Nepal is the land of festivities, and this is not an understatement. A country of days and deities; various religious days and religious deities are as if the life and blood of the people living here. Not a single month passes without the observance of a festivity of one sort or the other, nor a single locality is there without the site or route of a religious deity. It is estimated that 90 % of the festivals in Nepal have a religious origin. Thus, the festivals quite often begin with religious ceremonies and move up with the spontaneous social spirit and end up with friendly feast and fun. This has been the Nepalese way of celebrating since time immemorial.
It is worth mentioning that the same day/festival is sometimes celebrated by the various cultural groups in different socio-cultural contexts, calling it by different names.
Here is a comprehensive list of festivals celebrated either nationally or in certain parts of the country by certain ethnoreligious groups.
Note: Almost all of the Nepalese festivals follow the lunar calendar, hence the dates of most of the festivals vary every year.
Here is the Festival Calendar for the Year 2078 BS.
| Festival | When | Where | Why | Public Holiday |
| Nepali New Year | Baisakh 1
14 April |
Nationwide | First day of New Year 2078 BS | Yes |
| Bisket Jatra
Sindur Jatra Bode Jatra |
Baisakh 1
14 April (Starts on Chaitra 28, April 10) |
Bhaktapur | Bisket Jatra, Sindur Jatra and Bode Jatra celebrated in Bhaktapur district of Kathmandu Valley to commemorate the First day of the Nepalese Year. | Yes |
| Chaitra Dashain | Baisakh 7
20 April |
Nationwide | aka Sano-Dashain or mini Dashain. Celebrated with equal enthusiasm as main Dashain that falls in Autumn. | No |
| Sri Ram Navami | Baisakh 8
21 April |
Nationwide | Celebrated to commemorate the birth of Lord Ram. | No |
| Balaju Baisdhara Mela | Baisakh 14
27 April |
Kathmandu | People bath under a lined up 22 Stone waterspouts located at Balaju Park in the hopes of protecting oneself from various illness in the coming days. | No |
| Labour Day | Baisakh 18
1 May |
Nationwide | Marks the International Labour Day. | Yes |
| Mata Tirtha Aunshi/ Aama Ko Mukh Herne Din
(Mother’s day) |
Baisakh 28
11 May |
Nationwide | Children pay homage to their mother and if she’s passed on, a prayer to her spirit is made at Matatirtha Pond on the outskirts of Kathmandu, or at the Pashupatinath Temple. | No |
| Buddha Jayanti | Jestha 12
May 26 |
Nationwide | Birth, Enlightenment & Demise day of Shakyamuni Buddha. | Yes |
| Dahi Chiura Khane Din | Asadh 15
26 June |
Nationwide | Celebrated by eating yoghurt and bitten rice which supposedly cures skin disease.
This day is also officially marked as rice planting day. However, rice planting depends upon the arrival of the monsoon. |
No |
| Bhanu Jayanti | Asadh 29
13 July |
Nationwide | Celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of the first poet of Nepal, Adikabi Bhanu Bhakta Acharya. | No |
| Harisayani Ekadashi | Shrawan 15
20 July |
Nationwide | Aka Thuli Ekadashi, devotees plant Tulsi (the holy basil) on this day and observe fast in the name of Lord Vishnu. | No |
| Guru Purnima
(The Teachers Day) |
Shrawan 9
July 24 |
Nationwide | Paying homage to the teachers.
Students and schools organize a special program for their teachers on this day. |
No |
| Guna La Parba begins | Shrawan 25
9 August |
Buddhist Newars of Kathmandu | Newar Buddhists recite the scriptures, observe fasts and visit places of worship playing devotional music for one whole month. | No |
| Naag Panchami | Shrawan 29
13 August |
Nationwide | Hindus worship Naag (serpents) whose burrows are unlivable due to overflow of water during monsoon, with a request not to enter their house or harm their family members. | No |
| Janai Purnima/Rakchya Bandhan | Bhadra 5
22 August |
Nationwide | People tie a sacred thread on the wrist for protection, those wearing Janai will change them on this day. It’s also an auspicious day for Shamans of hilly Nepal, plus a day to celebrate siblinghood, sisters tie rakhi bracelet on brothers’ wrist. | Yes |
| Gai Jatra | Bhadra 6
23 August |
Kathmandu valley | People parade in the guise of cows and hermits begging alms from door to door to commemorate the death of loved ones. | Yes, (Kathmandu only) |
| Shree Krishna Janmashtami | Bhadra 14
30 August |
Nationwide | Celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna | Yes |
| Kushe Aunshi/
Buwa ko Mukh Herne Din (Father’s Day) |
Bhadra 22
7 September |
Nationwide | Children pay homage to their father and if he’s passed on, a prayer to his spirit is made at Gokarna or at the Pashupatinath Temple. | No |
| Teej | Bhadra 24
9 September |
Nationwide | Married women fast praying for the long life & good health of one’s husband, whereas unmarried fasts in hopes of getting a suitable match like Lord Shiva. | Yes (women only) |
| Rishi Panchami | Bhadra 26
11 September |
Nationwide | Women and also girls who had their menses make a special bath in the mornings and worship the Sapta Rishi (7 Holy Sages) and their wife Arundhati asking forgiveness for the sins they have committed during the 4 days of the monthly cycle. | No |
| Haribodhini Ekadashi | Asojh 1
17 September |
Nationwide | The Tulsi planted on Harisayani Ekadashi is married to Lord Vishnu on this day, and devotees fast all day long. | No |
| Bishwakarma Puja | Asojh 1
17 September |
Nationwide | The birthday of Bishwakarma, This Divine Architect in Hindu Mythology. | No |
| Indra Jatra | Asojh 3
19 September |
Kathmandu valley | The eight-day long Newari festival to worship Lord Indra and his mother Dagini concludes on this day. It is celebrated to ensure the upcoming harvest. | Yes, (Kathmandu only) |
| Sorah Shraddha | Asojh 5
21 September |
Nationwide | This day marks the beginning of sixteen days of Ancestor worship right before Dashain.
People perform rites to all the deceased as back as seven generations. |
No |
| Jitiya Parba (Jiwit Putrika) | Asojh 16
29 September |
Madhesi Mothers of Terai region | Mothers of Terai region (Southern Nepal) worship God Jitmahan Gosain and fast for 24 hours for the well being of their living Children. | No |
| Ghatasthapana | Asojh 21
7 October |
Nationwide | First day of Dashain Festival.
On this day, people plant Jamara seeds that are reaped and given as blessings to junior family members along with tika on the Dashain day. This also marks the beginning of Nauratha or Navaratri, when nine different forms of Goddess Durga is worshipped every day. |
Yes |
| Phulpati (Saptami) | Asojh 26
13 October |
Nationwide | Seventh-day of Dashain.
People bring in nine different types of Phulpati (flowers and leaves) home to include in the veneration of Saptami puja. |
Yes |
| Maha Ashtami | Asojh 27
14 October |
Nationwide | Eighth-day of Dashain.
People worship tools and vehicles, sacrifice animals at home and at Goddess Durga temples. |
Yes |
| Maha Navami | Asojh 28
15 October |
Nationwide | Ninth-day of Dashain
People worship tools and vehicles, sacrifice animals at home and at Goddess Durga temples. |
Yes |
| Dashain/ Bada Dashain/ Vijaya Dashami | Asojh 29
16 October |
Nationwide | Tenth-day and main day of Dashain
It is a joyous day when families visit each other to receive Tika and Jamara blessings, they make merry by playing cards, singing, dancing while hosting a big feast. Linge Ping (bamboo swing) is very famous in this season. It is believed that mount this Linge ping and one has to untouch the earth on this day. |
Yes |
| Kojagrat Purnima | Kartik 3
20 October |
Nationwide | Fifteenth/ concluding day of Dashain.
A day to worship Goddess Laxmi (goddess of wealth) and make vigil all night. |
No |
| Dhanteras | Kartik 16
2 November |
To commemorate Tihar, the festival of lights, people on this day buy precious metals and worship it on the Laxmi puja day. | No | |
| Kaag Tihar/Kukur tihar | Kartik 17
3 November |
Nationwide | The first day of Tihar, the festival of lights.
This day involves the worship of crows as they are the messenger of the death-god Yama, and also the dogs that are Yama’s gatekeeper. Usually, Kukur Tihar falls on the second day of Tihar, but due to Tithi overlaps the crows and dogs are worshipped on the same day this year. |
No |
| Laxmi Puja/Gai Tihar | Kartik 18
4 November |
Nationwide | It’s the main day of Tihar when cows are worshipped in the mornings to thank for the food essentials they provide.
Laxmi the goddess of wealth and fortune is worshipped at night. Houses are cleaned and decked with hopes for Laxmi to stop by and bless the family members. |
Yes |
| Gobardhan Puja | Kartik 19
5 November |
Nationwide | People worship Ox for their contribution to the farm throughout the year.
This day also commemorates the day when Lord Krishna lifted Gobardhan hill on his pinky finger to save Gopala people from torrential rain. |
Yes |
| Bhaitika | Kartik 20
6 November |
Nationwide | Last day of Tihar.
It is celebrated to strengthen the siblinghood ties. Sisters on this day perform special worship for brothers’ long and healthy life and also pray to Yama that no brother-sister are separated by death on this day. |
Yes |
| Chhat | Kartik 24
10 November |
Terai
(Southern Nepal) |
The biggest festival in Terai, Southern Nepal involving the worship of the Sun-god and his sister Chhati Mai. | Yes |
| Guru Nanak Jayanti | Mangshir 3
19 November |
Sikhs | Celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru. | Yes |
| Bala Chaturdashi/
Satbij Charne Din |
Mangshir 16
3 December |
Nationwide | Bereaved family members observe a ritual in the remembrance of deceased ones. They keep vigil all night and offer satbij (seven varieties of paddy seeds) in a traverse path around the Pashupatinath temple the next day after a holy dip in Bagmati river at the break of dawn. | No |
| Udhauli Parba
Yomari Punhi |
Poush 4
19 December |
Nationwide | Kiranti clan celebrate Udhauli Parba to commemorate the setting in of the Winter.
Newar clan celebrate Yomari Punhi by making a special sweet called Yomari, to mark the end of the harvesting season of the year. |
Yes |
| Christmas | Poush 10
25 December |
Nationwide | Celebrated to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. | Yes |
| Tamu Loshar | Poush 15
30 December |
Nationwide by Gurungs | A New Year celebration of Gurung Community. | Yes |
| Tol Loshar | Poush 19
3 January |
People of Humla, Dolpa, Mugu and Manang | Tol means Time-cycle.
It is one of the oldest Lhosar (New Year) celebrated by the Indigenous community from Humla, Dolpa, Mugu and Manang districts. |
No |
| Maghe Sankranti/
Maghi |
Magh 1
17 January |
Nationwide | The first day of the Sun’s transit into Makara Rashi, (Capricorn) marking the end of the month with the winter solstice.
A very special day for the Tharu community of Southern Nepal and also the Magars of Hills. |
Yes |
| Sri Swasthani Brata Katha Prarambh | Magh 3
17 January |
Kathmandu | This day marks the beginning of a sacred and month-long ritual when devotees read the holy scripture of Goddess Swasthani every day and observe fast. | No |
| Sonam Loshar | Magh 19
2 February |
Tamang Community | A New year celebrated by Tamang Community. | Yes |
| Basanta Panchami/ Saraswati Puja | Magh 23
26 February |
Nationwide | This day officially heralds Spring.
Students worship the Goddess of wisdom Saraswati and children of age 3 also learn their first alphabets on this day with the Goddess’ blessings. |
No |
| Sri Swasthani Brata Katha Samapti | Falgun 4
19 February |
Kathmandu | A month-long sacred festival of Goddess Swasthani concludes on this day.
Devotees break their fast and celibacy with a big ritual. |
No |
| Maha Shiva Ratri | Falgun 17
1 March |
Nationwide | Birth anniversary of Lord Shiva.
Devotees throng the Pashupatinath temple and other Shiva temples and fast for Him to seek blessings for one’s family. |
Yes |
| Gyalpo Loshar | Falgun 19
3 March |
Sherpa Community | A New year celebrated by Sherpa Community. | Yes |
| Naari Diwas | Falgun 24
8 March |
Nationwide | International Women’s Day | Yes |
| Fagu Purnima/Holi | Chaitra 4
18 March |
Hills and Himalayas | Festival of colours/ Spring Festival is celebrated joyously throughout the nation by smearing colours on people’s face and throwing water balloons at each other. | Yes |
| Fagu Purnima/Holi | Chaitra 5
19 March |
Terai Only | Festival of colours/ Spring Festival is celebrated joyously throughout the nation by smearing colours on people’s face and throwing water balloons at each other. | Yes |
| Ghode Jatra | Chaitra 19
1 April |
Kathmandu | Horses are paraded at Tundikhel grounds in presence of the President, Prime Minister and other dignitaries.
The Newars celebrate it by paying homage to local goddesses and organizing feast in the family. |
Yes, (Kathmandu only) |
| Matshya Jayanti | Chaitra 20
3 April |
Nationwide | Celebrated in honour of Matshyendranath, the fish incarnation of Lord Vishnu. | No |
| Chaitra Dashain | Chaitra 26
9 April |
Nationwide | aka Sano-Dashain or mini Dashain. Celebrated with equal enthusiasm as main Dashain that falls in Autumn. | No |
| Seto Machhendranath Jatra | Chaitra 26
9 April |
Kathmandu | The idol of Seto Macchendranath/Avalokiteshwara is paraded through the ancient streets of Kathmandu. | No |
| Ram Navami | Chaitra 27
10 April |
Nationwide | Celebrated to commemorate the birth of Lord Ram. | No |
Feature Photo: Boys decked as cow for Gai Jatra Festival. by Priti thapa
1 comment
Living far from home, I always miss the dates so thank you for listing the festivals.