The Ubhauli festival, a vibrant celebration of nature and harvest, is underway across Nepal, with the Kirat Rai community at the forefront of the festivities.
Ubhauli marks the beginning of the planting season and is a time for the Kirat Rai people to express gratitude to nature for its bounty. Traditionally, the festival involves worshipping the land to ensure a prosperous harvest.
Dance and Tradition
The festivities are filled with music and dance. The energetic Chandi dance is a prominent feature, while different Kirat Rai sects perform their unique variations of the Sakela dance.
Celebrations in Kathmandu and Khotang
In Kathmandu, the Kirant Rai Yayokkha is hosting a special event featuring prayers and the worship of Sakelasthan, a sacred place for the Kirat Rai community, located in Hattiban, Lalitpur.
It’s important to note that celebrations in Ainselukharka Rural Municipality of Khotang district differ slightly. Here, the Ubhauli festival is observed later in the year, falling after the 22nd of Jetha (roughly the first week of June) according to the Lunar calendar.
