Krishnasthami falls on the eighth day of Bhadra dark fortnight (August). A great ceremony takes place in every Lord Krishna’s temple throughout Nepal on this day. This auspicious day is celebrated as the Lord Krishna’s birthday all over the world by the Hindus.

Lord Krishna was born about 5000 yr ago in the Bronze Age when the Iron Age was on its inception. Fierceful demons Kangsha, Jarasandha, Kalyabrat, Sishupal, etc were horribly terrifying to the mankind on this earth. Among them Demon Kangsha was the most cruel and sinful Demon. Because of this the earth had become an inexistable place for all. They were very tyrant and cruel demons; so all the people were dastardly horrified by them. Because of crossing the line of injustice, the progenitor mother earth had become very much afflicted; and went to beseech Lord Bharma for the protection of all the people. Lord Bhrama listened the prayer of the earth mother and he did an oracle in the divinely message by saying that “ In the iron age Lord Krishna will be born by taking Lord Vishnu’s incarnation in the fetus of Devaki; and he will be able to kill the tyrant Demon Kangsha to relieve all the mankind from his injustice”. Devaki is the elder sister of Kangsha who was later married with Bashudeva; and Basudeva is the father of Lord Krishna. Basudeva and Devaki gave birth only to Lord Krishna but he was grown up by the bred and care of Yeshoda and Nanda Baba. Nanda Baba and Yeshoda were the married couple and very close friends of Basudev who were staying at Gokul. After a short past Basudeva and Devaki wer married and immediately a heavenly oracle appeared in the Demon Kangsha’s apartment by saying that “Kangsha now you will be killed by the eighth fertilized child from Devaki’s womb for your sin’s punishment”. The moment, Kangsha listened this heavenly oracle he became very much enraged and thought of killing  all the child born from his elder sister Devaki’s womb.

Janai purnima is one of the very magnanimous festivals of Nepal. This festival falls in the bright fortnight of Bhadra(August). Bhramans and chhetri communities in Nepal change their sacred thread Janai on this day from their Gurus; after taking a holy bath or dip in the river. Janai is tied long from around their left neck to the next right armpits below. They tie the Tago around their right wrist also from the Guru. The other communities tie only the Tago from the Bhraman Priests. The sacred threads are sanctified by the Bhraman Priests, worshiping Gods and Saptarishis. Saptarishis are the Tutors of the Gods in an ancient time who could forecast the past present and future episodes exactly in the Golden era. They were very highly respected seers. They were Kashyap, Bhardwaj, Gautami, Atreya, Jamadagni, Bashistha, and Bishawamitra. These are the religious significant of Janaipurnima. Water with Sesame, Kush (sacred grass) is offered in the name of saptarishis and the past antecedents. Because of being changed the sacred thread, this festival is very much popular among the Hindu communities. The other communities also have the strong faith on it. They think that if some one ties Tago on this day by the Bhraman Priests; and offer them donations; they will earn virtue and blessings from the God for auspicious life. The sacred thread Janai and Tago is venerated as a feature of Lord Vishnu and it protects us from being and kind of spiritual sickness as well. The Bhraman Priests are very highly venerated persons in the Hindu mythology. It’s believed that if some one donates something as per his caliber to the Bhraman Priests; they will be definitely blessed by God to receive a happy life.

Many people throng to pashupati and Budhanilkhantha temple temple on this day to change Janai and tie Tago from the Priests there, which is a very much interesting and spectacular feu de joie to look. Bharamins and chhetri people get Janai only when they are completed their Bratabandha (a special type of religious rite, approximately before the age of 15).

In the time of cast division period; Bhramins were given the duty to enact Yangyas; Pujas; donation giving and taking actions. They were tabooed to take alcohol; meats of any kind except the goats. But these days there are only a very few persons who follow this religious rules.

Dolpa Chamber of commerce has initiated to organize Dolpa festival in coordination with District Development Committee Dolpa and concerned stakeholders functioning in Dolpa. The chamber expects moral and material contributions from all and every well wishers of Dolpa.

Festival Programme

Day 1 : 8th September
7.00-10.00 - Volleyball
10.00-11.00 - Welcome of guests with musical band
11.00 - welcome speech, Welcome song, Greetings Parades

2 : 9th September
7.00-10.00 - Volleyball
Day long - Cultural programs, Stall visit, Home visits, Tug of war, Shot-put, Archery, Food display, Rafting

Day 3: 10th September 7.00-10.00 - Volleyball
Day long - Stall visit, home visits, Pony race, Paragliding, Food display, Poetry competition, Fashion ramp

Day 4 : 11th September
7.00-10.00 - Volleyball Day long - Stall visit, home visits. Food display, Trithelon (horse ride, bike ride and run) Cultural program from guest artists

Day 5: 12th September
7.00-10.00 - Volleyball final Day long - Cultural program, Honor to the distinguished personality, Distribution of certificates and prizes

 
Organizer: Dolpa Chamber Of Commerce & Industries
Contact: Dolpa Chamber Of Commerce & Industries or visit: www.dolpafestival.org

Dhulikhel is a old typical Newari town with nearby Tamang villages as well as other villages. It is situated 30 km. east of Kathmandu on the side of Arniko Highway on the way towards Tibet. Dhulikhel is popular for its natural beauty and ancient traditions. The Himalayan ranges from the twin crest of Mt. Langtang in the west to the Mt. Everest in the east can be clearly viewed in a clear day. Dhulikhel is ideal for snow-capped peaks, sunrise, sunset and it is different from any other place. One can say Dhulikhel is where the peaks speak.

Things to see:

Whether it’s a mountain sunrise you’re after, or 400 km of horizon from the Annapurnas in the west to Numbur in the east, the Himalayan skyline dominates Dhulikhel. And unlike that Thamel-on-the-Hill, Nagarkot, Dhulikhel has culture with its old Newari heritage. At 1,500 m it is also milder in winter than Nagarkot.

Dhulikhel was once known by the Buddhist name of Shrikhandapur and still has a few Buddhist stupas in memory of the old days. Namo Buddha is an interesting and pleasant three-hour hike from the town, and has a nice mix of Buddhist flavour and old Hindu temples. Dhulikhel also has several ancient temples dedicated to Sweta Bhairava, Hari Siddhi, Shiva, and Narayana, each with an interesting story related to how they came into being.

There are plenty of other short hikes to undertake from Dhulikhel, but one of the best is the pleasant half-hour uphill from Dhulikhel to the telecommunication tower. Walk through a lush forest echoing with the chattering of racquet tailed drongos and turtle doves to come to a temple dedicated to Kali. If you can manage to wake up early and get up there, it is a sunrise you will remember for years.

And there are more than a dozen hotels to stay for the night if you want to do this, from the upmarket Himalayan Shangrila, which stands at the highest point here and offers the best views to the 28-year-old Nawaranga Restaurant and Guest House, which with its gallery of local art is a backpacker’s dream come true.

This festival falls on the fifth days of shrawan bright moon fortnight (AUGUST). On this day people paste the Nags’(serpents’) picture on the door of their houses and worship it by offering cow’s milk; rice’s bread; lava(fried paddy) and some other oblations. Cow’s milk is an indispensable item to worship the Nags. Nags make their houses at some certain places on the earth and if some one spits or urinates on that place; that man immediately gets spiritual sick. Then without offering worship to the Nag; he will not be cured. So people never spit and urinate at those places where the Nags’ sanctum has been made. It’s believed that if Nags are enraged; they can make us lame, blind, and etc defects. That’s why Nags are thought to be very dangerous creatures. So they are worshipped on this day by the people to escape from their fear. It’s believed that; if some worships nicely to the Nags on this day; he will be free from any kind of snake’s bite. So people worship to Nags for this reason as well on this day. Nags are believed to be the sources of water so the scriptures explain that they stay inside the sources of water from where it flows. So people worship to the spouts and springs’ sources in the belief of Nags residence.

People make cottons’ cow dung’s; and rice flour’s serpent’s from and worship it with cow’s milk, lava, barley, sesamum; vermilion, nuts and with some other religious items. Also if we do Nag Puja very nicely every year they provide us good wealth and blessing during our life. If Nag has made us sick no medicine can heal us; so people go to the sorcerer’s house before going to the Doctors. Purans say that this earth has been lifted by Shesh Nag on his head; and; Lord Vishnu is sleeping on its coil in side the water. The 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 on rain. So people worship Nags for the cause of water as well.