Maghe Sankranti
Nepal, January
The event means, the first day of the month when the sun enters that part of the zodiac which is symbolized by Capricorn. It starts on its northward journey in its heavenly course on this day, thus announcing the commencement of the Uttarayan. The Nepalese belief this day marks the division of the Winter and Summer solstice. Bathing in rivers is prescribed for this day. Feasting with rich food of special preparation is common in the family.

Gaijatra ( Cow Festival)
Nepal,
During the festival, all families who have mourned the loss of a loved one during the previous year chooses the youngest person to lead a parade through the streets. There is dancing and singing and the sacred cows who wander the streets are treated to special food and gifts.

Maha Shivaratri
Katmandu, February
This is the most famous and celebrated festival of Nepal which attracts large crowds from far places both in India and Nepal. The festival is consecrated in honor of Lord Shiva. It is observed by bathing and holding of a religious fast. All Shiva shrines become the places of visit for dracaena, but the greatest attraction of all is held by the temple of Pashupatinath in Katmandu. Religious Hindus worship Lord Shiva by offering flowers, garlands, bel patra(leaves of 'bet' f rub), fruits, coins and also by chanting prayers and hymns.

Sri Panchami or Basant Panchami
Court-yard of Hanuman Dhoka Palace, February
Sri Panchami announces the advent of the spring season in Nepal. On this day a religious function known as Basanta Shrawan is held at the court-yard of Hanuman Dhoka Palace. On this occasion Geet Govinda (Verses written by Poet Jaya Dev) is recited by the royal priest and hyms are sung by a concert of musician in accompaniment with musical instruments. His Majesty the King graces the function.

Holi
Nepal, Feb / March
Holi, an ancient festival which originally celebrated Lord Krishna's victory over evil, is one such event. Holi, or the Festival of Colours, is held each year. Young people, covered with brightly coloured paints, run through the streets, whooping with joy and dousing anyone who is outside with their coloured powders and bright, liquid dyes.

All day children and adolescents roam the footpaths, armed with red vermilion powder, black, brown and orange paste and small balloons filled with blue, green and yellow water. Anyone caught outside is fair game and tourists, businessmen and even policemen can be seen, their faces smeared with coloured paste, their hair discoloured with henna or vermilion powder and their clothes streaked with brightly coloured dyes.

Buddha Jayanti
Nepal, April / May
The celebration commemorates the birth, and the death of Gautama Buddha, the founder preacher of Buddhism. Prayers are sung and worship is offered by the devotees in shrines throughout the country.

Naga Panchami
Nepal, July-August
The celebration is devoted to the Nagas, the divine serpents. Pictures of the Naga are stuck over the doorposts of all the houses in the morning as protective spells. This is also the day for the beginning of Gunialakhe dance in Kathmandu in which persons wearing masks of a demon entertain the people with their gimmick.

Teej and Rishi Panchani
Nepal, August-September
Teej or Haritalika is purely a women's festival. These two days follow in close succession and are the days of observing religious fast for womenfolks of Nepal. On the day of Teei all the women observe fasting for twenty four hours for the longetivity of their husbands life. The Panchami is mainly devoted to cleaning the body by taking ritual bath in rivers for any sin or impurity the womenfolks may have committed during the past year.

Bala Chaturdashi
Nepal, November-December
Pilgrims from all over Nepal throng to the Pashupati temple and burn oil lamp to the god for the whole night. On the next day, the worshipers takes a holy dip in the sacred water of the Bagmati, to pay homeage to the godds.

Tihar

Kathmandu, December, 2000
A celebration usually held in December, marks the begining of peace between ,Ganesh) (God)and his father, after young Ganesh was forced to live with the head of an elephant. The Festival of Lights, as it is known, is marked by the lighting of small butter lamps at night and the hospitable offering of sweet meets to strangers.

This linking of animism and Hinduism is a truly bizarre ritual which often results in businesses being closed for up to 10 days. It begins with crowds of people, dressed in their best clothes, flocking into Kathmandu from the nearby towns and villages. All the family groups lead a young, healthy and finely groomed goat on a leash. This continues for two or three days until every street is full of people wandering around with young goats on a lead as if they were the family dog.