janai Purnima

Those who celebrate it as Janai Purnima in the hilly regions of Nepal, it is taken as a day when the men from the Brahmin community undertake the annual changing of their holy thread that marks their coming of age ceremony. Early morning, they take a bath, visit nearby temple and from the hands of a Pundit, they change the holy thread or Janai. Besides, it is also the day when pundits tie ‘Raksha Bandhan Doro’ in the hands of the Brahmin and Chhetri community. The doro or the thread is symbolic of the well wishes of the loved ones for safety and happiness.

In this festival thousands of devotees worship lord Shiva at Pashupatinath in Kathmandu and Kumbeswor in Lalitpur and take holy dips in ponds and lakes to eradicate their sins. A very great religious fair takes place at Gosaikunda lake in Rasuwa District. Ganga Dhanus Sagar at Janakpur and Tribenidham mela is also observed in this day.