I saw the New Year in Nepal two months earlier than the Christian era

Do you know that "New Year" is not limited to January 1?

Hello!World newspaperA special reporterTomohiro Uetake (Tomohiro Utame)is. I am currently traveling around the world, the 14th country ·KyrgyzstanI am in. (Red line is an air route, blue line moves over the land)


◆ New Year greeted in Nepal
It celebrated 2015. While "New Year" is January 1st of the Christian era when living in Japan, there are still countries overseas that celebrate the New Year with their own calendar still by ethnic groups and religion. Actually I am also the capital of NepalKathmanduIt was New Year 's Day two months earlier than everyone.

Nepal is a multinational and multilingual country. According to Wikipedia, the composition of religion is alsoMixed 80.6% Hindus, 10.7% Buddhists, 4.2% Muslims, 3.6% Cirantes, 0.9% othersIt is said that it is.


◆ What is New Year's Day in Nepal?
There is a calendar for every ethnic group in the multiethnic state Nepal, there is a New Year. Among them, I experienced this time every year from late October to early NovemberTihar(Deerie in India) was a festival called. This festival lasts five days and the fourth day seems to be the Hindu Day New Year.

◆ What kind of things do you do?
What we do at the festival that lasts five days is "Wind travel agency"The details were listed on the site called.

Festival of Nepal - Indra festival · Dasain · Tihar - | Wind travel company
http://www.kaze-travel.co.jp/nepal_kiji019.html

With reference to that information, I will show you what the Nepalese New Year I saw as I was watching.

· Day 1 (October 21): Kagu Tihar
This day is called "crow's day" and it seems to feed the crow that came over the house. I entered this day, but I did not know about the festival at all, so I could not find a scene to feed the crow.

· Day 2 (October 22): Kukuru Tihar
It is said that it is called "dog day", wearing a garland on the dog of your house or the neck of a neighboring dog, and painting a red powder called Tika on the forehead to worship. The dog I saw in Nepal for the first time was also painted with red powder and wreathed. Since Hindus are 80% Nepal, at this time I still thought that "dogs are like this from normal".


· Day 3 (October 23): Lakshmi · Puja
The next day, when I was walking in the city, the strange patterns I had not seen before the day were drawn on the eaves of the shops and houses.


The design of the pattern is different, but using colorful powder ......


The line continues into the building.


I also saw the same thing in the supermarket, so I checked what is in the back ... ...


The shrine was made.


At this time, I did not know that Nepal is about to arrive New Year, but I was afraid that something was wrong. The decorations are getting fancy every day, and the firecrackers are ringing as much as they think that it started even at the civil war at night, it looks like a festival of something.

And when I passed through the square in the city, I learned that it was not just a festival.


Happy……


New year ... ... New Year! Is it? As I attacked the Nepalese who was next to me, he told me that "Tomorrow is the day of Nepal's history." That means that New Year 's Eve! It was nearly missing the festival.


This day is called "the day of Kichijoen," and in order to worship the god of money Mr. Lakshmi (Kichijuten), he is going to clean up the house and shop and decorate the eaves with colorful garlands and powder.


· Day 4 (October 24): Governor Puja, New Year's Day
And the day before Nepal. It is said that this day is a day to worship cattle. On this day, children in the city sang while playing instruments, turned around houses and shops, collecting offerings. It looks like Halloween for some time.


· Day 5 (October 25): Baihika
The last day of the festival is said to be called "the day of brothers and sisters" where their sisters ceremonially pray for the longevity and health of the family's men. Relatives of the manager came together on the roof of the inn.


A woman is painting colorful powder on her forehead.


This sign is said to be called Tika. But ... what if we do not have any sisters?


AboveWind travel agencyAccording to a man without sisters go to Lani · Pokhari in the center of Kathmandu, seeing himself in the fountain, praying for himself by himself. Somewhat awful, is not it ...... I immediately went to Lani Pokhari, a sister's male who would be flocking.


◆ I also celebrated
This is Lani · Pokari.


Lani · Pokhari had a large queue. However, I did not see a man who was eagerly praying alone while looking at the fountain.


Apparently, there seems to be a woman who plays Tika on his forehead instead of my older sister or sister. It is a pity that I can not see the prayers pruning in the spring.


Because neither my sister nor sister is there, I tried Tika in Nepalese style New Year 's celebration.


What I use is a colorful powder that was sold in town. The color is added one after another to the forehead.


It is like this when completed. This year as well (to Tihar next year?) I hope your journey will continue for a long time to health.


◆ New Year depends on ethnicity
As another event to celebrate New Year with its own calendarLunar New YearAnd Thai watering festival ·SongkranThere are also things celebrated grandly than the New Year in the Christian era. When traveling overseas, it might be interesting to look at these unique calendars. If timing is good, you may be able to encounter New Year's celebration that you have never seen on your journey.

I hope this year will be a wonderful year for all of you, and I hope you will be able to read my articles and become interested in travel.

Sentence / coverage: Tomohiro Uetakehttps://twitter.com/hiro_uetaken

Supervision: World newspaperSekaishinbun.net