Living culture
Festivals of Nepal
- Baishakh/JesthaNewar
Rato Machhindranath Jatra
Nepal's longest chariot festival, honouring the rain god Rato Machhindranath in Patan.
Baishakh/Jestha · Apr–Jun
Lalitpur
- BhadraHindu
Rishi Panchami
Women's festival of ritual purification honouring the seven sages (Saptarishi).
Bhadra · Aug–Sep
Across Nepal
- KartikHindu (Maithil)
Sama Chakeva
Ten-day Mithila festival celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters.
Kartik · Oct–Nov
Mithila (Terai districts)
- ChaitraNewar
Seto Machhindranath Jatra (Jana Baha Dyah)
Three-day chariot procession of White Machhindranath through Kathmandu.
Chaitra · Mar–Apr
Kathmandu
- MaghHindu
Shree Panchami (Saraswati Puja)
Day of worshipping Saraswati, goddess of knowledge; children begin their education on this day.
Magh · Jan–Feb
Across Nepal
- BaishakhKoch/Rajbanshi/Tajpuriya
Siruwa (Jud Shital)
Three-day New Year festival of eastern Terai indigenous communities with water, mud and colours.
Baishakh · Apr
Eastern Terai
- JesthaNewar
Sithi Nakha
Newar festival dedicated to Kumar Kartikeya and the cleaning of water sources.
Jestha · May–Jun
Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur
- MaghTamang
Sonam Lhosar
New Year of the Tamang community, celebrated on Magh Shukla Pratipada.
Magh · Jan–Feb
Bagmati
- PoushGurung
Tamu Lhosar
New Year of the Gurung (Tamu) community, celebrated on Poush 15.
Poush · Dec
Gandaki
- KartikHindu
Tihar (Deepawali)
Five-day festival of lights honouring crows, dogs, cows, oxen and the goddess Laxmi.
Kartik · Oct–Nov
Across Nepal
- JesthaBuddhist
Tiji
Three-day masked-dance festival in Lo Manthang re-enacting the triumph of good over evil.
Jestha · May
Mustang
- BaishakhKirat
Ubhauli
Kirat festival marking the upward seasonal migration, praying for good crops.
Baishakh · Apr–May
Eastern hills
