Festivals in Nepal

Bijaya Dashami

Dashain is celebrated as largest festival in Nepal in post-monsoon period when the sky is clearest, the air is cleanest and the rice is ready for harvesting. Dashain is the longest and the most auspicious festival in Nepal among Hindu & Om Kar family.

Dasain is celebrated in excellence during the bright lunar fortnight ending on the day of the full moon. Thorough out the festival goddess Durga in all her manifestations are worshiped with innumerable pujas, abundant offerings and thousands of animal sacrifices for the ritual holy blood bathing

The first day is called Ghatasthapana, which means establishing of the holy water vessel, which represents the goddess Durga. Barley seeds are planted in it.

The seventh day Phulapati is the offering of flowers and leaves, carried by runners from Gorkha to Kathmandu.

The eighth day is known the 'Maha Asthami'. The night of the Maha Asthami is called 'Kal Ratri', the dark night. Hundreds of goats, sheep and buffaloes are sacrificed at the mother goddess temples

The tenth day is the special day known as "VijayDashami'. On this day tika and jamara are taken with blessing from the elders & superiors. Teeka & Jamara continues till full moon day & the festival overs.

Nawami Celebration & Sightseeing in goddess temples

Temples of mother goddess are crowded with people from morning to evening. Animals are slaughtered to honour Durga the goddess of victory and might and to seek her blessing. Military bands play war tunes, guns boom and officers with in full uniform stand there.All factories, vehicles & machinery instruments are worshiped. We also offers sacrifices to all moving machinery like cars, aero planes, trucks for protection for vehicles and their occupants against accidents during the year. O/N Hotel

Bijaya Dasami Festival Day.

On Bijaya Dasami day we get tika and jamara from our elders and receive their blessing. We visit superior in their home and get Tika & Jamara from them.On this day family members from far away and relatives come for a visit & receive tika from the head of the family. This function continues for four days. After four days of rushing around and meeting your relatives Dashain ends on the full moon day, the fifteenth day.

Departure from Program 

Enjoy a day exploring some of the quieter streets of Kathmandu, stocking up on souvenirs and presents for those back home.  This evening you have a farewell dinner, you will be picked up in good time.

Dumji Festival In Everest Region

Dumji is one of the biggest festival in the Everest Area among Sherpa community. It is celebrated every year in May or June. Lama Sangwa Dorjee was the first monk to introduced the Dumji festival in Pangboche around 360 years ago in the auspicious occasion of birth anniversary of Guru Rimpoche. Dumji festival is celebrated at the famous Buddhist monasteries at Namche, Khumjung, Pangboche, Rimjung and Junbeshi and on this trek but the celebration Dumji at Khumjung monastery is something more precious. The exact dates of the festival may be different   from one place to another as the head monk of monastery decide the schedule of festival. The ceremonies are presided over by the senior monk of the monastery and include hilarious monk dances and traditional Sherpa dances.

Samanism Festival in Gosainkunda

Nepal's one of most famous pilgrimage  places for both Buddhism and Hinduism is Holy Gosaikunda lake situated at an altitude of about 4381 m. Gosainkunda is situated in north east of Kathmandu surrounded by mountain. Each year during Full Moon day in August, thousands of Buddhists and Hindu pilgrims visit Gosainkunda for pilgrimage. 

Gosaikund Lake is habitation of Lord Shiva. According to religious faith channel carries water from the lake directly to the tank at the Kumbheshwar Temple in Patan (Kathmandu Valley), 60 km south west. In the occasion of Full Moon Festival, Shamans from all over Nepal arrive to the lake and have religious dancing and singing ceremony.

On Janai Purnima, a full moon day of August , Hindus chant the Gayatri Mantra and change new Sacred thread called Janai, while a Rakshya Bandhan, a red or yellow protection cord, is tied around the wrists of other Hindus and Buddhists by the priest. The Pilgrims take bath in the sacred lake of Gosainkunda for curing body & getting good luck from Shiva.  

Mani Rimdu Festival

Mani Rimdu Festival is a Buddhist ritual festival held at Tengboche Monastery  every  year in October-November according to the Tibetan lunar calendar. Mani Rimdu is the most celebrated festival among the Sherpa ethnic group as the Tengboche Rinpoche presiding over the festival offers wong blessing (empowerment) to the people. This festival consists of nine days of ceremonies and meditation . This is concluded by a special blessing ceremony given by Tengboche Rinpoche to the ordinary, and the world famous   Mask Dances are performed by the monks at Tengboche Monastery.

As we trek through Khumbu region, we will be visiting several monasteries and local homes to see the Sherpa traditions and way of life.Mani Rimdu festival trek is in fact a Everest view trek. This trek is commenced from Lukla after 42 minutes scenic mountain flight. Namche Bazar on the way is main attraction of trek which is the largest trade center of Khumbu valley. Namche also offers great views of Mt. Everest(8,848m) the highest mountain in the world. Tenboche is one day additional trek from Namche where there is world famous Monastery of Buddhism. Tenboche provide you brilliant view of Mt. Everest & Mt. Amadablam which is known as sexy mountain!

Itinerary:

11 Nov 2013 Day 01 :   Kathmandu arrival (1300m)

Namaste & welcome to Nepal. It Is your first day in Kathmandu. We greet   you with Mala & Khada at Kathmandu airport. We transfer you to hotel. After refreshment, we brief you shortly about next day program. 

12th Nov: 2013 Day 02: Half day sightseeing & preparation day

Breakfast is served at hotel at 8:00 Am then a half day sightseeing tour to world heritage sights of art, culture & religion is enjoyed with our experienced city tour guide. On completion of sightseeing tour small meeting is arranged at your hotel with trekking guide. There will be last hour gear checking. Guide will be suggested you to add necessary equipments or remove some unnecessary items.O/N Hotel

13 Nov 2013 Day 03 : Kathmandu to Lukla (2886m) Trek to Phakding (2652m) -3 hours

Flight to Lukla is ofter at early morning & it takes approximately 42 minutes.There will be breakfast break at Lukla & you will descend 200m during three hours trekking .We enjoy great views of mountains such as Nupla (5885m) above Kongde Ridge, Kusum Kang (6367m appears on the right a little later.  We will be following the northern left   bank of the Dudh Kosi River.O/N Lodge

14 Nov 2013 Day 03 : Phakding to Namche Bazaar (3440m) -6 hours trek.O/N Guest House 

We cross suspension bridge and begin to climb up to Monjo (2800m) and on to the gateway to the Sagamartha National Park. There will be unique views of Kusum Kangaru, Thamserku, Konde-Ro and Tawache Peak before arriving at Namche.

15 Nov 2013 Day 04 : Rest day in and around Namche Bazaar for acclimatization.

Namche Bazaar is a trad center of upper Khumbu region. On Friday & Saturday,  there will be market with local products. Today we can either make excursion in village or explore Syangboche & return to Namche.O/N Guest House

16 Nov 2013 Day 05 : Namche Bazaar to Tengboche (3867m) for 5 hrs.O/N Guest House 

You start trekking  enjoying  excellent views of Ama Dablam and from Sanasa path descends to Phunki Thanga from where you ascend two hours to Tengboche. You will reach to a stone gate which marks the entrance to Tengboche, the most religious centre of the Khumbu region.

17 Nov 2013 Day 06  : Enjoy First day of Mani Rimdu Festival .O/N Guest House 

The mani rimdu festival is accepted as a victory of Buddhism over the ancient Bon religion. The monks with elaborate masks perform ritualistic dances .The festival begins with the blowing of horns in the afternoon of the first day. In a while the abbot of the monastery being accompanied by other monks in their maroon robes, arrives on the stage. The people & follower of Buddhism then rise to their feet to get blessings, holy water and auspicious pellets from the Abbot for good luck and longevity.O/N Guest House.

18 Nov 2013 Day  07 : Enjoy Second Day Mani Rimbu Festival.O/N Guest House 

Blowing an orchestra of cymbals, horns, flutes, and conch shells, the start of the second day's celebration is announced followed by the masked dances in which monks in colorful robes and huge glowering masks perform ritual dances symbolizing the destruction of evil spirits. In one of the dances, a group of monks clad in bright silk attire and black headgear perform ablution to the gods and pray for divine protection from the forces of evil. The performances continue until dark.O/N

19 Nov 2013 Day 08 : Third day of Mani Rimdu festival at Tengboche. O/N Guest House

Torma , which is made of dough are consigned to a sacred fire on the last day. This implies the end of negative forces and the advent of a blessed new year. 

20 Nov 2013 Day 09 : Trek Tengboche to Namche (3440m/11,286ft) for 4 to 5 hours. O/N Guest House

21 Nov 2013 Day 10 : Trek Namche to Lukla (2800m/9185ft) for 6 to 7 hours. O/N Guest House.

22 Nov 2013 Day 11 : Lukla to Kathmandu (1300m)

We fly early morning for 42 minutes & transfer to hotel

24 Nov 2013 Day 13 : Free from Progrm