Holi (Phagu)

Holi(Sanskrit: होली), is a spring religious festival celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs. It is observed in  Nepal and India. The most celebrated Holi is that of the Braj region, in locations connected to the god Krishna: Mathura, Vrindavan, Nandagaon, and Barsana.

These places have become tourist destinations during the festive season of Holi, which lasts here to up to sixteen days.

The main day, Holi, also known as Dhuli Vandana in Sanskrit,also Dhulheti, Dhulandi or Dhulendi, is celebrated by people throwing coloured powder and coloured water at each other. Bonfires are lit the day before, also known as Holika Dahan (burning of Holika) or Chhoti Holi (little Holi). The bonfires are lit in memory of the miraculous escape that young Prahlad accomplished when Demoness Holika, sister of Hiranyakashipu, carried him into the fire. Holika was burnt but Prahlad, a staunch devotee of god Vishnu, escaped without any injuries due to his unshakable devotion. 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. 

Holi is celebrated at the end of the winter season on the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalguna (February/March), (Phalgun Purnima), which usually falls in the later part of February or March. 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 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.

Significance

In Vaishnava Theology, Hiranyakashipu is the great king of demons, and he had been granted a boon by Brahma, which made it almost impossible for him to be killed. The boon was due to his long penance, after which he had demanded that he not be killed "during day or night; inside the home or outside, not on earth or on sky; neither by a man nor an animal; neither by astra nor by shastra". Consequently, he grew arrogant and attacked the Heavens and the Earth. He demanded that people stop worshipping gods and start praying to him. Despite this, Hiranyakashipu's own son, Prahlada, was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. In spite of several threats from Hiranyakashipu, Prahlada continued offering prayers to Lord Vishnu. He was poisoned but the poison turned to nectar in his mouth. He was ordered to be trampled by elephants yet remained unharmed. He was put in a room with hungry, poisonous snakes and survived. All of Hiranyakashipu's attempts to kill his son failed. Finally, he ordered young Prahlada to sit on a pyre on the lap of his demoness sister, Holika, who could not die because she also had a boon which would prevent fire from burning her. Prahlada readily accepted his father's orders, and prayed to Vishnu to keep him safe. When the fire started, everyone watched in amazement as Holika burnt to death, while Prahlada survived unharmed, the burning of Holika is celebrated as Holi.

In Vrindavan and Mathura, where Lord Krishna grew up, the festival is celebrated for 16 days (until Rangpanchmi) in commemoration of the divine love of Radha for Krishna. Lord Krishna is believed to have popularized the festival by playing pranks on the gopis here. Krishna is believed to have complained to his mother about the contrast between his dark skin complexion and Radha's (Shakti or energy that drives the world) fair skin complexion. Krishna's mother decided to apply colour to Radha's face. The celebrations officially usher in spring, the celebrated season of love.Later Lord Vishnu came in the form of a Narasimha (who is half-man and half-lion) and killed Hiranyakashipu at dusk (which was neither day nor night), on the steps of the porch of his house (which was neither inside the house nor outside) by restraining him on his lap (which is neither in the sky nor on the earth) and mauling him with his claws (which are neither astra nor shastra)There is alternative story detailing the origin of Holi. This story is about Kamadeva, a god of love. Kama's body was destroyed when he shot his weapon at Shiva in order to disrupt his meditation and help Parvati to marry Shiva. Shiva then opened his third eye, the gaze of which was so powerful that Kama's body was reduced to ashes. For the sake of Kama's wife Rati (passion), Shiva restored him, but only as a mental image, representing the true emotional and spiritual state of love rather than physical lust. The Holi bonfire is believed to be celebrated in commemoration of this event.


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.

http://j-spot-deven.blogspot.com/p/festivals.html

Ghode Jatra

 

Ghode Jatra, the Horse Racing Day falls on Darhsa Shrad Aunsi of the month Chaitra (March/April). A grand horse parade takes place at Tundikhel, the central point of the city reputed to have been in the former days the largest parade ground in Asia. Ghode Jatra, the Horse Racing Day falls on the month of mid March or early April.

A grand horse parade takes place at Tundikhel, the central point of the city reputed to have been in the former days the largest parade ground in Asia. It is said that in the olden days the Kings of Kathmandu use to go to worship the Bhadrakali temple in a courtly cavalcade following the Living Goddess Kumari.

This visit could have been modified into the parade of horses and finally the horse athletics and racing contest as it is today, held by the army in the presence of the King. There was a time when the festival was considered only for the residents of Kathmandu. But today it's popularity has attracted people from all over Nepal.

Legend reveals that this festival was held to celebrate the victory over a demon named Tundi who resided over the meadow, today known as Tundikhel. Tundi was a terror, so when he met with his death people rejoiced by dancing on his body with horses. So it's believed that the clamor of horses' hooves on Ghode Jatra at Tundikhel keeps the demon's sprit at bay as it still threatens to ruin the city. It's said, the faster the horses run quicker will Tundi's spirit be dispelled. The swift running of the horses on this day is also considered to be a good omen for the Nepalese people.

It's said to be a propitious day for consuming a large amount of garlic and meat, some even consider it a day when citizen in the streets may inebriate themselves

Lhosar Tibetan New Year - Nepal

In february or march Tibetans celebrate the Losar Festival - The Tibetan New Year

Himalayan people for several days in the Tibetan New Year Day (Losar). Festive activities like singing, dancing and feasting are observed.

A colorful crowd gathers in the area around the stupa. Hundreds of Tibetans are dressed in a wide variety of beautiful traditional costumes sometimes mixed with western clothes. They smile, laugh and greet family and friends as they bump into them in the crowd. The atmosphere is saturated with anticipation. A group of monks led by a high rank teacher appear and pass through the lion-framed gate into the inner area of the stupa.

The Tibetans lift their arms, singing with voices slowly increasing in volume and pitch. As the song reaches its climax, hands open and white clouds fills the air. Flour is slowly descending on us, symbolizing hopes of a coming year of sufficient material resources, good health, and happiness. My friend tries to brush it off, is gently prevented, then informed that to keep it on his jacket is a sign of good fortune.

This is Lhosar, Tibetan New Year, celebrated at the time of the new moon in February or March. The setting is Boudha, a village northeast of Kathmandu and the site of one of the largest Tibetan communities in Nepal.

Two forces formed this refugee community. One being the intolerable conditions in Tibet following the Chinese occupation in the 1950s, and the subsequent steady stream of Tibetan refugees re-settling in countries across the world. The attracting force of this particular village is the Tibetans familiarity with Boudha and the journey there. A familiarity acquired through centuries of pilgrimage to Boudhanath, one of a number of stupas found across the Buddhist areas of the world, and this one among the most important religious monuments for Buddhists in the Himalayan region.

Despite differences in appearance, large or miniature, domed or with a pyramid shaped spire, all stupas express the Buddhist view of the nature of mind and reality. Every feature, from their overall form and down to their smallest details, represent aspects of Buddhist philosophy. This particular stupa is one of the largest and most well-known. Its white dome and painted eyes, the all-seeing and compassionate eyes of the Buddha, are made known across the world through photographs and movies.

Of great entertainment value for Tibetans and westerners alike, the traditional Tor-gya rite at Loshar attracts a large audience. The detailed symbolism of the dance is sometimes difficult to understand. At various times the performance is dominated by monks in beautifully brocaded silk costumes performing slow dances, a group of pale ghosts, demon-like figures, and two jesters performing practical jokes on each other and the audience. Everything dramatically accompanied by cymbals and various horns.

Loshar is the main holiday for Tibetans. It provides a day or two off from work and an opportunity to indulge in a favorite past time for Tibetans - celebration and spending time with family and friends. Apart from the morning festivities by the stupa the streets are unusually quiet and empty at this time.

Normally though, Boudha is buzzing with the activities of daily life. The area around Boudhanath houses an abundance of shops, restaurants and guest houses run by Tibetans and also dozens of larger and smaller monasteries.

These secular and religious activities testify to the ability and willingness of the Tibetans to create a new life in a foreign country, partly adopting aspects of modern western life and partly recreating their traditional life. Modern western technology and lifestyle coexists in a striking way with traditional clothes and artifacts and and lifestyles formed centuries ago. Here you find robed monks drinking tea, watching CNN and Fashion Channel satellite transmitted to local guest houses.

Not only the traditional and the modern, but also the spiritual and the secular are interwoven. Both monks and lay people perform ordinary mundane activities as well as religious activities such as reciting mantras, circumambulating the stupa and turning small prayer wheels located in recesses in the stupa wall. The secular takes on a spiritual significance and the spiritual is manifested through the activities of ordinary life.

In addition to being industrious the Tibetans are known to be sincere and friendly. It is not unusual for even a short-term visitor to be invited into a shop, a home, or a monastery kitchen for a cup of tea, a meal, and a good conversation. Living there for a few weeks you easily make friends among the people, be it the family running the guest house where you live, monks you meet at the streets or in tea shops or shopkeeper families. Tibetans in Boudha more often than not know enough English to converse.

Buddhist world-view and practice are an integral part of life for most Tibetans, be they monks, nuns or lay people. The founder of Buddhism, Siddharta Gautama, set out to explore the nature of mind 2500 years ago in northern India. After years of meditation he realized the nature of mind and reality and attained Enlightment. In the Four Noble Truths, Buddhism in a nutshell, he points out that we are chronically dissatisfied with life and the cause of this dissatisfaction is identified as the dualistic and fragmented way we experience the world. Fortunately there is a path which, if followed diligently and under guidance of a teacher, will lead to a lasting and profound fulfillment. This eightfold path, which includes meditation and ethical activities, will open up for a direct, intimate and liberating experience of the nature of mind and reality. Through realizing the oneness and ever changing nature of all phenomena one develops an attitude of non-attachment to fleeting phenomena and compassion for all beings.

Narayan Jatra of Handi Gaun

The festival that has no equals

ANUSTHA SHRESTHA

OCT 29- Kathmandu Post

Legend tells us that a huge empire called Bishalnagari once extended around the Valley. The queen of the empire and her best friend were pregnant together, and while discussing various issues, the queen’s friend said that the lord Narayan himself had to lay a path for the queen’s baby to be born. The queen shrugged off the idea; after all, why would a God be required for such a minor event? As days passed, the friend gave birth, but the queen didn’t. Everybody waited for the heir to the throne, but the queen couldn’t deliver the baby even after 12 long years. The king then consulted an astrologer who said that Lord Narayan had gone to the Himalayas for meditation and until he came back to assist in the birth, the queen would not be able to deliver the child. The king then set off to the mountain to request the lord to help. In return, he promised the God festivities that no one had ever seen before.

True to what the king had said, the Narayan Jatra of Handi Gaun is unique. In fact, it is so unique that it has even lent its name to a Nepali proverb—Kahin Nabhayeko Jatra, Handi Gaun Ma—

implying the jatra here is one of a kind.

One can easily make out at first sight why this festival is called so. The first things that stand out are the strangely-built chariots, which appear to be inverted. Usually, chariots for the gods inside the Valley are built in traditional Newari pagoda style, tapering towards the top with a gajur—the most common one being Rato Machhendranath’s chariot. Here in Handi Gaun, the three chariots resemble inverted tops, with three circular bamboo structures stacked on top of each other and a single wooden pole that acts a truss for the three discs. An idol of lord Narayan is placed above the three bamboo discs, which are then rotated by two people standing beneath the structure, with a priest to accompany them. The chariot is carried around the locality by others.

The three toles of Handi Gaun each bring out a different, albeit similarly constructed, chariot. A white disc at the top of each chariot represents the Himalayas from which the lord had to be coaxed to come to the palace, while the first bamboo disc represents the lower foothills of the Himalayas—the Mahabharat range. This disc is decorated with pine leaves and marigold flowers. The entire chariot is decorated by wax flowers (called siswann in Nepal Bhasa).

Though the legend has been passed down from

generations, there are no historical records as to when this festival began. Although a date encrypted on one of the idol cryptically reads 838, no one really knows whether this corresponds to the Bikram Sambat or the Nepal Sambat. But that doesn’t really matter. The three-day festival is celebrated every year beginning from Kojagrat Purnima, the first full moon after Dashain. The chariots are taken across the locality and dismantled on the third day, with the idol returning to its residence in the priest’s home. 

Yanyā Punhi (Indra Jatra)

From: Wikipedia

YanyāPunhi (Devnagari:ञेया पुन्ही, Sanskrit: Indra-Jatra (Kumari Jatra)) is a festival celebrated in kathmandu, Nepal. The main attraction of the festival is the procession of chariots and masked-dancers representing deities and demons.

Yanyā Punhi (Indra Jatra) is a holiday related to Hindu god king of heaven, Indra. The festival begins with the carnival-like erection of Yosin, a ceremonial pole, accompanied by the rare display of the deity Aakash Bhairab, represented by a massive mask spouting beer and liquor. Households throughout Kathmandu display images and sculptures of Indra and Bhairab only at this time of year. Finally, the Kumari, or virgin goddess (living goddess), leaves the seclusion of her temple in a palanquin and leads a procession through the streets of Kathmandu to thank Indra the rain god.

Procession

Majipa LakheyThe procession consists of:

• Pulukishi
• Sawan Bhaku
• Ganesh (Chariot)
• Kumar (Chariot)
• Kumari (Chariot)

Besides these, there are various dances held on the open stages of the city called dabu. There is display of Swet Bhairava as well as various deities of the city.The people of Kathmandu celebrate the religious estival of Indra Jatra remembering [[Lord Indra[[, the god of rain. Indra Jatra is also called Yandya in Newari culture. this This festival was started by Lichhavi king Gunkamadev in Kaligat Sambat 3822. In Nepalese culture Indra is a very important god. Indra Jatra begins every year from the day of the fortnight Dwadasi Bhadra month to Aswin Krishna Chaturdasi sthat is it is a eight day long festival. On the first day of Indra Jatra a pole known as Linga or Yasingh with a flag on the top is erected at Hanuman Dhoka area. This thirty-six feet long wooden pole is chosen with great care from the Nala forest in Kavre district east of Kathmandu. According to traditional beliefs, Indra had received this flag from Lord Vishnu for protection. It is said that Indra’s mother needed parijat, a type of flower, for some religious ritual so Indra disguised as a human being came to the earth to fetch them. But, he was recognised when he was to steal the flowers so the people caught him and tied him with ropes the statue of which is still worshipped in Maru Tole in Kathmandu. This image is also put on display with others in different parts of the city during Indra Jatra festival. Indra Jatra is a very interesting festival because for the whole week people enjoy various traditional dances and witness the chariot of Goddess Kumari, Lord Ganesh and Lord Bhairav being pulled through the older parts of the Kathmandu city. A day has been added to the original seven days of celebration and on that day known as Nanicha yaa the chariots are pulled through Naradevi, Nhyokha, Ason, Indrachwok and Hanuman Dhoka. This extra day of chariot pulling was introduced by king Jaya Prakash Malla in 1765 B.S. In Indra Chowk, the famous Akash Bhairava bust is displayed and it is decorated with flowers. This Akash Bhairava’s head is related to the Mahabharata story. Some believe it to be the head of the firstKirat King Yalamber. In Indra Chowk, every night different groups gather and sing bhajans and hymns. During Indra Jatra, there are a variety of performances including the dances of Sawa Bhakku Bhairav from Halchowk, Majipa Lakhey from Majipat, Devi Nach and Yeravat hathi (Pulukisi) from Naradevi, Mahakali and Kathi Maka Nach from Bhaktapur. All the dances take place around Hanuman Dhoka area. The Dasavatar or the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu is also staged every night. The first day of the festival is also observed by the Newars as a day to remember the family members who died during the past year by offering small oil lamps along a traditional route covering all the parts of the old city. It is believed to have been started during the reign of Mahendra Malla. The Linga (Yasingh) is pulled down signalling the end of Indra Jatra festival. It is taken to the confluence of Bagmati and Bishnumati in Teku to be put to rest. The end of the Indra Jatra festival heralds the beginning of Dashain and Tihar celebrated with great enthusiasm not only in the Kathmandu Valley but throughout the country.

Gai Jatra

Article by Prabhakar Chettri 

The festival of "Gai Jatra", the procession of cows, is generally celebrated in the Nepalese month of Bhadra (August-September). The festival of cows is one of the most popular festivals of Nepal. The whole complex of Gai Jatra festival has its roots in the ancient age when people feared and worshipped Yamaraj,"the god of death". However, the ironical sessions synonymous with the Gai Jatra festival came into tradition in the medieval period of Nepal during the reign of Malla Kings. Hence, the present form of Gai Jatra is a happy blending of antiquity and medievalism.

According to the traditions since times immemorial, every family who has lost one relative during the past year must participate in a procession through the streets of Kathmandu leading a cow. If a cow is unavailable then a young boy dressed as a cow is considered a fair substitute. In Hinduism, a cow is regarded as the most venerated among all the domestic animals. It is believed that the cow, revered as a holy animal by Hindus, will help the deceased relative's journey to heaven.

In terms of historical evidences, once when King Pratap Malla lost his son, his wife, the queen remained dumbstruck. The king was very sad to see the condition of his beloved queen. The king, in spite of his several efforts, could not lessen the grief of his wife. By all means he wanted to see little smile on the lips of his sweetheart. He announced that someone who ever made the queen laugh would be rewarded adequately.

During the festival of Gai Jatra, the cow procession was brought before the griefstricken queen. Then the participants began ridiculing and befooling the important people of the society. Finally when the social injustice and other evils were highlighted and attacked mercilessly, the queen could not stop smiling. The queen laughed, and Pratap Malla, the king ensued a tradition of including jokes, satires,mockery and lampoon in the Gai Jatra days.

After the procession is over, in the afternoon, nearly everyone takes part in another age-old tradition in which the participants dress up and wear masks. The occassion is filled with songs,jokes, mockery and humour of every kind become the order of the day until late evening. Hence, Gai Jatra is a healthy festival which enables the people to accept the reality of death and to prepare oneself for the life after death. According to Hinduism,"whatever a man does in his life is a preparation to lead a good life, after death".

Mother's Day (Mata Tirtha Puja)

The Nepalese people have always been family oriented. They take great pride in their ancient tradition of closely-knit family unit. This sort of kinship is not only the result of religious teachings, but also due to various festivals and ceremonies, which brings the family together and strengthens the family ties in the Nepalese society.

Such is the festival of "Mata Tritha Puja" which in English is "Mother's day" . This festival falls on the last day of the dark fortnight of April or early May. It is a day when one shows appreciation and gratitude to his/her mother for her unconditional love and undying support.

On this day, each house bustles with activities and everyone, regardless of age, participates. There aren't much religious ceremonies but the fact that it is a day for mothers, calls for celebrations for she is the one who keeps the family together through ups and downs in life. Even the small children dig into their savings to buy gifts for their mothers. Sons and daughters living separately, come with presents and delicacies to spend time with their mother. It is a day of reunion for married daughters with their mothers. The entire day is filled with festivities and merry making.

Those who don't have a mother pay obeisance to Mata Tirtha, which is a sacred site of pilgrimage and holy bathing. It lies six miles south - west of central Katmandu, consisting of two pools-the larger for bathing and the smaller is famous as the place where one "looks upon one's mother's face".

Legends reveal that in the ancient times the region was ruled by a cowherd king. One of his cowherds was so depressed by his mother's death that he went to pray and make offerings at a water storage pond in the forest on this day. Miraculously his mother's face appeared and her hand accepted the offerings. Thus its called Mata Tirtha, where many hope to see their mother's face. Alot of folklores are attached to this site, some of which are tragic. But whatever it maybe, people still believe that paying homage to this site will bring peace to their mother's departed soul. So for this reason people come from distant places, on this day, to show their reverance.

Thus, Mata Tirtha holds a very profound meaning in each person's life. For a mother, is a figure present in everyone's life. This day gives each child a chance to show the depth of his/her feelings for her.