The Kirat community’s second most important festival, Udhauli, was celebrated with great joy and enthusiasm across the country on Thursday.
The festival was observed in Gokarneshwar of Kathmandu too.
Udhauli, which begins on the full moon day of Mangsir (early December), is celebrated to mark the season when humans, animals, and birds migrate from the highlands to the lower plains, as well as to rejoice in the harvest of crops.
It is customary during Udhauli to worship nature and ancestors before gathering the harvest. On this occasion, members of the Kirat community come together, celebrate the festival in an organized manner, and exchange greetings and good wishes.
According to the Mundhum (Kirat scripture), time is divided into two parts: Udhauli and Ubhauli. The Kirat community believes that this division is based on agriculture and farming.
Ubhauli is celebrated on the full moon day of Baisakh (mid-April to mid-May) during the farming season. Udhauli is celebrated at the time of harvesting crops. Before new harvest is brought home, it is customary to worship the deities closely connected with nature and to honor ancestors by offering the new harvest to them.
During Ubhauli, people from the Kirat community – primarily Rai, Limbu, Sunuwar, and Yakkha – gather in public places wearing their traditional attire and perform the Sakela dance together.
