Kirat community celebrates Ubhauli (Pictures)

Nabin Babu Gurung

Kathmandu, May 23

People from the Kirat community are celebrating Ubhauli, one of their most important festivals, on Thursday.

Ubhauli is celebrated every year on the full moon day of the month of Baisakh (April-May) according to the Nepali calendar.

Kirat people worship nature and pray for good harvest on Ubhauli. People from the Rai community also perform the Sakela dance to celebrate the festival.

Ubhauli is so named because it marks the migration of people to higher altitudes with the arrival of summer season.

Similarly, another important festival Udhauli is celebrated on the full moon day of the month of Mangsir (November-December) when people migrate to lower altitudes to avoid cold weather.

Rai people in the Kathmandu Valley celebrated Ubhauli by performing the Sakela dance at Nakhipot of Lalitpur on Thursday.