Kaula (month)
Kaulā (Nepal Bhasa: कौला) is the twelfth month in the Nepal Era calendar, the national lunar calendar of Nepal.[1] The month coincides with Ashvin (अश्विन्) in the Hindu lunar calendar and October in the Gregorian calendar.
Kaulā begins with the new moon and the full moon falls on the 15th of the lunar month. The month is divided into the bright and dark fortnights which are known as Kaulā Thwa (कौला थ्व) and Kaulā Gā (कौला गा) respectively.
Kaulā is a festive month. On the third day of the bright fortnight, masked dances of the Goddess Rudrayani are performed in Khokna, a village to the south of Kathmandu.[2]
The greatest event of the month is Dasain, known as Mohani in Nepal Mandala. It is the longest religious celebration in the country, starting from the 1st day of the bright fortnight and continuing till the full moon day. However, the main celebrations last for four days from the 8th to the 11th days. The festivities consist of religious services in the clan's shrine house, family feasts, sword processions and masked dances of deities.[3]
The 13th day of the dark fortnight is the start of another great festival Tihar or Swanti. The first two days are dedicated to crows and dogs respectively. The 15th day is Lakshmi Puja when households worship the goddess of wealth in their private shrines. The day is also the last day of the lunar Nepal Era, and traditionally merchants closed their accounting books.[4][5]
Days in the month
| Thwa (थ्व) or Shukla Paksha (bright half) |
Gā (गा) or Krishna Paksha (dark half) |
|---|---|
| 1. Pāru | 1. Pāru |
| 2. Dwitiyā | 2. Dwitiyā |
| 3. Tritiyā | 3. Tritiyā |
| 4. Chauthi | 4. Chauthi |
| 5. Panchami | 5. Panchami |
| 6. Khasti | 6. Khasti |
| 7. Saptami | 7. Saptami |
| 8. Ashtami | 8. Ashtami |
| 9. Navami | 9. Navami |
| 10. Dashami | 10. Dashami |
| 11. Ekādashi | 11. Ekādashi |
| 12. Dwādashi | 12. Dwādashi |
| 13. Trayodashi | 13. Trayodashi |
| 14. Chaturdashi | 14. Charhe (चह्रे) |
| 15. Punhi (पुन्हि) | 15. Āmāi (आमाइ) |
Months of the year
| Devanagari script | Roman script | Corresponding Gregorian month | Name of Full Moon |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. कछला | Kachhalā | November | Saki Milā Punhi, Kārtik Purnimā |
| 2. थिंला | Thinlā | December | Yomari Punhi, Dhānya Purnimā |
| 3. पोहेला | Pohelā | January | Milā Punhi, Paush Purnimā |
| 4. सिल्ला | Sillā | February | Si Punhi, Māghi Purnimā |
| 5. चिल्ला | Chillā | March | Holi Punhi, Phāgu Purnimā |
| 6. चौला | Chaulā | April | Lhuti Punhi, Bālāju Purnimā |
| 7. बछला | Bachhalā | May | Swānyā Punhi, Baisākh Purnimā |
| 8. तछला | Tachhalā | June | Jyā Punhi, Gaidu Purnimā |
| 9. दिल्ला | Dillā | July | Dillā Punhi, Guru Purnimā |
| 10. गुंला | Gunlā | August | Gun Punhi, Janāi Purnimā (Raksha Bandhan) |
| 11. ञला | Yanlā | September | Yenyā Punhi, Bhādra Purnimā |
| 12. कौला | Kaulā | October | Katin Punhi, Kojāgrat Purnimā |
References
- ↑ "Nepal Sambat gets national status". The Rising Nepal. 24 October 2008. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- ↑ "Worshipping Rudrayani". The Himalayan Times. Kathmandu. 1 October 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
- ↑ Hoek, Bert van den; Shrestha, Balgopal (July 1992). "Guardians of the Royal Goddess: Daitya and Kumar as the Protectors of Taleju Bhavani of Kathmandu" (PDF). CNAS Journal. p. 191. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- ↑ Shrestha, Bal Gopal (July 2006). "The Svanti Festival: Victory over Death and the Renewal of the Ritual Cycle in Nepal" (PDF). Contributions to Nepalese Studies. CNAS/TU. 33 (2): 205. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- ↑ Levy, Robert Isaac (1990). "A Catalogue of Annual Events and Their Distribution throughout the Lunar Year". Mesocosm: Hinduism and the Organization of a Traditional Newar City in Nepal. University of California Press. p. 655. ISBN 9780520069114.