The Nepalese Culture

Festivals

Dashain

Dashain is the 15-day national (religious) festival of Nepal. The festival falls around September-October, before the rice harvest. This festival is known for emphasis on family gatherings, as well as on a renewal of community ties. People return from all parts of the world, as well as different parts of the country, to celebrate together. Families will visit various temples around the Kathmandu Valley. On the tenth day, "Dashami," a mixture of rice, yogurt and vermillion will be prepared by the women. This preparation is known as "tika". Elders put this on the forehead of younger relatives to bless them with fertility and abundance in the upcoming year.

Tihar

Tihar is a five-day Nepalese festival celebrated in late autumn, which comes soon after Dashain. Two of these days incorporates the Hindu festival Deepawali, where one day is celebrated for goddess Laxmi and the other one is celebrated to worship brothers for their long life. However, all ethnic groups celebrate this festival. The festival is celebrated from Trayodashi of Kartik Krishna to Katrik Shukla Dwitiya every year.The name Tihar means the festival of lights, where many candles are lit both inside and outside the houses to make it bright at night. The five-day festival is considered to be of great importance as it shows reverence to not just the humans and the Gods, but also to the animals like crow, cow and dog, who maintain an intense relationship with the humans.

Chhath

Chhath is an ancient Hindu festival dedicated to the Hindu Sun God, Surya, also known as Surya Shashti. The Chhath Puja is performed in order to thank Surya for sustaining life on earth and to request the granting of certain wishes. The Sun, considered the god of energy and of the life-force, is worshiped during the Chhath fesival to promote well-being, prosperity and progress. In Hindu mythology, Sun worship is believed to help cure a variety of diseases and helps ensure the longevity and prosperity of family members, friends, and elders.

Lhosar

This is the Buddhist New Year of Nepal which falls in February. The Buddhist monasteries in Kathmandu like Boudhanath and Swayambhunath are decorated with eye catching colorful prayer flags pulling the crowd. The people perform their traditional dances and welcome their New Year with feasts and family gatherings wearing all the new clothes and finest jewelleries and exchanging gifts.

Holi

Holi is a spring religious festival celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs. It is regarded as one of the greatest festivals, as important as Dashain and Tihar. Since more than 80% of people in Nepal are Hindus, Holi, along with many other Hindu festivals, is celebrated in Nepal as a national festival and almost everyone celebrates it regardless of their religion. The day of Holi is also a national holiday in Nepal. People walk down their neighbourhoods to celebrate Holi by exchanging colours and spraying coloured water on one another. A popular activity is the throwing of water balloons at one another. It is believed that the combination of different colours played at this festival take all the sorrow away and make life itself more colourful.

Food

Food in Nepal is as diverse as the country itself and each region will have its own delicious specialities. Traditionally, Nepalese food has strong Indian and Tibetan influences with unique twists. The food in Nepal is rich in flavour, high in nutrition and always tempting!

Most of the western, continental and Halal food are found throughout major cities in Nepal. The popular food to try is MoMo!

When you venture further afield, you would be amiss not to experience first hand the rich and varied cultures of Nepali village life or take a walking tour through one of Nepal's many medieval towns or to remote Buddhist monasteries. At Lumbini, birthplace of Lord Buddha, wander for hours around a multitude of temples built by Buddhist countries and organisations from around the world. Be sure to join in the celebrations at either Holi, Deepvali or any one of the hundreds of festivals going on throughout the year.

Relax and unwind spiritually, mentally and physically at a yoga and meditation course or with ayurvedic treatments at one of Nepal's many health-clubs. If it is these gentler pursuits you are after, try taking a row-boat out on the magical and inspiring Phewa Tal or enjoy a round of golf with a unique Himalayan backdrop.