Culture
Kathmandu district is a part of Kathmandu valley which is the melting pot of various cultural groups, ethnicities, races, languages and religions. This vibrant culture is illustrated in the culture of the natives of the district, known as Newars, which is a multiethnic, multiracial, multireligious group bound by a Sanskritized Sino-Tibetan language of Kirat origins known as Nepal Bhasa. All the ancient settlements of the district have specific jatras or street festivals arranged according to specific dates of Nepal Sambat calendar. The main festivals celebrated in this district are-
- Yanya Punhi, literally meaning Kathmandu's full moon, a week long festival during the Yenla (the month of Kathmandu) of Nepal Sambat, a festival started by Gunakamadev, the founder of Kathmandu city to commemorate the establishment of city.
- Goon la, a month in which musical bands and ordinary people make pilgrimage to Swayambhunath temple
- Mohani or Dashain, the main festival of Nepal, celebrated by visiting the various Shaktipeeths around the city
- Shivaratri, a very special festival in which people make small fire all around the city and take different types of toxic in order to so love to the lord SIVA
- Buddha Jayanti
- Sa Paru, a comic festival to commemorate the dead relatives, celebrated during the full moon of Goon la.
- Chatha, the birthday of Lord Ganesha of Hindu pantheon
- Holi
- Pahan Chare, a festival of Animist origin celebrated by procession of matriarchs of Kathmandu
- Shree Panchami, in the past children used to formally start education on this day. Presently, deities of wisdom, Saraswati and Manjushree (the mythological founder of the valley) are worshipped on this day
- Swanti or Tihar, a five day festival, the third day of which is called Laxmi Puja, when the families do their annual financial calculation and the next day marks the New Year according to Nepalese calendar, Nepal Sambat.
Along with these festivals, with the influx of population from other parts of Nepal, India, Tibet and South Asia, other festivals such as Teej, Chhath, Sakela, Lhosar, Janai Purnima, Deuda etc. are also celebrated.
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