Everything festive in Nepal traditionally begins
with something religious and moves with spontaneous spirit
into a pleasant family feast. This is because, for Nepali's,
relegion has always influenced and has been the core of Nepali
culture.
Most of the festivals celebrated in Nepal
are religious. However, they can be generally divided into
four sections keeping in mind the main aspects of the festival
emphasized:
- Religious: These
festivals are specially designed to honor a certain god
or goddess. For instance, Bada Dashain, the festival of
Devi Durga, the universal mother goddess also known as
Kali.
- Historical: The historical
festivals are celebrated to keep alive memories of events
of importance. Gaijatra, was introduced by Jaya Prakash
Malla.
- Agricultural: Since
Nepal is an agricultural country there are different festivals
like Laxmi Puja which mark the different seasons of harvesting,
planting etc.
- Seasonal: The different
seasonal festivals are celebrated in order to mark the
beginning of special seasons. Holi or Fagu is the festival
inspired by spring, the season of colours.
- Legendary: These
festivals are based on legends than on any reliable historical
record. Ghantakarna is a festival, which is also based
on a legend. It is celebrated as a great relief from the
death of a most dreaded legendary monster-Ghantakarna.
One of the interesting ways to understand
the beauty and richness of Nepali culture is through its festivals.
During festivals in Nepal, cultural dances, songs and performances
are practiced. These cultural treasures make the festivals
interesting and entertaining. People find more joy participating
in performances and watching others perform and so, no festivals
are idle gatherings. Instead, they are lively and purposeful.
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