Nepal is a country with diverse ethnic groups, cultures, and religions, and with that Nepal experiences a total of nine New Year’s day celebrations in a year, depending upon ethnicity and customs they follow. But as a whole people throughout the country celebrate the Bikram Sambat New Year day on the first day of the first month, "Baisakh". Bikram Sambat (B.S), which is nearly 60.7 years older than the Anno Domini (AD), is what marks the beginning of a new year in Nepal. It consists of both the solar and lunar calendar i.e it uses the movement of both, the sun and moon to calculate the total 365 days in a year. Mathematics, Geomatics, and Astrology are put together in the Bikram Sambat Calendar. The history of Bikram Sambat dates back to 939 years. There was a very famous king named King Bikramaaditya in Ujjain, Rajasthan of India. During his ruling period, Bikram Sambat was introduced and on the basis of this, a similar Calendar system was introduced in Nepal too. But according to Iiitihas Siromani Lekhnath Aacharya, the Nepali historian, there is no trace of King Bikramaaditya ruling India when the Bikram Sambat Calendar was established in Nepal. So, it is believed that Bikram Sambat came into practice in Nepal after 1958 AD.

Bisket Jatra of Bhaktapur

Nepalese welcome New Year is welcome in various ways and amongst grandeur celebration. One of the most enticing celebrations is called "Bisket Jatra" in the Bhaktapur district of Kathmandu Valley. Almost all festivals in Nepal are celebrated following the lunar calendar and Tithi, but Bisket Jatra is the only festival that follows the solar calendar. Jatras (lit. carnivals) carry huge religious importance among the Newars of the Kathmandu Valley. The Bisket Jatra aka Biskhe Jatra signifies the end of an old year. It is a nine-day long festival celebrated at the end of Chaitra, the 12th month of the Bikram Sambat Calendar. The Jatra focuses on pulling chariots of two deities, the wrathful god Bhairav, and goddess Bhadrakali. Huge chariots are built prior to the Jatra at the Bhaktapur Durbar Square to house the aforementioned deities and pulled by local youth through the narrow streets of Bhaktapur during the festival. Featured photo of the Jatra by Monika Malla.

Folklores of Bisket Jatra

The Bisket Jatra has several historical stories relating to the gods and goddesses, but the fable of serpents is more famous. There was once a princess who held a curse that decreed that anyone who wedded her would die the next day. Many young men died after having married the princess. But the re-marrying continued and yet another young man was chosen to marry the princess, despite concerns from the boy's old mother. Goddess Bhadrakali came in a disguise of an old lady to meet the new groom, She suggested that he stayed wide awake on their first night of marriage while the princess fell asleep. After the wedding ceremony, the princess lay in bed and fell asleep quickly. The young man recalled the advice of the lady and stood awake. While he sat beside the princess staring at her face two poisonous serpents crawled out of her nostrils. The young man was startled in the beginning but he quickly slaughtered the snakes with his sword and broke the princess out of the serpent's curse. 17th century Malla King, Jagajyoti of Bhaktapur was fascinated by this serpent folklore and wished it to be remembered with happiness and prosperity hence he commenced this Jatra and called it "Bisyaku Jatra" (now Bisket Jatra). In the Newari language, "Bi Syaku" means "snake slaughter".  The killing of the serpents is reenacted annually four days prior to New Year's day,  in an open ground near the Nyatapola Temple of Taumadhi Square.  Halimpatta (the serpents)  are tied to the Lingo (a pole) erected for the public to witness, hence calling it "The Festival of Dead Serpents".

Sindoor Jatra of Thimi

Sindoor Jatra is a celebration of colors and joy, celebrated in the Thimi area of the Bhaktapur district. Sindur Jatra is celebrated on the 2nd day of Baisakh, which falls on the fifth day of Bisket Jatra. The Thimi villagers participating in the Jatra take out 32 Khats ( palanquins) carrying the various deity idols. These Khats are carried by Thimi men on the shoulders and paraded around the Balkumari Temple. And amidst all these carryings of Khats, Sindoor (vermilion powder) is thrown at each other and to the sky. People play drums and cymbals and dance to their beat as they make the new year procession. The festival reaches its climax when the Khat of Ganesh, the elephant-headed god arrives from Nagadish village. Crowds move around with the Khats all around Thimi until noon of the day. The 32 Khats try to playfully stop the Khat carrying Ganesha from moving. So there is a lot of pushing and pulling, the tug of war between Khat carriers, and an insane amount of chaos occur. But eventually, Ganesha manages to reach the Taleju Temple.

Tongue Piercing Jatra in Bode

People go to Bode, an ancient Newar town in the east corner of the Kathmandu Valley to witness yet another exciting event, the "Tongue Piercing festival". The history of this festival dates back to Licchavi Dynasty (400 to 750 CE). It is believed that the historic settlement of Bode was close to Nilbarahi forest, about 12 km from Kathmandu. It so happened that the evil spirits of Nilbarahi forest started tormenting the people of the town. So the entire settlement was shifted to the place where it is today. The evil spirits did not stop their mischief and traumatized the Bode people even after the shifting. Therefore in order to stop those spirits, the Bode people with the help of scholars blocked the 4 entrances of the town with invisible walls. Later when one of the evil spirits tried to show his shenanigans, he got stuck at one of the points. The Bode people captured the evil spirit, pierced his tongue as a punishment, and paraded him throughout the town. He was freed only when he promised that he would never look back at Bode and not cause any trouble to the people. To reenact the mythical story, people pierce tongues and parade the town annually to commemorate the historical victory. It is also believed that during the ritual, the tongue should not bleed.  A one-foot-long needle soaked in oil for almost a month prior to the festival is pierced into the tongues of volunteers. People still have faith in all the abovementioned legends and myths therefore with every new year these Jatras take place in Bhaktapur with much fanfare.