Ubhauli Festival at Tundikhel

The Kirat community celebrated the Ubhauli festival with traditional Sakela dance at Kathmandu’s Tundikhel on Saturday.

Ubhauli and Udhauli are the two major festivals observed by the Kirat community. Each year, Ubhauli is celebrated on the full moon day of the month of Baisakh (April–May) according to the lunar calendar. This year, the festival fell on Baisakh 22 (May 4).

The festival is a significant occasion for the Kirat people, marking the spring season. It involves honoring ancestors and nature through prayers for good harvests, peace, prosperity, good health, and protection from natural calamities.

Ubhauli is celebrated for a month, primarily through the traditional Sakela Sili dance. During the dance, participants carry items such as a yak tail (chowri), sillimo, pomi, lingchibungko dala, chamar (yak-hair fan), and simkauli seuuli (ritual plants and items), symbolizing their cultural heritage.

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