NAVA BARSHA:

The Baisak Purnima takes place in the month of April - May. Since Nepal is the birth place of Lord Buddha - the light of Asia - the triple anniversary of Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death is celebrated with many colourful ceremonies on this day. It is a national holiday. People celebrate the occasion with great veneration paying homage to Lord Buddha at places like Swayambhunath, Boudhanath and in Lumbini.

This festival falls in the month May - June. This festival is the biggest socio-cultural event of Patan City. It lasts for more than a month or so. The wheeled chariot is prepared at Pulchowk and dragged through the city of Patan in several stages till it reaches Jawalakhel for the final celebration of the festival called Bhoto Dekhaune or ‘Bhoto Jatra’. It is the longest festival in Nepal lasting for several months. A similar kind of chariot festival of Machchhendranath (White) is also held in Kathmandu city in the month of March -April and lasts usually for four days.

Gaijatra is held in the month July - August. It is a carnival type of festival lasting for seven days. Dancing, singing, comedy and anything that causes laughter are its highlights. Those people whose family members have died during the year send out persons dressed up as a cow to parade the main thoroughfare of the city on the second day of the festival.

Krishnastami falls in the month of July - August. It marks the birthday of Lord Krishna, one of the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, an epic hero of the MAHABHARAT. On this day there is an impressive ceremony at Krishna Mandir temple of Patan City and Changu Narayan. Folk dances and songs are on this occasion.

Indra Jatra takes place in the month of August -September. This is the festival of Indra - the god of rain and is observed in the Kathmandu city with great enthusiasm. The celebration of this festival lasts for 7 days. The chariot of Kumari - the Living Goddess is taken out in the procession through the main streets of Kathmandu city three times within 7 days. The Kumari is placed on a decorated chariot which is pulled through the street by the devotees. The whole celebration is largely confined to the traditional market and residential areas of Kathmandu like Durbar Square of Hanuman Dhoka which echoes of beating of drums and dancing feet of the masked dancers almost every evening. The king always pays a homage to the Living Goddess on this day.

Durga Puja falls in the month of September - October. This festival is the most important for the Nepalese people. The entire country takes a gay look at the time of the festival. There are national holidays during this festival, lasting for 15 days for educational institutions and in the case of government sectors, the holidays last for seven days.

This festival falls on the month, October - November. It is known as the festival of light and celebrated for five days. On this occasion we worship Goddess Laxmi, the Goddess of Wealth. The first two days of the ‘Puja’ are dedicated to the crow and dog respectively, while the third, fourth and fifth days are dedicated to cow, ox and brothers respectively.

Vivaha Panchami falls on the month of November- December and is the famous festival of Janakpur of Dhanusa  District. This occasion commemorates the marriage of Sita with Ram one of the most  venerated Hindu hero.

Ghode Jatra falls on the month of March - April and this festival is known as the festival of horse race and entertainment. It is one of the cultural festival of the Kathmandu City. Horse race and acrobatic sports and military tattoo take place at Tundikhel on this day. In other parts of this city, the various deities are carried shoulder-high on wheel less chariots, accompanied by traditional music.