National Holidays

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National Holidays

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National Holidays of Nepal

Every country has its national holidays – days when the country comes to a standstill as its people take time to celebrate certain milestones in the country’s history. Nepal is certainly no different. There are a large number of Nepal National Holidays which are generally celebrated on a large scale. The vast majority of these national holidays in Nepal are religious in nature and if you are planning to visit during a holiday it is usually a good idea to investigate the meaning behind the festivities.

This will not only give the holiday more meaning for you, but will help you to be a more respectful observer of the proceedings. It is also wise to note that virtually all services and businesses close during the holidays and shopping or travel arrangements are usually best done in preparation for this fact.

To help you get an overall idea of how many national holidays the country enjoys each year, we have provided a list of them below. Please note that we have chosen to refer to the months that these Nepali national holidays take place instead of the exact date. This is because several of the Hindu festivals are set according to local astronomical observations and thus the dates change accordingly each year. Usually the festival will fall in the same month of the year, but this can change too. The best way to decipher exact holiday dates is to check with local authorities before arriving in the country. National holidays in Nepal and Hindu festivals are a riot of color and should definitely not be missed!

Martyr’s Memorial Day (January)
National Unity Day (January 11)

Maha Shiva Rati – In honour of Lord Shiva (February)
Vasant Panchami (February)
Rashtriya Prajatantra Divas - National Democracy Day (February 19)

Ghode Jatra - Festival of Horses (March)
Holi/Falgu Purnima (March)
Nepalese Women’s Day (March 8)

Rama Nawami – Birthday of Lord Ram (April)
Chaitra Dashain (April)
Navabarsha - Nepali New Year’s Day (April)

Buddha Javanti – Birthday of Lord Buddha (May)

H.M. the King’s Birthday (July 7)

Rakshya Bandhan/Janai Purnima (August)
Gai Jatra - Procession of Cows (August)
Krishna Asthami - Birthday of Lord Krishna (August)
Teej - Festival of Woman (August)

Indra/Kumari Jatra – Festival of Rain God (September)

Dasain – Durga Puja Festival (October)
Deepawali – Festival of Lights (October)

Constitution Day (November 9)

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