Holi Festival in Nepal delineates the victory over the darkness as well as the defeat of the demonic Holika. This cheerful festival is referred to as the “Celebrations of Colors” or “ love to color” which is also named “Fagu Purnima’ in the local language. This festivity of color is solemnized during the late winter, to welcome spring (falls in mid-March), in both Nepal and India.
Holi is primarily practiced throughout India and Nepal, where Hindus have been the most numerous since ancestral times. Over the years, not only Hindus but other religions too have become increasingly interested in this festival.
The ambiance of the color is loved by every age group, especially adult ones. People celebrate this Holi festival by roaming around the town and sprinkling colorful powders, colored water, and water balloons on passers-by while dancing and singing. This is the way of conveying their warm greetings and well wishes to each other.
Holi in Nepal is celebrated every year on the day following the full moon in the Hindu month of Phalguna. Whenever you are in Nepal you too can indulge in the colours of this festival. For this, it’s better if you gain a proper idea about Holi Celebration in Nepal.
We recommend that you read each paragraph attentively because this article is incredibly helpful. I’ve gathered detailed information on Holi, such as why it’s celebrated when it’s celebrated in Nepal, the tale behind Holi, how to celebrate Holi, and why it’s known as the “Festival of Colours”. You will get enough information about the Holi festival in Nepal through this informative blog.
Why is Holi Celebrated?
Holi is assumed to have emerged as a measure to safeguard individuals from a myriad of illnesses as the seasons alter from winter to spring. In ancient times, Holi sades were customarily prepared with floral extracts and a mixture of water, neem, Mehendi, turmeric, and many other herbs to make the color.
The color remedies were used to cure skin problems, fever, allergies, and many other treatments. Holi shades have been customarily prepared from flower extracts and botanicals such as Neem, Turmeric, Mehendi, Kumkum, and others. Natural colors are used to work as Ayurvedic medicines.
But Nowadays, Holi’s medical benefit has been lost because of the synesthetic hues. Because the chemically synthesized bright colors are ubiquitous during this colorful festival. Many people face skin irritation, allergies, pimples, and many more problems. On the other hand, people cherish the Holi festival in Nepal without giving a damn about that day.
When is Holi celebrated in Nepal?
The Hindu festival, Holi, is celebrated on the final full moon day of the lunar calendar. The precise day of Holi varies from year to year. Holi Celebration in Nepal in 2024, will commence on Sunday, March 24th.
According to this year’s Nepali calendar, the Holi festival 2024 falls in the month of Chaitra, 11th and 12th of 2080. Mostly, this festival of color used to be precise on the month of Falgun or Chaitra, which falls in March.
Seeing the two-day celebration of Holi there might be queries rendered in your mind regarding why two days? Well, people of the hilly region and Terai region celebrate Holi on separate days. Holi in 2024 in the Hilly region is solemnized on March 24th whereas Terai people celebrate it on 25th March.
Why did Holi come to be practiced in the Hindu religion?
Holi is the symbol of the Color of Love and the celebration of Victory over the demon. Each of them has its Legendary story. The color festival Holi honors the Hindu god Krishna and Radha’s love story and the story of the Holika-Prahlad mythology.
Legendary tales about the Holi Festival of Lord Shree Krishna and Radha- how colors help them share their love.
In the Legendary story, Lord Krishna had dark skin color because when Krishna was born he was poisoned by a demon. Where Radha had a fair and charming face. He used to love Radha beyond the limit and was afraid to express his love to her. As she has a beautiful face and skin, he is worried about getting rejected due to his dark bluish skin.
Lord Krishna asked her mother Yashoda to assist him to get fair skin. Instead, she assisted him in spreading some brightly colored powder on her cheeks. Radha was utterly enamored with him when he did that. After that, Radha and Krishna became a symbol of heavenly love. As a result, Holi is celebrated to commemorate the mythical occasion when Krishna and Radha shared their love and happiness.
The legendary story about the Holi Festival of Holika-Prahlad- Holi is seen as a celebration of virtue overcoming darkness.
Hiranyakashipu was a wicked King. He possessed unique abilities that rendered him practically unbeatable. He became so strong that he began to behave like a deity and was banned from worshiping other goddesses in his kingdom. So, he desired to have all people in his realm adore him and punish or kill everyone who defied him. However, people including his son opted to worship Vishnu instead of him.
One day because of his son’s disobedience, he infuriated the devil ruler. Hiranyakashipu requested his fire-impervious sister Holika to accompany Prahlad in the burning flame. She accepted and entered into the burning flame with Prahlad.
Prahlad was sitting in Holika’s lap. After some minutes of staying inside the flame, something unexpected happened. Holika was brutally killed and Prahlad survived as a devotee of Lord Vishnu. Thereafter, Lord Vishnu destroyed the evil ruler. Since then Holi has been celebrated as the victory over evil.
How to celebrate the Holi Festival in Nepal?
Holi is one of the national festivals of Nepal but not as popular as Dashami and a public holiday is given on this day. All the enthusiasts get involved in this festival. On this festival of color, schools, stores, business hubs, government offices, and small offices, all remain closed.
People of different ages congregate on the roadsides for a day spreading colour on each other’s cheeks and spraying coloured water. Everyone in the community is excited to take part in this event and get their faces and bodies painted with vivid colors. People enjoy this exciting festival by applying color, throwing colored water balloons, smashing colors, and throwing water at each other.
On Holi, anyone can apply paint to anybody which is perfectly acceptable. However, Keep in mind some of them don’t enjoy playing Holi or they might have some personal problems. So, avoid them applying Holi. Instead, you can apply to those who are cheering for paint splashing, singing, dancing, and getting together partying.
The majority of them will visit friends and relatives to exchange good wishes, sweets, groceries, and beverages with each other. Traditional drinks, laddu, and candies laced with bhang are incredibly popular on this day.
Best places to celebrate the Holi festival in Nepal
The finest Holi events can be seen in Kathmandu’s valleys. You can visit the Thamel Bazaar as well as the Durbar Square. You can get to experience the first-look taste of the Holi celebration in Nepal from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you wander through the small alleyways of Kathmandu you can see people’s faces get painted with vivid colours.
Though the area of the Thamel is congested, the celebration reaches the next level which is worth it. Durbar Square is open and many concerts happen there where people enjoy dancing, singing, and applying color to each other. However, keep an eye out for unexpected color attacks on humans.
Another best place to celebrate the Holi festival in Nepal is The Lakeside Road in Pokhara. In the festival of color, you can get to witness the people joyfully applying color to each other. Besides that, in certain distant places of Nepal, you may observe small children embracing the celebration.
The event is enjoyed all over the nation, but as a visitor, Kathmandu is the finest spot to see it. After seeing the Holi celebration in Kathmandu, no other location would appear as beautiful.
Tips for the Nepal Holi Festival Celebration
- Cheap white t-shirts, quarter pants, and slippers are highly recommended to wear. (You can easily find printed t-shirts in the market). After playing Holi, either you can throw away the clothes or keep them safely and separately as a memory.
- Wearing pricey and pretty clothes on this day makes no sense. So, better to buy cheap and simple wear to celebrate the color.
- Apply skin protective creams and sunglasses to protect your eyes from color.
- Snap every moment on your camera. However, don’t forget to cover your camera to protect it because this is the festival of water and color.
- We recommend you avoid wearing expensive accessories.
- Don’t consume cuisines offered by strangers.
- Take care of your important things by yourself because people might pickpocket your items.
- Never, walk alone better enjoy this joyful festival with family, and friends or stay around your guide in public.
- It will be best for you if you have color allergies and irritation.
- Follow the traffic rules of Nepal.
- Don’t drink and drive.
- Avoid Overspeed and wear a helmet while riding a bike.
- Don’t travel more than 2 on one bike.
- Don’t shout offensive words in public.
- Don’t force or apply color to someone who is clean and sitting aside from colored people.
Birendra Duwadi by profession a trekking and tourist guide and an enterpreur whose passion is trekking in the himalayas start Mission Himalaya Treks in 2015 with a new vision to introduce Nepal Himlayas to the world. his vision is explore and documentation new trekking routes . Birendra leads Mission Himalaya, a small company that change the qualities of trekking in Nepal.
