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Personalized/Tailormade Travel Plan
Tibet
The Roof of the World
Nepal
The Himalayan Kingdom
Bhutan
Land of Thunder Dragon
India
The Crucial of Asia
Festivals
Most festivals honor a deity with worshippers crowding around a shrine to perform puja. Temple courtyards are filled with long lines of people waiting to teast. Great processions wind through thestreets of the three old cities. Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan, accompained by bands of Newar musicians and masked dancers. Sometimes idols of gods are paraded in gigantic wooden chariot shrines unique to Nepal.
Bisket Jatra (April)
Nepalese New Year, celebrated particularly in Bhaktapur.
Raato Machhendranath Rath Jatra (April- June)
A chariot procession through Patan lasting up to three months.Buddha Jayanti (May)- the full moon of Baisakh (Nepalese month) is Buddha Jayanti, the triply auspicious anniversary of Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death. Swayambhunath and Bouddhanath overflow with crowds.
Gunla (August)
A Newar Buddhist holy month, celebrated at Swayambuanth, Patan and Kathmandu.
Janai Purnima (August)
High caste Hindus change their sacred-threads the new onces, thousands gather at Patan's Kumbeshwar Mahadev temple, and some make strenous pilgrimages to Gosainkunda north of Kathmandu.
Gai Jatra (August)
Gaigatra means the festival of the cow, but actually it is a day dedicated to the dead (those who have died within the last year) by their respective families. People clad in different costumes in heavy makeup walk round the streets, some of them leading cows, or dressed up as cows. Street and stage performances mimic the major happenings of the year.Krishna Astami (August)- The birth of Lord Krishna, when people gather at Patan's Krishna Mandir to chant prayers, sing hymns, and light hundreds of oil lamps.
Teej- (September)
Women wearing stunning red saris gather from dawn at Pashupatinath temple, they fast for the day, sing and dance in groups, and pray for the long life of their husbands.Dasain (October) - An 8-day celebration, Nepal's greatest festival, mostly celebrated with family members. Each day is significant, and on the third day with elders giving tika and blessings to their young relatives. The tika is made of thick sticky yoghurt, uncooked rice and red powder, which is pressed on the forehead of the person being blessed. Long queues of people from all walks of life line up at the Royal palace to receive 'tika' from the King and Queen of Nepal.
Tihar (October-November)
A five day festival in which the crow, dog, cow, and oxen are worshipped, with the 5th day being the day for Bhai Tika, a blessing given by sisters to their brothers. Women play "Bhailo" on the third day, and men paly "Deusi" on the 4th day, visiting door to door singing and dancing (amid the festival of lights), and blessing each household with long life and prosperity. The family in return gives them cash and food as a mark of good will.
Losar (February)
Tibetan New year celebrated with prayers and feasts, and visits to relatives and friends.
Shiva Ratri (February)
A day dedicated to Lord Shiva when thousands of pilgrims from Nepal and India come to Pashupatinath to pay homage.
Holi (March)
Marks the advent of spring and is celebrated by throwing water and coloured powders at each other, and passers by. People who do not want to celebrate stay inside their home on this day.
Seto Machhendranath Rath Jatra (April)
Honoured by the Newar community from Kathmandu city with a chariot festival.
