Nepali New Year: Why Nepalis celebrate the New Year in April

Why Nepalis celebrate the New Year in April

In most countries New Year usually starts on the first of January and in April the first quarter of the year is already over. But not for the Nepalis. Their year is just about to start. The Nepali New Year falls on the 14th of April this year.

Celebrating Tradition and Culture

Nepal is a country of great cultural and linguistic and historical diversity. This is also evident from the many different cultural festivities. In total there are several different dates for New Years celebrations in Nepal. Which is due to the many different traditions of ethnic groups present in the country.

Different than in Germany, the New Year in Nepal starts in the middle of April and currently counts the Year 2080.

History of Bikram Sambat

The narrative behind the development of the Nepali calendar is fascinating. Vikramaditya, an Indian ruler, developed the Bikram Sambat(B.S) calendar. Samvat or Sambat is Year in Sanskrit. In 1958, the Bikram Sambat calendar system was adopted formally in Nepal. In the Malla and early Shah dynasties, the Nepal Sambat calendar was the country’s official timetable. Later, the Bikram Sambat took its place.

12 Months of Bikram Sambat Calendar

Baisakh April/May
Jestha May/ June
Asar June/July
Shrawan July/August
Bhadra August/September
Asoj September/October
Kartik October/November
Mangsir November/December
Poush December/January
Magh January/February
Falgun February/March
Chaitra March/April

What is the difference between Bikram Sambat and the Gregorian calendar?

Around the world, various calendar types are in use. The four main categories of calendars are lunisolar, solar, lunar, and seasonal. Bikram Sambat calendar makes use of solar sidereal years and lunar months. This calendar’s years are typically 354 days long. The upcoming New Year will be the year 2080 in Nepal. This is because the Bikram Sambat Calendar is approximately 56 years and 8 months ahead of the Greogrian one used in most parts of the world.

How is it celebrated?

The beginning of the new year is celebrated with the family having delicious homemade food and a visit to the temple together. They also worship the gods in their homes and offer sweets and flowers. The elders shower blessings to the youngsters. Fireworks are not common but rallies and parades in some parts of the cities are. With time, mainly because of the internet and globalization, the Gregorian New Year is also celebrated by the Nepalis nowadays. If you are also interested in this kind of content, check out the article „Porpoises in Wilhelmshaven“.

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Article by Sarah Burth and Deepali Shrestha