Maghe Sankranti

Maghe or Makar Sankranti is one of the most significant festivals celebrated by Nepalese. Sankranti refers to the first day of every month. This is the reason why the festival is called Maghe Sankranti. This festival is celebrated to mark the end of month Poush - a month in which all religious ceremonies are forbidden. Apparently, it signifies the beginning of the holy season.

According to Mahabharat, Bhisma, who had the power to control his own death had chosen to die on the same day. So , it is believed that those who die on this day achieve Mokshya i.e. they will be free from the suffering of life, death and rebirth.

On this day, people take a holy bath on holy rivers early in the morning which is known as ' Makar Snan'. Sankranti fairs are held on banks of holy rivers like  Trishuli and kali Gandaki. The Kankai river as well as Devghat are famous for holy bath and pilgrims from places as far as India come to take a holy dip in these rivers.

Pic: Holy Bath in Gaighat, Source: ecs.com.np

The festival is referred to as Maghi in the Tharu community. This is one of their biggest festivals and lasts longer than in other communities. They have a huge feast starting from the end of Poush to 3rd of Magh. Newars on the other hand  refer this festival as Maghe Sangranti Ghyo Chaku Sanun.  On this day they massage their body and head with Sesame oil. 

Photo By: Amish Regmi

The festival is particularly special because of the varieties of food items that is prepared on this day. The main food item on this day is laddu made of teel (sesame seed fudge)  and bhuja (puffed rice),  sweet potatoes , yam and  chaku (molasys). These food are healthy and bring warmth to the body in the cold season.

Photo By: Bikalpa Gautam

Hope Maghe Sankranti not only brings a warm season this year but also warmth in the heart of all Nepalese.

Nepal- Coolest Place To Travel On Earth

'What do you have in your wish list for 2016?' The most common answer that we have heard for this question is 'Travelling to New Places' . With the year end, National Geographic Traveler has released its coolest destination list for 2016, with Nepal ranked as one of the top 16 coolest and must visit places on Earth.

 

  Khumbu, Nepal,  Photo By: Jack Brauer

Nepal, a small landlocked country, situated between two giants- India and China, is a land of Diversities. You will find the deepest gorge to the highest mountains here in Nepal. The friendly and welcoming nature of Nepalese people will definitely want to make you stay longer in this country.

 

Ama Bhujung, Nepal, Photo By: Dhilung Kirat

The devastating earthquake of April 2015 had deteriorated the tourism industry in this himalayan kingdom. But the beautiful place is yet again safe to visit and has made a comeback in International Tourism. 

 Source: National Geographic

Once in your lifetime, you would definitely want to see the snow clad mountains, take a ride in the wild forests, see the rare animal species, visit the temples/monasteries listed under world heritage, visit the lakes situated in the highest altitude , make a wild bungee jump, paraglide over the eye catching mountains, watch a cool waterfall and if you are determined enough, conquer the highest peak in the world- Mt. Everest. 

 

Mustang, Nepal, Photo By: Ravin Man Bajracharya

If you are an adventure lover and go gaga over naturally beautiful places, Nepal is a place you should definitely visit.  Pack your bags and start your new year by visiting this exotic place and the memories will be enough to keep you refreshed throughout the year.

 

Everest region, Nepal, Source: tumblr.com

Chhat Festival : Festival of God Sun

Chhath Parva is one of the important Hindu festivals specially celebrated by natives of Mithila region. This festival is dedicated to god Sun. The Sun is called Surya in Sanskrit and Chhath Parba is thanks giving to lord Surya for sustaining life on earth and to worship him to provide his continuous blessings to mankind.

Janakpur during Chatth Festival. Photo By: Sunit Shekhar

The Sun, source power of nature, considered the god of energy and lord of the life-force, is worshiped in Chhath to promote well-being, prosperity and progress. Hindu people believe sun helps to cure many illness and diseases. Sun is considered as source of healing too. Sun is also considered as token of stability and prosperity. Therefore, people worship sun to ensure the longevity and prosperity of family members, friends and beloved ones.

Rani Pokhari during Chatth Festival. Photo By: Sajan Maharjan

The rituals of the festival are rigorous and are observed over a period of four days. They include holy bathing, fasting and abstaining from drinking water (Vratta), standing in water for long periods of time, and offering prashad and arghya to the setting and rising sun.

Rani Pokhari during Chatth Festival. Photo By: Sajan Maharjan

Chhath Matra (छठ मन्त्र)

एष ब्रम्हा च विष्णुष्च शिव: स्कन्द: प्रजापती: ।

महेन्द्रोधनद: कालो यम: सोमो ह्यपाम्पति: ।।

एनमापत्सु क्रिच्छेषु कन्तारेषु भयेषु च ।

किर्तयन पुरुष्: कष्चिन्नवसिदती राघव ।।।

आदित्य्म सर्बकर्तंरं कलाद्वदाद्शम्युतमं ।

पद्महस्त्द्वयं वन्दे सर्वलोकैकभस्करमं ।।

Govardhan Puja | Mha Puja : 4th day of Tihar

The fourth day of Tihar is Goru Puja, Govardhan Puja, Mha Puja and Nepal Sambat. Govardhan Puja is celebrated as the day Krishna defeated Indra by lifting the Govardhan hill.

Nepal is mostly an agricultural country so oxen are considered important animals as they help in ploughing the fields. That is why on this day they are worshiped with tika, garland and offered nice food. Also this day small hillocks made out of cow dung is worshiped.

History
It is believed that once there was a drought in a village in Vridavan. The villagers were very worried and they wanted to perform a big Puja in honour of Lord Indra, the God of rain. But Lord Krishna convinced them that, they should not pray to Lord Indra since it was the Mount Govardhan that brought the rain and not Lord Indra. This made Lord Indra very angry and in his wrath he sent forth a big thunderstorm to flood the village. Lord Krishan lifted the Mount Govardhan as an umbrella above the village to protect the villagers and their cattle from the rain and flood.

Mha Puja
In newari language (Newa), “Mha” means body. On this day the Newa people worship their inner self in the evening by worshipping themselves. They believe that the soul never dies and our body is only a vehicle and so we need to understand and respect our body as it is the chosen vehicle for this incarnation. This Puja is believed to bring prosperity and physical well-being.

Laxmi Puja : 3rd day of Tihar

The third day of Tihar is “Laxmi Puja” where reverence is shown to the Goddess Laxmi by placing small oil lamps or candles inside and outside their homes. They pray for prosperity and well-being for their families and businesses.

According to legend, Laxmi, the goddess of wealth and Vishnu's wife, visits her devotees and bestows gifts and blessings upon each of them. To welcome the Goddess, devotees clean their houses, decorate them with finery and lights, and prepare sweet treats and delicacies as offerings. Devotees believe the happier the Goddess Laxmi is with the visit, the more she blesses the family with health and wealth.

History
According to Hindu Holy epics, goddess Laxmi is the daughter of rishi Bhrigu. When gods were sent to exile by the demons she took refuge in the ocean of milk. She was found during “Samundra Manthan”. Goddess Laxmi is believed to be the goddess of good fortune, wealth, beauty, and light.  It is said the blessing of Laxmi is always with those who do hard work.

Source: Wikipedia

On Laxmi Puja in Nepal, people buy gold and silver, precious gemstones, new utensils of copper, brass and bronze as a sign of good luck, prosperity, money and wealth. These are then used to Laxmi at night. Nepalese people perform this worship at a place cleansed with holy water, cow dung and red mud; they light the whole house with candles and lamps. From Laxmi Puja, Deusi and Bhailo is played by gathering with friends.

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Kukur Tihar : 2nd Day of Tihar

Tihar is one of the biggest festivals of Nepal celebrated by the Hindus. This festival is celebrated for five days, focusing on the relationship of human with different creatures and God.
The second day of Tihar is an interesting one, the day in which dogs are worshiped and honored. Dogs are considered to be loyal friend of humans. But this is not the only reason why they are worshiped on this day. The reason behind worshiping dogs during Tihar has some historical reasons and significance too.

Source: Bhakti Rasayana

According to Rigveda, a sacred book on Hinduism, Samara (the mother of dogs) had assisted Indra ( The Lord of heaven) in retrieving stolen cattle.
According to another hindu mythology dogs are considered as the messenger of Lord Yamraj, the God of Death.  A dog is also said to guard the gates of the afterlife.

Source: theodysseyonline.com

On the day of Kukur Tihar, people offer mala (garland made of flowers) , tika (sacred colored powder) and delicious food to the dogs. People cherish the strong bond between humans and dogs on this day.

 

Not many would know the mythological reason behind celebrating this festival. However, these days people give more importance to this festival because of the relationship they have with their favorite pet.  Those who do not have a pet at home go in search of stray dogs and put garlands and tika to them. Even the dogs are excited when they are offered delicious food early in the morning but until the day end, they are so much pampered and obsessed with food that they don’t  give a glance even to their favorite food.

Via vegmagazine.net

So how are you pampering your dog today? And how are you celebrating this festival? Do share with us.

Happy Dashain 2072

दशैको पीङ जस्तै चन्चलता कायम रहोस्

चङ्गा झै उचाइ पुग्न पाओस

सदा देवीको आशीर्वाद रहुन

नीर्मल बनोस भावना

बीजया दशमी 2072 को यही छ मंगलमय शुभकामना !!!

Fact#12 : Nepal is the land of Gurkhas

Fact#12 : Nepal is the land of Gurkhas. Gurkhas are considered as the most courageous and powerful soldiers in the world.

‪#‎FascinatingNepal‬ ‪#‎Gurkhas‬

Fact#11 : Chandra Bahadur Dangi, Shortest Man in the world

Fact#11 : Chandra Bahadur Dangi, 72, poses for a picture with his certificates after being announced as the world's shortest man living, as well as shortest person ever measured by the Guinness World Records, in Kathmandu February 26, 2012. Dangi was measured at 21.5 inches (54.60cm) by the Guinness World Record, beating former record holder Junrey Balawing of the Philippines, who stands at a height of 23.5 inches (60 cm).

‪#‎FascinatingNepal‬ ‪#‎ShortestMan‬

Fact#10 : World’s most extreme (longest, steepest and fastest) zip-line is built at Sarangkot, Nepal

Fact#10 : World’s most extreme (longest, steepest and fastest) zip-line is built at Sarangkot, Nepal. A zip-line rider rides down the cable for two kilometers and gets to view surrounding peaks of Machhapuchhre and Annapurna.

Fact#9: Elephant polo game was originated in Meghauli, Nepal

Fact#9: Elephant polo game was originated in Meghauli, Nepal. Tiger Tops in Nepal is the headquarters of elephant polo and the site of the World Elephant Polo Championships.

‪#‎FascinatingNepal‬ ‪#‎NepalFacts‬ ‪#‎ElephantPolo‬

Fact#8 : Nepal is a habitat for about 900 known species of birds

Fact#8 : Nepal is a habitat for about 900 known species of birds i.e. about 10% of world’s total bird species. This makes it a wonderland for bird watching.

Featuring: Danfe (Nepal's National Bird)
‪#‎FascinatingNepal‬ ‪#‎NepalFacts‬ ‪#‎Birds‬

Fact#7: The tallest grassland in the world is in Chitwan, Nepal

Fact#7: The tallest grassland in the word is situated in Chitwan, Nepal.
Photo: Darpan Photography

‪#‎FascinatingNepal‬ ‪#‎NepalFacts‬ ‪#‎Chitwan‬

Fact#6: Tilicho Lake is the highest lake in the World

Fact#6: Tilicho lake is the lake situated in the highest altitude in the world. It is 4,919 m high in the Annapurna range of the Himalayas in Manang district of Nepal.

‪#‎FascinatingNepal‬ ‪#‎NepalFacts‬ ‪#‎TilichoLake‬

Fact#5 : Kali Gandaki gorge is the deepest in the world.

Fact#5 : Kali Gandaki gorge is the deepest in the world.

The Kali Gandaki Gorge is the Gorge of the Kali Gandaki, by some measures is the deepest gorge in the world, being 5,571 m or 18,278 ft lower than Annapurna I which bounds it at one point.
‪#‎FascinatingNepal‬ ‪#‎NepalFacts‬ ‪#‎KaliGandaki‬

Janai Purnima and Rakshya Bandhan

Rakshya Bandhan and Janai Purnima are observed on full moon ( purnima) day during Shrawan/ Bhadra. It is an important festival celebrated by Hindus all over the world.

Rakshya Bandhan
Rakhshya is a sacred colorful thread that is tied around wrists by senior member of the family or a priest and this sacred thread is believed to be symbol of protection. The following mantra is chanted while tying rakhsya around one’s wrist

"एन बद्धु बलि राजा दानबिन्द्रो महावल

तेन त्वं  बध नामी रक्षे मा चल मा चल"

Meaning: 
“I tie on you (the devotee) the raksha which was tied on Bali, the King of demons.
Therefore Oh Raksha! Do not ever fail to protect this devotee, do not ever fail.” (Bhavishyottara Puran : 137/20)

The same day sisters put Rakhi, which is also a sacred thread, around their brother’s wrist. The brothers on the other hand give gifts or Dakshina (cash gift) to their sisters. Rakhi is believed to strengthen the bond between brothers and sisters and also protects the brother from any kind of evil. Rakhi symbolizes the sister's love and prayers for her brother's well-being, and the brother's lifelong vow to protect her.

Janai Purnima
On this day, Hindu men, especially the Brahmins and Chettris perform their annual change of Janai and all who celebrate this festival put a scared thread around their left neck to the right armpits below. Janai is regarded as a symbol of body, speech and mind. Men usually go to sacred rivers and ponds to take a holy bath and change this thread or janai.

Source: www.fishtail.org

Another wonderful aspect of Janai Purnima/Rakshya Bandhan is preparation of Kwati. Kwati is a delicious soup of nine types of sprouted beans. Kwati is a special soup prepared on this particular day by all those who celebrate the festival. Kwati is a rich source of protein and its consumption is beneficial for health.

Source: dwitnews.com

Godawari Kunda Mela 2072

Godawari Kunda Entrance Gate on August 18 (Start Day)

Picture By: Subodh Maharjan | www.subodhmaharjan.com.np

प्रत्येक १२ बर्षमा सुर्य र ब्रेहस्पति सिंह राशिमा प्रवेश गरेको बेलामा भाद्र १ गते देखी एक महिनासम्म गोदावरीमा बिशेस मेला लाग्दछ । यस मेलामा गोदावरी स्नान गर्नाले सम्पूर्ण पापहरु पखालिन्छ र रोगहरु नास हुन्छ भन्ने बिस्वास रहिआएको हुँदा देश-बिदेश बाट पनि भक्ताजनाहरु आउने गरिन्छ ।

Godawari is considered as one of the sacred site due to Godawari Kunda (Godawari Spring Pond) Kathmandu Lalitpur. The temple of Siddheshwor Mahadev is beside the Inner Kunda. It is believed that water in the Kunda is originated from the sacred place in India also known as Godawari. There are five Dhunge Dhara (stone tap: popular ancient architecture) from where the pure kunda water flows to outer Kunda from the inner Kunda.

People from around Nepal come to take dip into the Kunda during Godawari Mela (festival). This Mela takes place in every 12 years in the autumn season and people from around the country participate in the fair. The festival runs for about month celebrating different kind of rituals.

History

The festival is said to date back at least 1,000 years to the Lichhavi period, and was later adopted by the Malla kings of the Valley. The crystal clear waters of the springs of Godavari below Phulchoki, the highest mountain on the Valley rim, are said to be linked to a river of the same name in southern India.

Godavari’s holy pond with five dhunge dhara (stone spouts) is believed to have been formed when the oceans were churned and one drop of amrit (nectar) that came out fell on Godavari.

Bahadev Baral, writer of Godavari Mela

Source: Nepali Times

Bahadev Baral, from Godavari has written a book on the Godavari Mela and quotes the legend that 

one of the seven saints of Hinduism, Gautam Rishi, was once grazing his cattle when one of his cows fell off a cliff and died. He asked Lord Shiva to help, and was told to pray to Ganga. That night the river goddess appeared in a dream and the next day the waters of the Ganga somehow came to Godavari, at a time of the auspicious conjunction of Jupiter with the Sun – which happens every 12 years. 

The saint is then supposed to have built the Siddheshwar Temple beside the pond at Godavari Kunda. From that day, the Godavari Mela occurs on this same day Ganga appeared to Rishi, every 12 years.

Photo By: Bikram Rai

Article by: Subodh Maharjan | www.subodhmaharjan.com.np

Reference: Nepali Times

Fact#4 : Nepal is the only country in the world home to a living goddess, the Kumari

Fact#4 : Nepal is the only country in the world home to a living goddess, the Kumari.

‪#‎FascinatingNepal‬ ‪#‎NepalFacts‬ ‪#‎Kumari‬

Fact#3 : Nepal is the only country in the world with a non-rectangular Flag

Fact#3 : Nepal is the only country in the world with a non-rectangular Flag.
Nepal Flag Design: Combination of two red pennons with a blue border, defaced with a sun-and-crescent and a moon.

Fact#2 : Mount Everest is situated in Nepal

Fact#2 : Mount Everest, also known in Nepal as Sagarmāthā and in Tibet as Chomolungma, is Earth's highest mountain. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. Its peak is 8,850 metres above sea level.