It is said that there are more festivals in Nepal than there are days in the year. Most Nepali festivals are celebrated in homes and there is often little to see or photograph.

Naya Barsa & Bisket Jatra
The Nepali new year always falls in mid-April. The people of Bhaktapur celebrate the Bisket jatra (Death of the Snake Demons Festival) on this day. Two chariots are drawn pell-mell through the narrow alleyways of the town and a mighty tug of war ensues. The winners draw the chariots to their locale. A huge lingam pole is erected in the middle of the town by drunken revelers.

Mata Tirtha Aunsi
Mother’s Day is the day when children offer gifts, money and sweets to their mother and literally loot at their mother’s face. Those whose mother is dead make a ritual pilgrimage to Mata Tirtha Aunsi near Thankot.

Rato Machhendranath Jatra
The red (Rato) Machhendra festival, also known as Bhota Jatra or the Festival of the Vest, is held annually in Patan just before the monsoon on a date decided by astrologers. Both Hindus and Buddhists celebrate the festival. The idol of Machhendra is brought from Bungmati village to Pulchowk and paraded on a huge, tottering chariot through the alleys of Patan to jawalakhel. On an auspicious day, the king and queen of Nepal, along with top government officials and thousands of devotes, descend upon Jawalakhel to catch a glimpse of the jewel-encrusted bhoto (vest) that Machhendra has been safeguarding for centuries.

Buddha Jayanti
The main festival celebrating the full moon of Buddha’s birth is help in Lumbini, the birth place of Buddha. Similar festivals are help as Swayambhunath and Boudhanath. Processions carry the Buddha’s image and all through the night, glowing butter lamps and blazing electric lights celebrate Buddha’s birth. (Shrawan-july to August )

Nag Panchami
On the day of the snake God, Braman priests are hired by all households to cleanse their house by pasting a picture of the naga (snake) over their doorways. Pujas are performed and offerings of milk and honey are left for the snake god’s .the nagas are pacified through prayers and their protection and blessings are sought.

Gokarna Aunsi
Father’s Day is similar to Mother’s Day. People offer sweets, money and gifts to their fathers and  look at their father’s face. Those without fathers go to the Bagmati River at Gokarna to bathe and have their father’s soul blessed.

Janai Purnima
The festivals of the Sacred thread is also known as Raksha Bhandhan and is celebrating on the full moon day of August. Higher caste Hindu men changes the sacred hills of Nepal, devotes descend upon Shiva temples with a jhankri (medicine man) leading the throngs from each village.

Gai Jatra
During the Festival of the sacred Cows, children and adults dressed as  cows pass through the city streets to honor the souls of their relatives who have recently died. It is also the day on which newspapers are legally allowed to defame and slander any and all persons.

Krishna Jayanti
Usually this festival falls August-Sep, Krishna’s birthday celebrated with a huge festival at the stone. Hymns and religious songs are sung all night by devotees. The King and queen of Nepal pay their respects to Krishna at the Krishna Mandir.

Teej
On the day of fasting for wives, to ensure that their husbands have good fortune and a long life. Heavily bejeweled women wearing red saris descend upon Pashupatinath to dance and sing day away. Colorfully attired hill women trek down to Kathmandu for this festival.

Dasain (Durga Puja)
usually this festival is falls end of September-October. The 10 day festival of Dasain, celebrating Durga’s triumph over evil, is the biggest festival in Nepal. All creeds and castes participate. People visit their families all over the country to rejoice over the goddess Durga’s triumph.  

Tihar (Diwali)
The ‘festival of lights’ is the second-most important festival in Nepal. During it people pay homage to Laxmi, the goddess of wealth. Houses are given new coast of paint, hundreds of oil lamps and candles are lit, firecrackers are recklessly tossed into the streets and most households are packed with men gambling the night away. The goddess gamblers who have made her happy.

Losar
Generally this festival falls in February-March. A two week festival of drunken revelry commemorates the Tibetan New Year in February. Though it’s strictly a Buddhist affair, Hindus (such as Tamangs) who believe in both religious also participate. The Sherpas are likely to be in a drunken stupor for two weeks, so treks tend to be fantastic at this time.  

Shiva Ratri
On the sacred night dedicated to Shiva, thousands of  piligrems descend upon Pashupatinath, the holies Hindu temple in the world-the abode of Shiva. Bonfires burn throughout the night to seek Shiva’s blessings.

All wood that is not nailed down is stone by urchins who then spend all night basking in the glow of Shiva’s glorious bonfires.

Holi
Nepal’s water throwing festival is a merry affair during which people douse each other with buckets of scarlet liquid and daub red powder on their faces.

The youngsters nowadays use acrylic paint and sewer water to enjoy themselves Hashish cakes and bhaang (a cannabis-flavoured drink) are legally sold on this day.