Yomari Punhi

Yomari Punhi is one of the popular Newar festivals observed every year during the full moon of December. A yomari is a confection of rice-flour (from the new harvest)dough shaped like fig and filled with brown cane sugar and sesame seeds, which is then steamed.
Yomari  is a type of Newari food, and Punhi means full moon. Yamari Punhi is a festival celebrated in full moon day by making, eating and distributing yamari. This festival is very popular in Kathmandu valley. Yomari means tasty bread. Yomari punhi is a Newari festival marking the end of the rice harvest. It is observed in full moon day of December.

Yomari Song:

त्यछिं त्य वकछीं त्य लातापाता कुलेचाँ जुछिंत्य । 

योमरी च्वामु उकी दुने हाकु ब्युसा माकु मब्युसा ।।

फाकु ब्युसाल्यासे मब्युस बुढी कुटी ।   

Yomari Punhi is observed during very cold days. It is said eating of yamari takes away cold. It is believed so long the tail of yamari as short the winter will be.

Yomari is made by steaming a confection of rice-flour (from the new harvest) dough shaped like fig and filled with brown cane sugar (chaku) and sesame seeds. Yamari is the main item on the menu during the post-harvest celebration of Yomari Purnima.

In Yomari purnima people also worship Goddess Anapurna. Annapurna is the goddess of grains and food. It is the time when farmers finish harvesting and taking rest after long day’s work. Kids gathered in groups go neighborhood to ask for yomari in the evening. Sacred masked dances are performed in the villages of Hari Siddhi and Thecho at the southern end of the Kathmandu valley to mark the festival.

People believe celebration of yamari punhi brings them wealth, health and prosperity. People give different shapes to yomaris. Mostly yamaris are prepared in the form of gods and goddesses like Kumar, Ganesh, Laxmi and Kuber. Parents and elders bless children and give kids yomaris to eat. The children on the other hand perform the customary song and dance and ask for food and other gifts from the elders during the festival.

The festival is believed started from panchal nagar (Panauti). It is said Suchandra and Krita, a married couple, first experimented with fresh yield of rice from their field. They came out with shape of yomari. The new food was distributed among the villagers. The food was liked by all, the bread was named yomari, which literally means 'tasty bread'. The couple offered yamari to Kuber (god of weath) who was disguised and passing by. Kuber was happy and disclosing himself blessed the couple with wealth. He also declared that whosoever prepare Yomari in the form of gods and goddesses on the full moon day of Marga Sukla Purnima every year and observe four days of devotion to god, will gain wealth and prosperity.
 
The festival is celebrated for four days. All the four days people pray and worship. A big celebration is observed at night in Dhaneshwar Mahadev temple in Banepa. There is tradition of doing Deepavali at home. People worship god Kuber, Ganesh and goddess Subhadra in these 4 days. On the second day Yomari is prepared in the shape of gods and goddesses and stored inside the rice silo (bhakari) and worshiped. On the fourth day Yomari is eaten as Prasad and believed that those gods in the form of yamari enter to human body those worship and take yamari Prasad. 
People distribute yomari and rice to yomari asking kids home to home. In this day goddess durga is worshiped as Dhanyalaxmi or Annapurna mata.

There is a tradition of making garland of yomari and putting to 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 years old kids on their birthday by their mother.

Indra Jatra

Indra Jatra is one of the important Jatra celebrated in Kathmandu Valley. However, like most festivals of Nepal, both Hindus and Buddhist unite to celebrate the festival of Indra Jatra. The living Goddess Kumari is taken out in a procession in a chariot. King of Nepal pay a visit to Kumari on the first and last day of this festival. This festival is celebrated for 1 week, couple of weeks before the biggest hindu festival Dashain.

This years is with the political change in Nepal, the king was not allowed to visit the jatra, instead the head of state Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala Paid the visit to the Jatra though on the last day King gave a suprise visit to Kumari Ghaar.On this festival, we can observe Lakhe Dance also, the traditional dance of the valley. The new raod area, Basantapur and indra chowk area gets crowded at the time of indra Jatra with lots of hindu and Buddhist devotee pays a visit to the temples surrounding this area and to see the pulling of chariot of goddess Kumari, Ganesh and Bhairav.

Teej

Teej - 'the festival of swings' is celebrated with gusto and fervor in various parts of India and Nepal. The festival of Teej commemorates the reunion of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Married women and young girls celebrate the festival with earnest devotion. Teej falls in the month of Sawan and brings great relax from the scorching summers. Many religious activities takes place at the time of Teej. Such rituals and customs of Teej forces people to become part of grand Teej celebrations.

 

Teej has many significant roles to play in one's life. Women observing Nirajara Vrat on Teej are said to be blessed with long and healthy life of their husband by Teej Mata Parvati. Various other customs and rituals of Teej make the festival more important. Teej gives a chance to women to express their love and devotion for their husband who in return present beautiful gifts to their wife as a token of love.

Traditionally, the ritual of Teej is obligatory for all Hindu married women and girls who have reached puberty. Exception is made for the ones who are ill or physically unfit. In such circumstances a priest performs the rites. According to the holy books, the Goddess Parbati fasted and prayed fervently for the great Lord Shiva to become her spouse. Touched by her devotion, he took her for his wife. Goddess Parbati, in gratitude sent her emissary to preach and disseminate this religious fasting among mortal women, promising prosperity and longevity with their family. Thus was born the festival of Teej.

The first day of Teej is called the "Dar Khane Din". On this day the women, both married and unmarried, assemble at one place, in there finest attires and start dancing and singing devotional songs. Admist all this, the grand feast takes place. The jollity often goes on till midnight, after which the 24 - hour fast commences. Some women without a morsel of food or drops of water while others take liquid and fruit.

Gaily dressed women can be seen dancing and singing on the street leading to Shiva temples. But the main activities take place around the Pashupatinath temple where women circumambulate the Lingam, the phallic symbol of the lord, offering flowers, sweets and coins. The main puja (religious ceremony) takes place with offerings of flowers, fruits etc made to Shiva and Parbati, beseeching their blessing upon the husband and family. The important part of the puja is the oil lamp which should be alight throughout the night for it is bad omen if it dies away.

The third day of the festival is Rishi Panchami. After the completion of the previous day's puja, women pay homage to various deities and bathe with red mud found on the roots of the sacred Datiwan bush, along with its leaves. This act of purification is the final ritual of Teej, after which women are considered absolved from all sins. The recent years have witnessed alteration in the rituals, especially concerning the severity, but its essence remains. No matter how agonizing the fast may be Nepalese women have and will always continue to have faith in the austerities of Teej.

Holi Purnima

The ancient Hindu festival of Holi falls on late February or on early March. Allegedly named after the mythical demoness Holika, it is a day when the feast of colours is celebrated. The festival is of a week. However it's only the last day that is observed by all with colours. Phagu is another name for Holi where Phagu means the sacred red powder and Pune is the full moon day, on which the festival ends. People can be seen wandering through the streets either on foot or on some vehicle, with a variety of colours smeared over them.

Families and friends get together and celebrate the occasion with a lot of merry making. This spring time celebration is also an outburst of youthful exuberance in which throwing colours and water bolloons (lolas) on passer- by is acceptable. But, the Indian community, that is, the Marwari class who have settled down in Nepal for centuries and the people of Terai celebrate it a day later with more pomp and ceremony.

The 'chir' pole.The days prior to the last don't have a lot happening except, the installation of the ceremonial pole called "chir', on the first day. It's a bamboo pole, fringed with strips of cloth representing good luck charms. It is said to symbolize the tree on which lord Krishna hung the milkmaids' garments while they were bathing, unseen as they thought, in the Jamuna river of northern India. As the pole is put up in the street at Basantapur, the festivities and worship commences for the week. At the end of which its taken to a bonfire.

Foreigners taking part in Holi.The myth following Holi, reveals that a fiend named Holika together with her brother, an atheist king by the name of Hiranyakasyapu conspired ways to kill his son Pralhad because Pralhad was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu. But their attempts always failed for Lord Vishnu protects those who love him. Finally, Holika who having received a blessing from Lord Bramha to be immune to fire, jumped in with Pralhad. But Brahma's blessing could only be used for good purposes and so Holika was consumed by the fire where as Pralhad was saved by the grace of the Gods. Thus, Holi is said to be celebrated to rejoice Holika's extermination and the traditional bonfires are believed to commemorate her death.

Merry times in the street of Kathmandu.According to another story, from the Puranas and the Bhagvat, Kansa sent a female demon named Putna to kill his nephew Lord Krishna. Taking the form of a nurse Putna went to Brindaban where the child Lord Krishna was growing up and tried to feed Him her poisonous milk but the attempt backfired and she was killed. Her body was burnt on the night of Holi. So some consider Holi, the festival of fire also.

Holi for everyone is a time for fun and frolic. A day when one forgets the worldly anxieties and just enjoys the finer things in life.

Maha Shivratri

Mahashivratri Festival is celebrated with devotion and religious fervor on the moonless 14th night of the new moon in the Hindu month of Phalgun. Devotees observe fast all through the day and night of Shivaratri in honor of Lord Shiva and pay a visit to Shiva temples. Ritual bath of Shiva Lingam with milk, water, honey etc is also performed by the devotees as a part of the tradition. Many believe that Shivratri Festival marks the wedding day of Lord Shiva and Parvati. However, according to some legends, it was on the auspicious night of Shivaratri that Lord Shiva performed the ‘Tandava’, the dance of the primal creation, preservation and destruction.
On this day, the great night of the Lord Shiva, devotees stay awake throughout the night offering prayers to Lord Shiva. They offer special food made from the fruits of the season, root vegetables and coconut to the Lord. Special celebrations are held in some of the major Shiva temples at Varanasi, Kalahasti (Andhra Pradesh) and Chidambaram (Tamil Nadu).
 

International MahaShivratri Fair:
The Mandi festival or fair is particularly famous as the special fair transforms Mandi town into a venue of grand celebration when all gods and goddesses, said to be more than 200 deities of the Mandi district assemble here, starting with the day of Shivaratri. Mandi town located on the banks of the Beas River, popularly known as the "cathedral of temples", is one of the oldest towns of Himachal Pradesh with about 81 temples of different gods and goddesses in its periphery. There are several legends linked to the celebration of this event. The festival is centred around the protector deity of Mandi "Mado Rai" (Lord Vishnu) and Lord Shiva of the Bhootnath temple in Mandi.

 This is an important day for the devotees of Shiva, who stay awake throughout the night, praying to him. In all major centers of Shiva worship, Shivratri, also called Maha Shivratri, is a grand occasion. From the very early morning, Shiva temples are filled with devotees, mostly women, who come to perform the traditional worship of the Shivalinga.

According to one of the most popular legends, Shivaratri marks the wedding day of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Some believe that it was on the auspicious night of Shivaratri that Lord Shiva performed the ‘Tandava’, the dance of the primal creation, preservation and destruction. Another popular Shivratri legend stated in Linga Purana states that it was on Shivaratri that Lord Shiva manifested himself in the form of a Linga. Hence the day is considered to be extremely auspicious by Shiva devotees and they celebrate it as Mahashivaratri - the grand night of Shiva.

Lhosar

Losar is the Tibetan New Year, a three-day festival that mixes sacred and secular practices - prayers, ceremonies, hanging prayer flags, sacred and folk dancing, partying.

During the month before Losar, in Tibetan households the eight auspicious symbols and other signs are drawn on walls with white powder. In monasteries, the several protector deities are honored with devotional rituals.
On the last day of the year, monasteries are elaborately decorated. In homes, cakes, candies, breads, fruits and beer are offered on family altars.
 

 

Tibetans follow a lunar calendar, so the date of Losar changes from year to year.

Lama Losar:

The devout Tibetan Buddhist begins the new year by honoring his or her dharma teacher. Guru and disciple greet each other with wishes of peace and progress. It is also traditional to offer sprouted barley seeds and buckets of tsampa (roasted barley flour with butter) and other grains on home altars to ensure a good harvest. Laypeople visit friends to wish them Tashi Delek -- "auspicious greetings"; loosely, "very best wishes."

Gyalpo Losar:

The second day of Losar, called Gyalpo or "King's" Losar, is for honoring community and national leaders. Long ago it was a day for kings to hand out gifts at public festivals. In Dharamsala, His Holiness the Dalai Lama exchanges greetings with officials of the Tibetan government in exile and with visiting foreign dignitaries.

Choe Kyong Losar:

On this day, laypeople make special offerings to the dharma protectors. They raise prayer flags from hills, mountains and rooftops and burn juniper leaves and incense as offerings. The dharmapalas are praised in chant and song and asked for blessings.This ends the spiritual observance of Losar. However, the subsequent parties may go on for another 10 to 15 days.

Dashain

The pleasant post-monsoon period when the sky is clearest, the air is cleanest and the rice is ready for harvesting , the Nepalese people indulge in the biggest festival of the year, Dashain. Dashain is the longest and the most auspicious festival in the Nepalese annual calendar, celebrated by Nepalese of all caste and creed throughout the country.

The fifteen days of celebration occurs during the bright lunar fortnight ending on the day of the full moon. Thorough out the kingdom of Nepal the goddess Durga in all her manifestations are worshiped with innumerable pujas, abundant offerings and thousands of animal sacrifices for the ritual holy bathing, thus drenching the goddess for days in blood.
The first day of Dasain is called Ghatasthapana, which means establishing of the holy water vessel, which represents the goddess Durga. Barley seeds are planted in it.

The seventh day or Phulapati is the offering of flowers and leaves, carried by runners from Gorkha the ancestral home of the Shah Kings of Nepal, and received by the king in Kathmandu.

The eighth day is called the 'Maha Asthami'. The fervour of worship and sacrifice to Durga and Kali increases. On this day many orthodox Hindus will be fasting. Sacrifices are held in almost every house through out the day.
The night of the eighth day is called 'Kal Ratri', the dark night. Hundreds of goats, sheep and buffaloes are sacrificed at the mother goddess temples. In the darkness of the night Durga temples, army barracks, and old palaces all over Nepal hold sacrifices for the mother goddess.

      
The tenth day is the 'Dashami'. On this day we take tika and jamara from the elders and receive their blessing.people visit their elder's home and get tika from them while younger ones come to the home to receive blessing from elders. The importance of Dasain also lies in the fact that on this day family members from far off and distant relatives come for a visit as well as to receive tika from the head of the family. This function continues for four days.