Festivals

It goes without saying that the Palpalis celebrate the Hindu and Buddhist festivals listed in the Nepali festival calendar. But there is a week of special festivals in this area worth mentioning, starting with Janai Purnima at the full moon day in August.

Janai Purnima
On Janai Purnima Brahmin and Chetri men change their religious threads, worn from shoulder to waist. Traditionally on this day the Gai Jatra Festival is announced for the following day.

Gai Jatra (Cow Festival)
Gai Jatra was launched by a former king of the Kathmandu Valley to heal his wife from a deep depression after the death of the prince in a smallpox epidemic. So this festival combines the remembrance of the deceased with an attempt of cheering up the mourners. Families who experienced a death the previous year form processions through the town singing religious songs. Some of these processions are lead by the children of the mourning families dressed like kings and saints. Wealthy families may even hire a choir for an impressive remembrance procession in the evening.

Huge artificial cows, made of bamboo, cloth, paper and so on, are carried around, accompanied by clowns. These groups perform small ironic and satirical dramas in public squares and entertain the town.

Ropai Jatra (Rice Planting Festival)
Gai Jatra is followed by Ropai Jatra, when farmers of the area show the city people the pleasure of rice planting, "ploughing" the streets of Tansen while singing folk songs.

Bag Jatra (Tiger Festival)
Bag Jatra falls on the day following Ropai Jatra. On this day men dressed as tigers and hunters roam around the town to caricature the favourite hobby of the old rulers.

Chariot Festival
For the Chariot Festival, where chariots of Ganesh (elephant headed god of success), Bhimsen (strongest hero) and Narayan (one out of the trinity of Hindu gods) are carried through Tansen, the towns inhabitants light candles in their windows and offer flowers, fruit and money to the chariots passing their house.

Bhagwati Jatra
Bhagwati Jatra marks the end and climax of the week of festivals. The goddess Bhagwati, who symbolises power, supported the fight against the British-Indian troops. People stay in the Bhagwati Temple the night through to worship, sing, dance and observe the placing of a statue of Bhagwati into a chariot. The following morning government officials, as well as the army, police and many Palpalis make up a large procession through the town. However, due to the topography of the town, the chariots do not have wheels and are not pulled by animals, but are carried by members of a specialethnic group, the Kumal, whose usual occupation is pottery.

Events

Maghe Sakranti Mela (Ridi Mela)
Held in Magh (Jan/Feb) in Ridi Bazaar, Maghe Sakranti Mela is the most important fair of this region. The fair, lasting three days, is well known for the selling of local handicrafts and products such as woolen blankets, wooden pots, bamboo products, sugarcane, cake, walnuts, medical herbs and a kind of dried cottage cheese.

Besides the busy trading a large number of Hindu pilgrims from different parts of Nepal and India take a holi bath in the Kali Gandaki River and worship at Ridikesh Temple.

Satyawati Mela (Night Fair)
Satyawati Mela is held on the full moon night of Kartik (Oct/Nov) at Satyawati Lake. According to legend an old goddess lives here, Satyawati Bajai (grandma). Though she is said to be hard of hearing she possesses supernatural powers. Pilgrims from the surrounding hill districts and from the Terai attend this mela to ask Satyawati Bajai to fulfill their hopes. For that they circle the lake three times shouting their wishes for sons, employment, wealth, death of enemies etc. to this goddess. Goats and cocks are sacrificed and pigeons set free. Mute children should drink the waters of the lake to be healed. The fair, which starts in the evening, ends before sunrise, so as not to offend the goddess.

Parvas Mela
Held on Shivaratri in Fagun (Feb/Mar) in Parvas, 6 kilometers south of Tansen (foot track).

Lalpati Mela
Held on Holi in Fagun (Feb/Mar) in Lalpati in the centre of Madi Valley.

Rambha Pani Mela
Held on Krishnaastami in Bhadra (Aug/Sep) in Rhamba Pani, 30 kilometers east of Tansen.

The above information is an extract from Come Visit Tansen published by Palpa Chamber of Commerce and Industry in partnership with Nepal Tourism Board.

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