Janai Purnima 2078

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Janai Purnima is a Hindu festival celebrated by almost every family of Nepal. According to Nepali Calendar, this festival falls on the full moon day of Shrawan or Bhadra month. Janai means holy thread and Purnima is the full moon. Different ethnic groups of the different regions celebrate these festivals in different ways and hold their own significance. Brahmins and Chhetri ethnic groups celebrate Janai Purnima. People mainly residing in the Terai region celebrate this festival as Raksha Bandhani or Rakhi. Similarly, the Newar Community of Nepal celebrates this day as Kwati Purnima.

On this day, Hindu Nepalese men of the Brahmin and Chhetri group perform their annual ritual of changing Janai. Janai is a sacred thread made of cotton worn across the chest by Hindu men, especially Brahmin and Chhetri. They change this sacred thread after taking a bath in the holy river of Bagmati or Vishnumati or nearby rivers.

Photo by: Biplap Maharjan

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