CALENDAR OF FESTIVALS, EVENTS & ACTIVITIES VNY'1998 (Jan-Feb)

Calendar of Festivals, Events & Activities of January & February
DATE	EVENTS	PLACE	DESCRIPTION	ORGANIZATION/CONT.ADD	REMARKS
January 1 Thursday	Official Opening of Visit Nepal 1998 (VNY'98).	TIA / KTM	Welcome Tourists at the Airport by offering garlands, Souvenirs. Street Illumination.	VNY'98 Main Committee
January 1 Thursday	First visitor to each hotel will be offered complimentary accommodation for the day.	KTM		HAN
January - December	Bhajan Kirtan	Pashupatinath Temple, Gujeshwari Temple, Bhadrakali Temple, Krishna Mandir Temple	Religious hymns & devotional songs throughout the year in the mornings.		Entrance to Pashupati -nath & Gujeshawari Temples are only for Hindus.
January - December	Bhajan	Swayambhunath Temple, Macchindrabahal, Ason Dublee, Nhyakantala/KTM	Buddhist religious chanting & devotional songs.	Gyanmala Bhajan Khalak & Other local Dapa Khala	Morning in the Swayambhunath Temple & night hymns at other temples.
January 1-10	Book Exhibition	Thamel ,KTM	Books on development in Nepal	Tiwari Pilgrims Book House Thamel
January 11-14	Gorkha Festival	Gorkha	Chariot procession of Founder of Nation - Late Prithivi Narayan Shah. Folk dance, ethnic dress competition, food festival, staging of open theater, Gorkha Khukuri dance & other exciting activities.	Center For Gorkha Study & Community Cultural Tour. VNY Gorkha Committee
Jan. - Dec.	Yoga, Meditation & Art of Natural Life	KTM	Local peoples(50-200) participation in Yoga, Meditation & Art of Natural Life.	Nepal Yoga & Nature Cure Association, Biratnagar, Nepal.	Every month(3 camps) 1-7, 10-16, 20-26
Jan 10-15	International Folk Dance Festival	KTM		Sports Dev. Nepal
Jan 11 Sunday	Prithivi Jayanti	All over the Kingdom	National unity day. King Prithivi Narayan Shah's (Founder of modern Nepal) Birthday.	GOs and NGOs	Promote the national interest
Jan12 Monday	Swosthani brata	All over the Kingdom	Hindu Devotees keep fasting and offer puja to Lord Shiva. The ritual lasts for one month	Hindu families.	Ritual for happy conjugal life
Jan 17-19	Adventure Travel Mart, Asia (ATMA'98)	Bhrikuti Mandap, KTM		House of Rajkarnicar
Jan 24 Saturday	Sattila Ekadasi Brata	Fair in Sankhu / Kath.	Holy dip in Sati river in Sankhu, Ktm.		Local festival
Jan 28 Wednesday	Amabasya (Madhav Narayan Mella)	Kath/Aryaghat, Butwal, Triveni (Parasi)	Holy bath, charity.		Local festival
Jan 29 Thursday	Martyr's day	All over the kingdom	Pay homage and tributes to His late Majesty King Tribhuvan and to known and unknown martyrs.	GOs and NGOs.	National Event
February 1 Sunday	Shree Panchami	All over the kingdom	Holy recitation by priests about the advent of Spring. In KTM a religious function is held at the courtyard of historic Hanuman Dhoka. HM also graces the function. This day also marks beginning of the academic career of Hindu & Buddhist children of KTM.		National Festival
February	Bhaktapur Shri Panchami Mela	Bhaktapur, Narayan Chok	The Newars of Bhaktapur organise a mass Iheen , a ritual to marry girls with bell fruits.	Bhaktapur Municipality	Throughout the month.
Feb - Mar	Loshar Festival	Throughout the country esp. in hills & Lama community	Tibetan New Year Day. Lots of feasts & festivities.
Feb 7 Saturday	Bhima Ekadasi Brata		Lord Vishnu Worshipped. Religious procession.	Devotees keep fasting.
Feb 11 Wednesday	Purnima Brata / Swasthani Brata	All over the kingdom.	Observed as a final day of the month long offerings of puja to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.		Magh Sankaranti. Devotees in and around KTM also make a beeline for a holy spot Salinadi river at Saankhu eight mile NE of KTM on this full moon day.
Feb 13 Friday	Fagun Sankranti	All over the kingdom	Color festival of Hindus.		First day in Hills. The following day in Terai.
Feb 13 Friday	Toran - la	Thak Khola, Mustang & Thakali inhibitat areas	Feast, festival & archery in honor of departed souls.		Ethnic festival
Feb 19 Thursday	Democracy day	All over the kingdom.	Also King Tribhuvan's Birth Anniversary. On this historic day King Tribhuvan, Father of Nation, brought about revolutionary democratic changes in Nepal and brought an end to the Rana Regime.		National Event
Feb 21 Saturday	International Tourist Guide Day	Kathmandu	To be celebrated with different activities	TURGAN
February 25, Wednesday	Shivaratri	All over the Kingdom.	Greatest religious festival of the Hindus. Hindu pilgrims from within the country and from India come to Kath. to pay homage to Lord Pashupatinath-the guardian deity of Nepal. Grand fair held at the temple area.		National Festival
February 25, Wednesday	Shivaratri	Accham -a far west district of Nepal	In the far west of Nepal; in -Accham, 'Deuda' dance is famous. The whole area is illuminated by burning pine splendors & appears to be a dream land.		Regional Festival
Feb 27 Friday	International Car Rally Championship	KTM/Chitwan/KTM	Sports Development Nepal
Feb 28 Saturday	International Marathon	KTM	Marathon Championship	Association of International Marathon Org.
Feb 28 Saturday	Tree Plantation	Gundu	Tree Plantation on Memorial Parks	Hotel Mt. Monastery
February	A Thousand & One Lights Festival	Buddhist Stupa of Bodhnath	Buddhists from the Tibetan & Nepalese Himalayas visit KTM to conduct trade & to worship valley's ancient & sacred shrines of Lord Buddha.