Dashain- Festival of reunion and joy

Dashain is one of the most important Hindu festival in Nepal which falls in the month of September or October and is actually celebrated for 15 days. It starts from bright lunar fortnight (Shukla Paksha) and ends on the day of full moon (Poornima) according to Nepalese annual calendar. Hindus greatest festival, Dashain honors a great conquest of the gods over the evil demons. The symbol of power, Goddess Durga is worshiped during this festival. One of the victory stories according to the Hindu myths reveals that a demon named ‘Mahisasur’ who spread horror was killed by Goddess Durga. And, the first nine day of Dashain represents the constant battle between vice and virtue. And, the tenth day signifies the triumph of good over evil. Another Hindu legend ‘Ramayana’ discloses that Dashain symbolizing as the triumph of Ram (vice) over Ravan (virtue) with the blessings of Goddess Durga.

The first day of Dashain is Ghatasthapana, on this day, people fill a vessel with soil and sow maize, wheat and barley seeds and is covered in the area with low light and watered daily till tenth day of Dashain. On the seventh day, Phulpati is celebrated which is also known as ‘Saptami’. The eight day is regarded as Maha Aastami. On this day, animals like buffaloes, ducks, goats, hens are sacrificed to Goddess Kali and the meat is taken as ‘Prasad’ (holy food). The night of this day is called the dark night- ‘Kal Ratri’. Maha Navami is the ninth day of Dashain. On this day, craftsman, mechanics, traders etc worship their equipment and tools by sacrificing different animals and offering it to equipment. The tenth day is named as Vijaya Dashami which is the most important day of this festival. On the tenth day, younger ones in a family receive Tika (a mixture of yogurt, rice and vermilion), Jamara (planted on the first day of Dashain) and blessings from elders as well as respected people.

This festival is in fact the ceremony of reunion and fun. People living far away from home or homeland, revisit their home and get together with their families. Similarly, parents buy new clothes to their children. People enjoy eating mouth-watering foods and playing a lot of games including cards. People invite guests, organize feast, visit their relatives’ houses, fly kites, build bamboo swings and get involved in various entertaining activities.

After Dashain everyone settles back to normal. After receiving the blessing of goddess Durga, people are ready to work and acquire virtue, power and wealth. Dashain thus is not only the longest festival but also the most anticipated one among all the festivals of Nepal.

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Nag Panchami celebration in Nepal

अनन्तं वासुकिं शेषं पद्मनाभं च कम्बलम् |

शंखपालं धार्तराष्ट्रं तक्षकं कालियं तथा ||

Nag Pachami is the day of snakes observed on the fifth day of the bright half of the Nepali month of Shrawan as per the lunar calendar. In this day, Nepali traditionally post pictures of Nags above the doors of their homes to keep off evil spirits. They worship the nag by offering a symbol of milk (the white color liquid from the paste of rice). People keep milk for snakes near snake holes.

Hindu devotees throughout the nation are thronging temples of Nags since early morning. On this day digging the earth is taboo as it could kill or harm snakes which reside in the earth. There are many myths prevailing in the Nepali society regarding the Nag Panchami festival. Nags are deity snakes or special snakes. Those snakes have especial roles in Hindu Mythologies. 

People make cottons garland, use cow dung and rice flour’s serpent’s from and worship it with cow’s milk, lava, barley, sesame, nuts and with some other religious items. It is believed that if Nag-Panchami is observed properly every year the Nags provide us good health wealth and blessing during our life. If Nags are angry they make us sick and no medicine can heal.

There are various mythological beliefs about Nagpanchami and its celebration.  Mahabharata tells that Lord Krishna conquered Nag Kalia and put an end to his evil deeds on the day of Shrawan Panchami. People believe that is the reason why people started celebrating this panchami as Nag Panchami. Puran says the earth is lifted by Shesh Nag on his head. Lord Vishnu is sleeping on its coil inside the Ocean. Kali Nag, Bashuki Nag, Astha Nag, Padma Nag; and the Karkot Nags are the very powerful Nags.  Scripture explains that without Nags’ help there will be no rain.So people worship Nags for the cause of water, offer prayers to Nags, and place food items such as milk and honey in their fields for Nags. Few men wearing demon masks dance in the streets as a part of a Nag Panchami ritual. We have our own myths and legends surrounding Nags, which lead us to celebrate Nag Panchami on a large scale.

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NEPALI FESTIVAL KHEER KHANE DIN ( RICE PUDDING DAY)

Khir (Rice Pudding) is one of favorite foods in Nepal. Usually it is celebrated in every year 15^th of Sharwan (Nepalese calendar).   Khir is one of the integral parts of parties and ceremonies. From marriage parties to funeral, khir is served and eaten to observe the occasion. Khir is regarded as pure food in Nepal, as it is rice cooked in milk. It is mainly eaten as desert or side dish with puri or sel.  

“Kheer” is a common, yet an auspicious delicacy in Nepali cuisine. Although being just a sweet rice pudding, it is considered a pure and holy treat. Kheer Khane Din (literally translated as day for eating Kheer) marks the achievement of farmers in Nepal.

The Nepali month of Asadh and Shrawan marks the rice harvesting period for the farmers. Paddy farming in Nepal is a joyous occasion in Nepal. Whether it be men, women or people from different social backgrounds, they work in unity to plant the saplings and ensure a good harvest. Since, Shrawan marks the end of the harvest period, they offer Kheer as Prasad (holy offering) to the deities and enjoy themselves as well.

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Hindus celebrate Ekadashi planting Tulsi plant

Hindus across Nepal are celebrating the Harishayani Ekadashi festival, the first day of the four-month holy period of Chaturmas with fasting and worship and prayer to Lord Vishnu.

On the day of Harishayani Ekadashi, Hindus plant Tulasi/basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) on their yards, which they worship as a form of Lord Vishnu for next four months till the day of Haribodhini Ekadashi, the concluding day of the Chaturmas.

The Chaturmas, a period from the 11th day of waxing moon of the month of Ashadh (Ashadh Shukla Ekadashi) to the 11th day of waxing moon of the month of Kartik (Kartik Shukla Ekadashi) is considered a holy period for the worship of Lord Vishnu.

Popularly, the two Ekadashis are also called Thuli (Great) Ekadashis. Observing the Chaturmas Brata or fasting is regarded as very auspicious, which should be done after planting the saplings of Tulasi on Ekadhashi. 

The holy plant Tulsi is regarded as the plant to give the oxygen all the time with its religious, medicinal importance in Nepal

Tulsi or Tulasi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) or Holy Basil is a sacred plant in Hindu belief. Hindus regard it as an earthly manifestation of the goddess Tulsi; she is regarded as a great worshipper of the god Vishnu. The offering of its leaves is mandatory in ritualistic worship of Vishnu and his forms like Krishna and Vithoba.

Many Hindus have tulsi plants growing in front of or near their home, often in special pots or a special masonry structure known as Tulsi Vrindavan as this is related to their culture. Traditionally, Tulsi is planted in the center of the central courtyard of Hindu houses. The plant is cultivated for religious and medicinal purposes, and for its essential oil. It has many health benefits as well.

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15 th National Rice Day celebrated

The 15th National Rice Day was marked throughout the country today, organizing various programs with the theme  ' Increased Rice Production, Prosperous Nation'.

The 15th of Asadh is the day when traditionally Nepali farmers finished planting paddy in their fields and enjoyed in its celebration. National Rice Day in Nepal is celebrated every 15th of Asadh according to Nepalese calendar. This day holds a big importance in the lives of farmers and also of the general people in Nepal. Rice being the staple crop of most of the people living in Nepal, this crop is the major crop and is also considered as good and tasty food. So, in a way rice symbolizes good economy and a well maintained lifestyle in Nepal.

Rice day celebration organised by Devdaha municipality

Generally, National Rice Day in Nepal is celebrated by planting rice in the fields and eating dahi-chiura (beaten rice and curd).

Nepal is the first country to celebrate Rice Day after the UN declared 2004 as the International Year of Rice.

According to the data Nepal export rice to other countries till 1980s but now Nepal import rice in huge amount from India

Data show Nepal export rice valued around NRs 25 billion in 2017

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हराउदै गएको असारे गीत

रोप न रोप रोपारै रानी म पँज्याईदिउँला बीऊ

हलीलाई दिउँला एकराते दही बाउसेलाई दिउँला घीउ

असार मास छिप छिपे हिलो खै लाग्यो फालीमा

बुवालाई भनि भुरुल्ली काटेँ ओइलायो आलिमा

नेपालमा धान रोप्दा गाइने गीतलाई असारे गीत भनिन्छ। नेपालमा खासगरी असार महिनामा धान रोप्ने गरिन्छ। रोपाईंका बेला कृषकहरूलाई कामको भ्याईनभ्याई हुन्छ। तैपनि रोपाईंमा दिनभर थाकेका बाउसे र रोपारहरू एक अर्कामा हिलो छ्यापाछ्याप गरी असारे गीत गाउँदै दुःख कष्ट र थकाई विर्सन खोज्छन।जसले थकाइ, परिश्रम बिर्साउँदै बढी आनन्द प्रदान गरेको हुन्छ। खेतका गह्रा, खोलानाला र खहरेहरूबाट झरेको पानीको छङछङ आवाजसँगै असारे भाका खुल्दछ।

असारे भाकाले भौगोलिक विविधता पनि समेटेको छ। असारेलाई पूर्वी भेगमा 'रसिया' भनिन्छ भनि पश्चिमाञ्चलतिर 'काँठेभाका' भनिन्छ। लेग्रो तानेर गीतको पहिलो फाँकी झिकेपछि बीचमा अनुप्रासका टुक्काहरू मिलाई अनिमात्र अन्तिम फाँकी वा टुप्पो गीत भन्ने चलन छ। यस भाकाका फाँकीहरू १६/१६ अक्षरका हुन्छन् र हरेक पाउका १० अक्षरमा विश्रान्ति लिई लामो स्वरमा लेग्रो तानी यो भाका गाइन्छ। असारे भाकाले थकित वातवारणलाई आनन्ददायी र रोचक बनाइदिन्छ।

पहिला पहिला गाइने यो असारे गीत अचेल सुनिन छाडेका छन l मानो रोपेर मुरी फलौउने समयका रुपमा लिने यो समयमा गाइने असारी गीत हराउदै गएको छ l आधुनिकता संगै हाम्रो अमुल्य संस्कृति हराउदै जादा सस्कृति क्षेत्र नासिदै गएको आभास भएको छ l 

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Administrative division of Nepal

The administrative divisions of Nepal ( are subnational administrative units of Nepal. The first level of country subdivisions of Nepal are the Provinces. Each province is further subdivided into Districts and districts into Municipalities and rural municipalities.

Demarcation of Administrative division of Nepal

Fulfilling the requirement of the new constitution of Nepal in 2015, all old municipalities and villages (which were more than 3900 in number) were restructured into 753 new Municipalities and Villages. The former 75 district development committees (DDC) were also replaced by 77 new District Coordination Committees (DCC) which have much less power than the DDCs. At present there are 6 Metropolitan Cities, 11 Sub-Metropolitan Cities, 276 Municipalities, and 460 Rural Municipalities.

Details of the administrative division in the attached file

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