fires a 10 – 15 minutes gun shots, followed by a military parade.
The eighth day of Dashain is called Maha Asthami, which is the crucial day, as on this special day, thousands of buffaloes, goats, hens, and ducks are sacrificed in the temples throughout the nation. The night of Maha Asthami is called Kal Ratri, after Goddess Durga is worshipped. On this day, while the puja is going on, great feasts are held in the homes of common people.
The ninth day of Dashain is called Maha Navami, which is the last day of Navatri. During this time, the Taleju Temple gates are opened to the general public only on this day, as this temple is closed throughout the year, making it only accessible during the time of Maha Navami. On this day, thousands of devotees pay their respects to the goddess, making it a huge line to seek blessings.
The tenth day of Dashain is called Bijaya Dashami, the major day of this festival. On this day, a mixture of rice, yogurt, and tika is put on by the elders of the family for the younger to bless them with long life. Red is also a symbol of blood that helps to tie the family and community together.
The Papakunsa Ekadashi is the eleventh day of Dashain in the Hindu calendar, where people visit their relatives to receive a tika. The day after Bijaya Dashami is known as Papakunsha Ekadashi.
Tihar is also regarded to be one of the most important festivals celebrated in Nepal and some parts of India. As per the many cultural backgrounds of people in Nepal, Tihar is referred to differently, as for the people of Kathmandu Valley, they call is as Yampanchak Tihar, Diwali in Madhes Province by the Nepalis.
Tihar is known as the festival of light, as during this festival, they light diyo inside and outside the home. This festival is mostly dedicated to Goddess Laxmi. According to the Vikram Sambat (B.S) calendar, the festival begins with Kaag Tihar and ends with Bhai Tika. Tihar mostly coincides with the time of October and November every year.
Celebrates crows, messengers of news, by offering food to honor communication and ward off sadness.
Honors dogs for loyalty and protection, adoring them with garlands, tika, and delicious food.
Worships Goddess Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, with lights and decorates to invite prosperity and blessings.
Celebrated by the Newar community to purify and honor one’s soul for good health and fortune.
Sisters apply tika and garlands to brothers, praying for their long life, protection, and a strong sibling bond.
Holi is a major festival celebrated in Nepal, also known as the festival of colors, love, and celebrates the divine love of Radha and Krishna. Holi was first celebrated in India, but has been celebrated in other regions of Asia. The festival has many purposes to be celebrated, which are mostly for celebrating the beginning of spring. In 17th-century literature, it was identified as a festival for good spring harvests and fertile land. In different parts of Nepal, children spray coloured powder at each other, laugh, and celebrate with joy.
Teej is a special festival celebrated by Nepali women with great devotion and joy. This festival is mainly dedicated to Goddess Parvati and her union with Lord Shiva. Teej is mainly celebrated among married women, as they fast and pray for their husband’s long life and happiness, while unmarried girls pray for a good life partner.
During Teej, women dress in red saris, wear beautiful ornaments, and gather at temples singing and dancing to traditional songs. They share their joys and sorrows, where they take and eat delicious food, also called Dar Khane, before fasting begins.
Indra Jatra is one of the most famous and celebrated festivals in Kathmandu. This festival is dedicated to lord Indra, the god of rain and heaven, which marks the end of the monsoon season and is celebrated with great excitement by both Hindus and Buddhists.
During Indra Yatra, people display the living goddess Kumari in a chariot procession through the streets of Kathmandu. Traditional dances, mask performances, and colorful lights decorate the city. The festival also includes rituals to remember ancestors and pray for a good harvest.
Buddha Jayanti is the sacred festival celebrated on the birth, enlightenment, and death of Lord Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. This festival usually falls on the full moon day of the month of Baisakh (April – May).
On this day, devotees visit Buddhist stupas, monasteries, and shrines like Lumbini, Swyambhunath, and Boudhanath. They light lamps, offer flowers, and chant prayers to honor Buddha’s teachings of peace, compassion, and wisdom.
Maha Shivaratri is one of the major Hindu festivals dedicated to Lord Shiva, the god of destruction and transformation. This usually falls in February or March, on the 14th night of the lunar month of Falgun.
On this day, devotees fast, stay awake, and offer milk, water, and bel leaves to Shiva’s symbol, Shivalinga. During this time, thousands of pilgrims visit the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu to worship and seek blessings. The festival symbolises the victory of truth and celebrates the divine power of Lord Shiva that protects and purifies the universe.
Maghe Sankranti is an important Nepali festival that marks the beginning of the holy month of Magh and the end of the winter season. This month usually falls in mid-January and is celebrated as a day welcoming longer and warmer days.
On these major festivals in Nepal, people take holy baths in rivers, eat traditional food such as til ko laddu, chaku, ghee, and yam, along with praying for good health and prosperity.
Vivah Panchami is one of the most important festival celebrated in Janakpur, also considered the capital city of Mithila. This day is observed as the wedding of Rama and Sita in temples and sacred places, mainly associated with the Mithila region of India and Nepal, especially Ayodhya. Vivah Panchami is amongst those festivals celebrated in Janakpur Dham, where you can witness thousands of pilgrims from parts of India and Nepal, to celebrate this auspicious day.