Twelve days of Dasain
Twelve days of Dasain
Both the longest and biggest festival in Nepali culture, Dasain is celebrated by worshipping goddess Durga in all her manifestations. The fifteen-day festival began on 13 October on the day of Ghatasthapana.
20 October, Fulpati: Seventh day on which fulpati (jamara, different types of flowers and banana stalks) is brought to Kathmandu from Gorkha. Generally families bring fulpatis to their prayer rooms.
21 October, Maha Astami: The day of Kaalratri puja to worship Kali, a demonic avatar of Goddess Durga.
22 October, Maha Nawami and Dashami: The day marks the victory of goddess Durga over the demon. The Taleju temple at Hanuman Dhoka is opened for the public only once a year on this day. Factories, machineries and vehicles are worshipped. People take tikas, jamaras and blessings from their elders.
27 October, Kojagrat Purnima: Tika goes on till this day, concluding Dasain.
Kite Festival, Flying and designing kites plus music events and cycle rides in this year’s Chariot Track Kite Festival. 11am, 17 October, Yoshingkhel Square, Kha:laan, Bhaktapur www.chariottrack.org
October Beer Festival, Nepal’s first beer pong tournament, with live music from Abhaya and the Steam Injuns. 2pm onwards, 17 October, Rs 1500 Trisara, Lajimpat, 9851186972
Film Southasia, A biennial festival full of informative, entertaining, scintillating documentaries on South Asia.
19-22 November, Kathmandu www.filmsouthasia.org
Conference on heart disease, Conquering heart disease in the Himalayan region: the eighth international congress on the management of cardiovascular disease. 5pm, 30-31 October, Hotel Yak and Yeti, Kathmandu For registration: (01) 4371123
Critical Mass, A monthly meet-up for cyclists who want to reclaim the streets, followed by a brief ride around town. This month’s critical mass is to be held in remembrance of conservationist Prahlad Yonzon
5.30pm, 30 October, Basantapur Darbar Square
Wholeness, Artist Puran Khadka whose work is a meditative abstraction full of spiritual awakening exhibits his paintings. Till 30 October, Park Gallery, Pulchok, (01)5522307, contact@parkgallery.com.np
Shakti, Celebrated artist Kiran Manandhar’s fourth solo exhibition explores the mortal power and divine energy manifested in the female form Until 10 November, Siddhartha Art Gallery, Babarmahal
Farmers’ market, The biggest gathering of local producers in the Valley selling organic produce, dairy products, artisanal bread and pastries and home-made goodies. 8am to 1pm, Le Sherpa, Lajimpat, every Saturday, (01)4006587, 9802028777
Quake photobook, Nepal425 launches a crowd-sourcing drive for printing a coffee table book featuring 700 pictures of the earthquake. All proceeds from the sales will go to quake-affected. www.nepal425.com
Business plan competition, King’s College is organising a business plan competition to promote social entrepreneurship in Nepal. 9818032872, 9841848212
Help rebuild, A special fund-raising print sale to contribute towards the rebuilding of heritage sites in Patan by Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT) www.photoktm.com/#support