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Showing posts from August, 2018
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Gai Jatra Gai is cow and Jatra is Procession (Festival). Gai Jatra festival, the procession of cows, generally falls in the month of Bhadra, which correspond to English calendar months of  August/September.  This year Gai Jatra is on August 27, 2018. That is on Bhadra 11, 2075 BS.  The festival of cows is one of the most popular festivals in Nepal. It is said people in ancient time started worshiping Yamaraj,"the god of death" on this day.  However, the modern form of celebration of Gai Jatra came into existence in the medieval period of Nepal during the reign of Malla Kings. The present form of Gai Jatra with humorous acts, parody, comedy and was started by then King of Kathmandu Pratap Malla. He made Rani Pokhari (Pond) in the heart of Kathmandu and build a temple in the middle of the same pond. Traditionally every family who had death in the family during the preceding year must participate in a procession through the streets of Kathmandu le
Janai Purnima Janai Purnima is one of the festival of hindus, it is taken as a day when the men from the Brahmin community undertake the annual changing of their holy thread that marks their coming of age ceremony. Early morning, they take a bath, visit nearby temple and from the hands of a Pundit, they change the holy thread or Janai. Besides, it is also the day when pundits tie ‘Raksha Bandhan Doro’ in the hands of the Brahmin and Chhetri community. The doro or the thread is symbolic of the well wishes of the loved ones for safety and happiness. The thread that is tied on this day is supposed to be worn all throughout the day and until a few months later which is then tied to the tail of the cow in Tihar or Diwali. This is supposed to bring good fortunes and safeguard the person further in his/her life. Janai Purnima is also the day when good food is prepared and eaten by the members of the family together. There is a special dish prepared on this day which is known as ‘