Culture

Few lines on culture:

Culture has been known as 'the way of life for an entire society'. Beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, that the members of society share to cope with their world and with one another, and that are transmitted from generation to generation through learning is the culture. Culture differs with country to country. statement holds particularly true in case of Nepal where every aspect of life, food, clothing and even occupations are culturally guided. Nepal is blessed with one of the richest cultures in the world. The land is rich with unique cultural groups.

The culture of Nepal is a unique combination of tradition and novelty. The mountain kingdom of Nepal is multi-ethic and multi-lingual. The traditions are followed as they were and new customs are created to keep pace with the changing times. Culture in Nepal is an assemblage of music, architecture, religion and literature. .

Culture refers to the following Ways of Life, including but not limited to:

Social activity : the shared pursuits within a cultural community, demonstrated in a variety of festivities and life-celebrating events. 

• Language: the oldest human institution and the most sophisticated medium of expression.
• Arts & Sciences : the most advanced and refined forms of human expression.
• Thought : the ways in which people perceive, interpret, and understand the world around them.
• Spirituality : the value system transmitted through generations for the inner well-being of human beings, expressed through language and actions.
• Interaction : the social aspects of human contact, including the give-and-take of socialization, negotiation, and conventions.

Teej

Teej (Women's Festival): 

This is a festival especially for Hindu married women for her man. This festival is celebrated in August/September. Women clad in beautiful red saris with shining glass beads, pote. Singing and dancing is the sight almost everywhere in Nepal during the festival of Teej. On this day women observe a fast and pray Lord Shiva for the long, healthy and prosperous life of their husbands and their families. The unmarried women may also observe this festival with unabated zeal with the hope that they will get to marry good husbands. From early dawn, women queue up in the multiple lines in Pashupatinath to offer their prayers to Lord Shiva.

Gai Jatra

Gai Jatra (Cow Festival) is the festival of cow celebrated every year in August/September. This is one of the most popular festivals in Nepal as it is full of humor, satire, comedy, mockery and shades of sadness too at the same time. On this day satires and jokes on anybody is legal. The whole complex of Gai Jatra festival has its roots in the ancient age when people feared and worshipped Yamaraj,"the god of death". This festival was started by the Malla King when his wife, the queen remained dumbstruck because of their son's death. 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. And is being preserved till today. As per the tradition, the family who has lost a relative during the past one year must take part in a procession by sending young boys in cow like attire and walk through the streets of Kathmandu lead by a cow. Cow is the national animal of Nepal and is regarded as a Goddess. This festival is celebrated in the memory of the loved ones who lost their lives due to various reasons. .This festival also purges those who have lost their loved ones as they get to console themselves as to they are not the only ones who have been bereaved and it also teaches to accept death as a part of life. 

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.

Tihar

This festival of lights that falls between October/November (Kartik) can be considered as  the second biggest festival after Dashain. The Nepali festival Tihar is also known by many names such as Dipawali or Bhai Tika. This festival lasts for five days. During the five days, Crows (First Day), Dog (Second Day), and Cow (Third day), are worshipped and honored with vermilion, garland and delicious food for what they have done in the lives of humans. Crows are regarded as the messenger that brought news even during the times when there were no postmen and no postal services. Dogs,  the most obedient animals and they guard our house as true guardians. Cow is a symbol of wealth in Hinduism and she is also the national animal of Nepal. and fourth day People worship Laxmi – the Hindu Goddess of Fortune or Wealth. All the houses are cleaned and decorated with the belief that Goddess Laxmi will enter the house that is the cleanest and people lit candles, oil lamps and other lights and the whole place looks illuminating.  Great meals are being cooked at home, brothers and sisters go shopping for gifts, flying kites, decorating homes and streets, etc. are the deeds in this festival. This is also a gambling time in Nepal as gambling is not illegal during this festival. The festival ends with the day known as Tika day or popularly called Bhai Tika day i.e. the brothers’ day when his sisters worship him for his long and healthy life to safeguard the lives of his sisters. this days is an exchange of a special temporary mark on forehead among brothers and sisters.

Chhath Puja

This festival(Chhat parva) is celebrated after Dipawali. The great festival of the Mithilanchal region, Chhath, bears a great significance on increasing the faith of the mankind on truth and non-violence as well as sympathy to all the living beings. This is the festival in which the sun is worshipped when it rises and sets. It is especially significant for married women. They observe a two-day fast and offer prayers while keeping almost three-quarters of their body immersed in water for two hours.

This festival is observed for 4 days. The first day falls on Kartik Chaturthi Tithi and the main day falls on Kartik Shukla Sasthi, its called Arba Arbain or Nahan Khan. The devotees take fast by discarding meat, garlic and onion after taking a bath on nearby ponds or lakes. The second day is Kharana meaning the reduction of sin. This day, devotees clean their house and for the whole day they do not take any food. At night they offer special kind of Chappati (roti) and pudding to moon and then they also eat those dishes as Prasad. On the third day they prepare sweet dishes from rice and flour, minced in Dhikki and Jatoo (traditional grain grinder made from wood). They also include other fruits like bananas, coconut, grapefruits, sugarcane, grains of lentils, raw ginger plants and other special dishes of rice porridge, deep fried puffs of wheat flour (purees) etc., these offerings are placed in semicircular pans made of bamboo sticks or some other artistic clay pots. The virtuous devotees and their offerings are not to be touched by anyone, not even birds or any animal for the fear of getting impure during the fasting. At the evening the devotees take their way to the nearest ponds and rivers. Upon reaching the spot, the female members make the artistic drawings known as Aripan Chitra and place their offerings. They then face towards the setting sun, fold their hands, offer pure water along with other religious offerings.  During the rituals especially the womenfolk sing folk songs about the greatness of the Chhath and prayers for the happiness of the family. Women keep awake throughout the night, lighting the lamps, singing songs.On the third day, the devotees go to the rivers and ponds singing folk and devotional songs. The fourth day is called Paran or Parwan. There is a tradition of listening to Surya Puran after the conclusion of offering curd, the devotees listen to the stories of the Chhath fasting. People of Mithila region, also called this festival Surya Puja, which is known as God of power, brilliant light and life. People thank the Sun, offers gifts by performing puja.

Saraswati Puja

This day is also known as Shree panchami, celebrated as the birthday of Saraswati , the Goddess of learning. Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge and arts, represents the free flow of wisdom and consciousness.She is known to be the lily-white daughter of Shiva and Durga. In her hands Saraswati holds a book, a vina harp. Shree panchami brings people of all castes, ages and creeds together to the temples of Divinity. According to popular belief, if a person swallows seven rice grains, which are offered to the Goddess, he/she will become wise and knowledgeable. So, students and children clamor for the rice grains strewn around the idol. This is also the day when children of 5 to 7 are taught their first alphabet, which is repeated after the parent or teacher and traced on wooden slabs. As a belief that she endows human beings with the powers of speech, letters, arts, sciences and all the wishdom and learning, students, scholars, writers, poets, artists, musicians and every one, also spinners and weavers lavishly fete her. Their books, pens and other tools are brought in front of the idol or the picture of goddess saraswati. Around the city numerous wedding processions followed by musicians and relatives can be seen, as this day is the most auspicious and popular day in the year for marriages, when the union is blessed by the Goddess Saraswati herself. This day also coincides with the advent of spring. Any new task started on this day is believed to bring success and gaining.

Shiva Ratri

Shiva Ratri is a festival celebrated as the festival of Lord Shiva’s birthday(god of hundu) and is much anticipated festival by all Hindus. Shiva's birthday falls on the new moon day of the month of Falgun. All Shiva temple are full of his devottes to attend the festivities on this day but most particularly at the great Pashupatinath temple, Pilgrims and yogis (holy men), from all over Southeast Asia come to Kathmandu weeks before the festival. Pashupatinath temple is located at the eastern part of the Kathmandu valley on the banks of the holy river Bagmati. On this holy day people fast through out the day. At dawn, worshippers take a holy bath or dip in the river and go to the temple to worship. Pashupatinath, which literally means ‘the Lord of animals’, is one of the many forms of the Lord. He is the guardian deity, protector of our Hindu Kingdom of Nepal, thus Shiva Ratri is one of the major festivals of Nepal. One of the interesting aspects of Shiva Ratri is that on this day devotees and non-devotees alike freely indulge in smoking intoxicating substances such as marijuana and bhang for it is the only day in the annual calendar when marijuana is legal. Many people take these intoxicants in the belief that it pleases Lord Shiva for he too is said to be fond of it. After dawn bonfires are set up at the junctions of different areas and then locals meet up with plenty of sugarcane sticks. First the perform a small pooja around that fire in the name of Lord Shiva. They heat the sugarcane in the bonfire until the heat builds up pressure inside the caneand  becomes red hot then, they slam it on a stone, or the road, to make a huge blast sound like that of a fire cracker. The sugarcane becomes soft and moist which is then enjoyed by everyone, chewing and enjoying the juices.

Holi

Holi is the festival of colours that falls on the month of Falgun or Chaitra, is undoubtedly the most fun-filled festival of Hindu. Phagu is another name for Holi where Phagu means the sacred red powder and Pune is the full moon day. This day is a symbolic tribute of a legend from Hindu Mythology. There was a proud king who showed antipathy towards his son Prahlad worshipping Lord Vishnu. His attempts to kill his son failed all the time. Then finally, the king's sister Holika who is said to be immune to burning, sits with the boy in a huge fire. However, the prince Prahlada emerges unscathed because of the blessing of his Lord Bishnu, while his aunt burns to death. Holi commemorates this event from mythology, and huge bonfires are burnt on the eve of this festival as its symbolic representation. It's an occasion that brings in unadulterated joy and delight, fun and play, music and dance, and, of course, lots of bright colors with no distinctions of caste, class, age, and gender during Holi. This is a very exuberant festival, where youngers offer colors to elders or put tika on their forehead and the elders does the same by putting colors on their youngsters. All over the streets people can be watched having fun, throwing colors and water-balloons, locally called 'lollas' on each other.

Holi is celebrated on March 10th in Hilly Areas & on March 11th in the Terai Region.

Maghe Sankranti

Maghe Sankranti falls in the beginning of the holy month of Magh, (mid of January). This festival brings an end to the ill-omened month of Poush (mid-December) when all religious ceremonies are forbidden. This is the day when we say good bye to winter season and welcome the summer season. Even if it is considered the coldest day of the year, it marks the coming of warmer weather and better days of health and fortune. This day is said to be the most significant day for holy bathing despite the weather and  this ritual takes place usually at the union of sacred rivers and streams.They pay homage to various deities. In addition to holy bathing and worship of shrines, certain auspicious foods like till laddoos (seasame seeds ball cakes), chaku (molasys), ghee (clarified butter), sweet potatoes, khichari (mixture of rice and lentils) and green leaf spinach are taken on this day. Families come together and share delights. Married daughters and families are invited to parental homes for festivities and blessings. Many homes have pujas (religious ceremonies) conducted by priests with chanting from holy books, for which they receive alms.

Like any other holy celebration Maghi Sankranti also has a legend of its own. It recalls that once a merchant from the town of Bhadgoan despite of his thriving business noticed that his supply of seasame seeds hadn't diminished. When looking into the matter he found an idol of the Lord Vishnu hidden deep beneath the seeds. Since, then on this day the Til Madhav idol is worshipped with the belief that god will continue to be generous in the supply of food and wealth on Bhadgoan community. It's also the day commemorating the death of Viswapitamaha, the elderly grandfather of two families of Pandavas and Kauravas, between whom the famous battle of Mahabharat took place.

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

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. 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. 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