Gai Jatra

                              Gai jatra

Gaijatra is one of the local festivals which is celebrated with great zeal and happiness. It falls during Bhadra and Children are found disguising themselves in the form of cows to move from street to street. It is very popular in Newari community. They make what it merriment and return home with charity what is given to them.

There are different stories regarding this Jatra. It is said that a queen lost her son, so, to make her happy people disguised themselves and made the queen happy through their peculiar appearances. In other story, if anyone dies then to go across Baitadi river without any problem, the Jatra is marked. To rest the departed soul in heaven, people disguise themselves in this occasion. Whatever the story it has, the valley marks Gaijatra for fun and joy with great zeal and enthusiasm.

During this, the disguised persons move from place to place following a mass with a band of people and reach in front of door where they are provided milk, bread, fruits etc. Even one year child is carried on the shoulder of man during the festival. In the evening people display Lakhe dance. It is believed that lakhe is form of “Rakheshyas” or “Demon” and dies on Krishnasthami Day. The dance gives full entertainment to the people.

Nepal is an agricultural country. After completing cultivation in the valley it is celebrated. The jatra has its great importance. It is the festival which reflects our culture and enriches cultural heritages in Newari Community.

              

          

Janai Purnima & Raksha Bandhan

                 Janai Purnima 

Those who celebrate it as Janai Purnima in the hilly regions of Nepal, it is taken as a day when the men from the Brahmin community undertake the annual changing of their holy thread that marks their coming of age ceremony. Early morning, they take a bath, visit nearby temple and from the hands of a Pundit, they change the holy thread or Janai. Besides, it is also the day when pundits tie ‘Raksha Bandhan Doro’ in the hands of the Brahmin and Chhetri community. The doro or the thread is symbolic of the well wishes of the loved ones for safety and happiness

Raksha Bandhan

Rakhi is a sacred thread embellished with sister's love and affection for her brother. On the day of Raksha Bandhan, sisters tie rakhi on the wrists of their brothers and express their love to them. After receiving the rakhi from a sister, a brother sincerely takes the responsibility of protecting her sister. In Indian tradition, the frangible thread of rakhi is considered even stronger than an iron chain as it strongly binds a brothers and a sisters in the circumference of mutual love and trust.

Any Indian festival seems to be incomplete without the traditional Indian festivities, such as gathering, celebrations, exchange of sweets and gifts, lots of noise, singing and dancing. Festivals are the celebration of togetherness as being as a united family and the festival "Raksha Bandhan" is not an exception of this.

The love and self actuation towards a novel cause between a brother and his sister is the theme of this great festivals. It is a festival that is mainly celebrated by the people of Northern and Western part of India, but people from other parts also celebrate this festival with same alacrity. Although, the mode of celebration may differ from region to region, but the central theme of this great festival remain same.

An Experience

An experience on visiting Jadibuti (Herbal Plants) was good. We had gone to Herbal Production Co . Ltd. Which is at Koteshwor, Kathmandu. I visited there with my 45 friends and 2 teachers. I learned many useful things about herbs. We can make medicines at home by ourselves. If I got a chance to go there I would definitely go there. I got chance to know about different herbs like Bojo, Tulsi, Harro, Barro, Chiraito, Sishnu, and many more. We learnt that the side effects of many herbs. We meet the professional of medicinal herbs Mr. Pant. We asked some question to him about medicinal herbs. Some of them are:
1. What is medicinal herbs?
2. What are the uses of medicinal herbs?
3. Where are medicinal herbs mainly found?
4. How many medicinal herbs are found in Nepal? What are they?
5. Can you say some medicinal herbs which cure the diseases?
6. What is the prize of yarsagumba?
7. Which is the best place for growing the medicinal herbs?
8. What is the average age of medicinal herbs?
9. Does the medicinal herbs cure diseases permanently or temporary?
10. Do we need composts to grow them?

I want to thank our school and teachers  for giving us these big opportunity to know many more about medicinal herbs. I will try my best to use medicinal herbs.
                                  Thank You