HOLI IN NEPAL (When is Holi)

When is Holi

This year Holi is on March 5 & 6, 2015. That is on Chaitra 21 & 22 of 2069 in Bikram Sambat Calender.

Holi is welcoming of spring and summer. It is also observed to get blessing of God for coming harvests and fertility of the land. This festival is celebrated in most of South Asian counties.

   

Actually Holi is the night of Falgun Krishna Chaturdasi but celebration starts from the very next day on Purnima. Holi is the festival of color, friendships and love. 

How we celebrate Holi

Holi in Nepal starts one week before the main day of Holi. There is a tradition of erecting a long bamboo stick (lingo) covered with pieces of different color cloths (Chir) in Bashantapur Durbar square, Kathmandu. In the eve of Holi the lingo is taken down and the Chir is burnt. The event is called Chir Haran or Holika Dahan. Holi then starts. 

Holi is celebrated with colors, water, sweets and music. People put color on each other as a token of love. People go houses of relatives and friends in group. Put colors on each other eat sweets and move whole day. People dance and play music. People in Terai celebrate Holi the next day from Kathmandu Valley and other hilly reason of Nepal.  

Actually, there was a tradition of bringing Holi from places to places, so different places could have different dates for Holi celebration in order in olden days. In some part of India, this still holds true. Now, in Nepal there are only two days celebrations.   

People used to make Pichkari (water guns) out of bamboo. And throw colored water on each other. Now-a-days balloons and plastic water guns (pichkari) are used. The balloon filled with water is called Lola in Nepali. Kids start throwing lolas on each other from week ahead of main Holi days.  

People collects wood and burn fires and play music and performs dances. Some drink bhang and go crazy and make jokes. 

The burning of the wood log in village and town avenues are very important part of Holi celebration. This event is called Holika Dahan, the end of Holika. 

Holi is official holiday in Nepal. Offices are closed on Fagun Purnima days in hilly reason to celebrate Holi and the very next day, Terai is off for the celebration.

 

Stories behind Holi

There are varies stories behind the Holi celebration. 

Lord Krishna and Radha

Lord Krishna was repeatedly complaining his mother Asodha that all his girl friends were teasing him saying Black One (Kale). And ask her, “why was he dark when his all of his girl-friends (Gopinis including Radha) were fair?”  

Yashodha gave Krishna different colors and asked him to throw it on Gopinis’ faces so they would look dark too. Krishna took colors and threw it on Gopinis. Gopinies were in love with Krishna so they loved color game and enjoyed it. From that time Holi has been celebrated.

  

Death of Holika

It is said Holi is the day when Holika is died. It is celebration of her death. 

Praladh was son of Hiranyakasyapu, a demon who started thinking he was only the Lord in this Universe. Praladh became devotee of Lord Vishnu, while Hiranyakashyapu wanted all to worship him only. Hiranyakashyapu wanted to convience his son with various tries, but failed. Praladh never stopped worshipping Lord Vishnu. 

Hiranyakasyapu then planned to kill his five year old son. He ordered his sister Holika to kill Praladh. Holika was blessed with a fire proof dress. She went to flame with carrying Praladh. However, due to devotion of Praladh Lord Krishna burnt Holika and safely rescued Praladh.  

Holika Dahan, means the end of Holika became Holi. People celebrated the end of Holika with colors, so the festival Holika Dahan became later Holi. 

There is tradition of making Hay Holika and burn it on the Holi. 

Krishna and Draupadi

It is said Holi is celebrate to remember the love to Krishna to Draupadi when he protected her when the Kaurav did her Chir Haran. Kauravs were pulling her Sari. Lord Krihna made the sari endless. Lord Krishna saved Draupadi and this day is celebrated as Holi.

 

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म्ह:पुजा, न्हु दँया भिन्तुना ११३४ (Mha Puja, Nhu Daya Bhintuna 1134)

Nepal Sambat – Celebrated by the Newars, it is celebrated on the day of Mha Pooja fourth day of tihar. It is said that on this day, a newar Business man Shanka Dhar Sakhwa paid all the debt on behalf of the people of Kathmandu Valley, so the newar started celebrating it as a new life for them. So every year they started celebrating it as a new year.

Mha Pooja is a Newari festival celebrating the physical self, and on November 4/2013 Monday, the festival day fell on the Newari New Year (Nepal Sambat 1134), Nhu Daya Bhintuna.

न्हु दँया भिन्तुना ११३४

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यस बर्ष टीकाको साइत ९ बजेर ५७ मिनेटमा |

यसबर्ष विजया दशमीमा टीकाको शुभसाईत असोज २८ गते सोमवार बिहान ९ बजेर ५७ मिनेटमा रहेको छ । नेपाल पञ्चाङ्ग निर्णायक समितिले टीकाको उतम साईत ९ बजेर ५७ मिनेटमा रहेको जनाएको हो । यद्यपी सो दिनभरी नै टीकाको साईत रहेको समितिले जनाएको छ । यस्तै घटस्थापनाको साईत असोज १९ गते बिहान ९ बजेर ५१ मिनेटमा रहेको पञ्चाङ्ग निर्णायक समितिले जनाएको छ ।
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Naya Barsha (Bisket Jatra of Bhaktapur)

The official New Year, according to the solar calendar, is celebrated throughout the country. The day falls on mid April. New Year day is celebrated with merriment. People extend best wishes to each other and organize music and dance programs. Vikram Sambat is the New Year day, after the name of Vikramaditya, the emperor of India sub- continent, more than 2000 years ago.

In Bhaktapur, a historical town 12 km. east of Kathmandu, the New Year day is celebrated in grand manner observing religious rituals. The festival is called Bisket and it has its origin in the ancient history, legends and mythology. Some linguists believe that the word Bisket originated from two Newari words ‘‘bi’’ for snake and ‘‘syako’’ for slaughter. People relate different stories about the festival; however, they are more or less similar. To sum up the differentialstories, serpent demons and the marriage of an extraordinary princess believed to have taken place in the pre- historic time.

On the day before the New Year, about eighty feet long huge pole, lingam, made of a shore tree, is erected with the efforts of thousands of people. The symbols of two dead serpents also are hung on the pole. In the afternoon of New Year’’s Day an enormous crowd gathers around the pole and feels it amidst great cheers and rejoicing. It symbolizes the end of the old year.

                                                                          Source: Nepal Tourism Board

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न्हु दँया भिन्तुना ११३३

ஜ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬●ஜ
(¯*•๑۩۞۩:♥♥ :|| दीपावली को हार्दिक शुभकामना || ♥♥ :۩۞۩๑•*¯)
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Tihar

Tihar, the festival of lights is one of the most dazzling of all Hindu festivals. In this festival we worship Goddess Laxmi, the Goddess of wealth. During the festival all the houses in the city and villages are decorated with lit oil lamps. Thus during the night the entire village or city looks like a sparkling diamond. This festival is celebrated in five days starting from the thirteenth day of the waning moon in October. We also refer to tihar as 'Panchak Yama' which literally means 'the five days of the underworld lord'. We also worship 'yamaraj' in different forms in these five days. In other words this festival is meant for life and prosperity.

Goddess Laxmi is the wife of almighty Lord Vishnu. She was formed from the ocean and she has all the wealth of the seas. She sits on a full-grown lotus and her steed is the owl. On the third day of the festival at the stroke of midnight she makes a world tour on her owl looking how she is worshipped.

There is a story, which tells why this revelry is celebrated so widely. Once there was a king who was living his last days of life. His astrologer had told him that a serpent would come and take his life away. The king did not want to die so he has asked the astrologer if there was any way to escape death. The king was advised to sleep with lit oil lamps all around his bed and decorate the palace with oil lamps on laxmi puja day. So goddess laxmi would talk to the serpent not to take his life. It did happen, the serpent was convinced by goddess laxmi. The serpent took the king to Yama Raj and told him that it was not yet the king's time to come to the underworld. So Yama Raj opened his ledger and in it the kings remaining age was written zero, but the serpent cleverly put seven before zero. Thus the king lived for seventy more years. So onwards tihar is widely celebrated worshipping the underworld and goddess laxmi.

The first day of tihar is known as 'Kag tihar', crows day. Crow is an underworld henchman. On this day crows are offered food on a plate made out of leaves in the morning before anyone in the house takes in food. In the kingdom of Nepal crow is not killed cause as a legend says that one crow had happened to drink the water of life. Thus you can see crows everywhere sitting without the fear of human beings. Crow the messenger of death is honoured on the first day of tihar.

The second day is called 'Kukur tihar', dogs day. A dog plays many roles in our society. We have dogs in our houses as guardian of the house. As the legend also says that there is a dog at yama's gate guarding the gate to the underworld. The dog is also the steed of the fearful Bhairab, the god of destruction. So on this day a big red tika is put on a dog's forehead and a beautiful garland around the neck. After worshipping the dog, it is given very delicious meal. This day the saying 'every dog has his day' comes true; for even a stray dog is looked upon with respect. We pray to the dog to guard our house as he guards the gate of the underworld and to divert destruction away from our homes. On this day you can see dogs running around with garlands on their neck.

The third day is the most important day of the festival. It is called 'Laxmi puja', The day when we worship goddess of wealth. On this day, early in the morning the cow is worshipped. Tika is put on her head and a garland around her neck then she feasts with delicious food. A cow also symbolises wealth and she is the most holy animal for Hindus. Cow is the national animal of Nepal.

In the evening goddess laxmi is worshipped. Days before the house are cleansed and decorated. For goddess likes clean and tidy places. In the evening a small potion of the house out side the main door is painted red with red mud and an oil lamp is lit on it. A pathway is made from here to the place where the old money box and valuables are kept in the house that is the puja room. All the Nepalese have a box where from generation to generation money is put every year worshipping goddess laxmi. This money is never used unless extreme emergency. The entire house is decorated with lit oil lamps in every doors and windows. Laxmi, goddess of wealth is worshipped performing the traditional rituals and when the rituals are over then gambling in the house starts. This is a festival when gambling is not illegal. On this day throughout the evening groups of girls come to houses singing song of praise of the goddess and they are taken as guests and given gifts. This day the entire place is lively through out the night.

The fourth day is bit different. Today the things you worship depend on your specific cultural background. Normally most of the people perform 'Guru puja', ox worshipping. The ox is worshipped with tika, garland and then a delicious meal is fed to it. On the other hand people who follow lord Krishna perform 'Gobhardan puja'. These people build a small hill made out of cowdung and put some grass on it then do puja on it. This puja symbolises the act of lord Krishna when he lifted the gobhardan hill and saved millions of people and cows from floodwater.

If you belong to the Newar community, you perform 'Mha puja' which literally means worshipping yourself. The newar community people are worshipping life by doing puja on themselves. On this very day the newar New Year also starts. Nepal has many minor community calendars and newar calendar is one of them but the nation follows the Bikram Sambat calendar.

The last day of tihar is 'Bhai tika', putting tika on your brothers by your sisters. The royal astrologer gives the appropriate time to put the tika through the national radio a day before and the entire nation abides by it. Even his majesty receives tika from is sisters. When his majesty receives tika a thirty-one-gun salute is given to honour the function. At this moment the entire nation will be observing bhai tika. The main theme behind bhai tika is the sisters praying for their brother's long life from Yama Raj, god of the underworld. 

The most exotic and dazzling festival comes to an end after these five magnificent days of worship and honour to the goddess laxmi and the underworld kingdom.

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ख:म्ये जात्रा ...

विजयादशमीको अवसरमा महानवमीको राती मनाइने भक्तपुरको प्रसिद्ध एवम् महत्वपूर्ण ख:म्ये अर्थात राङ्गो जात्रा आज सम्पन्न भएको छ । धार्मिक एवम् साँस्कृतिक दृष्टिले महत्वपूर्ण मानिने सो जात्रा महिषासुर दैत्यको प्रतीकका रूपमा गठेमङ्गलका दिन खःमेय् अर्थात राङ्गोलाई ल्याएर भक्तपुरको नवदुर्गा मन्दिर प्राङ्नमा बाधेर राख्ने र सोही राङ्गोलाई नवमीको राती बध गरी मनाइने परम्परा रहिआएको छ । 

 

महानवमीको राति नवौदेवी त्रिपुरासुन्दरी प्रकट भई नवदुर्गा भवानी पूर्ण हुने हुँदा परम्परागतरूपमा खःमेय्को बधजात्रा मनाउने प्रचलन रहेको स्थानियबासीको भनाई लरहेको छ ।  नवदुर्गा मन्दिरमा ल्याएर बाँधिएको  खःमेय् अर्थात राङ्गोलाई नवमीका दिन राति तान्त्रिक विधिअनुरूप पूजाआजा गरी जाँडरक्सी खुवाएर मत्ताई शरीर भरी अबिर दलेर स्थानीय भक्तजनले नवदुर्गा द्यो छेँ (देवगृह) बाट लखेट्दै च्याम्हसिंहस्थित ब्रम्हायणी मन्दिरमा पुर्याई देवीलाई चढाएरु जात्रा मनाएका छन् । 

 

परम्पराअनुसार नै नवमीको राती स्थानियले नवदुर्गा देवगृहबाट निकालिएको खःमेय्लाई जाँडरक्सी खुवाएर मत्ताई तान्दै र लेखेट्दै ब्रम्हायणी मन्दिर पु¥याइएको थियो । खःमेय् लखेट्दा दायाँबायाँ सुकुन्दा बालेर खःमेय्सँगसँगै डौड्ने गरिएको थियो ।  तान्त्रिक विधिअनुसार ब्रम्हायणीमा खःमेय् अर्थात महिषासुर दैत्यको प्रतीक राङ्गोको बध गरिएको छ । बध गरिएको खःमेय् राङ्गोको एक टुक्रा मासु लिन हजारौँ व्यक्तिको भिड लागेको थियो । सो मासुको टुक्रा प्रसादका रूपमा घरमा लगेर सुकुटी बनाई धूलो पारेर घ्यूमा मुछेर धूप बनाई बाल्ने गरिन्छ ।  लक्ष्मीपूजाका दिन सो धूप बालेमा भूतप्रेत नलाग्ने, शत्रुनाश हुने र घरमा लक्ष्मीबास हुने  जनविश्वास रहेकोछ ।

 

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"बडा दशैंको शुभकामना !"

What is Dashain

Dashain (also pronounced as Dasain) is the longest and most celebrated festival in Nepal.  Dashain has its different names. It is called Dasain, Vijaya Dashami and Dahsera. The way of celebration and name differs, but most  Nepali celebrate it for about 15 days with same zeal and enthusiasm. Dashain is the celebration of victory of good over evil. This festival symbolize that good always prevail over bad. When is Dashain This year Dashain festivals is from October 16 to 29, 2012. The tenth day of Dashain - Vijaya Dashami, the tika day is on October 24, 2012. In Bikram Sambat celendar Daishain starts Ashwin 30, 2069 and runs till Kartik 13,2069. The main day: Dashain Tika day of 2069 is on Wednesday, Kartik 8, 2069. How do we celebrate Dashain / What do we do in Dashain Dashain has its own stories, importance and significance. It is regarded as victory of truth over the evil. Dashain is celebration of victory of good over bad. Dashain reminds us every year that the evil may be strong for a time; the truth and good will always prevail over it. Every year we all Nepali, remember the message “Good always wins over the evil”, with the celebration of the great festival of Bada Dashain.

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Indra jatra begins in Bhaktapur

BHAKTAPUR: The age-old Indrajatra festival carrying religious and cultural importance has begun in Bhaktapur from today.

Marking the occasion, a small lingo or pole was raised to resemble the statue of Lord Indra in different toles of the district. The pole thus raised is known as Yambodho in Newar language.

The Yambodho has been raised as per religious worshipping at Tekhapukhu, Bansagopal, Nasamana, Bulucha, Sakotha, Bholanche, Suryamadhi, Khauma, Itache and other areas.

Legends go that the Indrajatra festival is observed to celebrate the victory of the gods over the demons to release Jayanta, the son of Lord Indra.

The Indrajatra festival is observed for eight days in Bhaktapur.

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भक्तपूर सडक महोत्सव २०६९

महोत्सवका मुख्य आकर्षणहरुः

जिल्लामा उत्पादित हस्तकला, लघु उद्यम एवं औद्योगिक उत्पादनहरुको प्रर्दशनी । हस्तकला उत्पादनमा प्रत्यक्ष सीप प्रदर्शनी परम्परागत सांस्कृतिक कार्यक्रमको प्रस्तुती ।

नेवारी खानाका स्टलहरु, चित्रकला प्रदर्शनी, थान्का प्रदर्शनी, पुस्तक प्रदर्शनी, फोटो प्रदर्शनी, विद्युतीय सामानहरुमा विशेष छुटका कुपनहरु, दही महोत्सव, रक्तदान कार्यक्रम, निशुल्क स्वास्थ्य शिविर, धार्मिक भजन किर्तन, धिमे प्रतियोगिता, बासुरी प्रतियोगिता र अन्य विविध ।

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