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KATHMANDU: Yomari Punhi and Udhauli, two major festivals celebrating the harvest and the changing seasons, are being observed on Sunday. Yomari Punhi is celebrated by the Newar community, while Udhauli holds significance for the Kirat people, including the Rai, Limbu, Sunuwar, and Yakkha communities.
Yomari Punhi marks the end of the rice harvest season and is celebrated on the full moon day of the Nepali month of Mangsir (November-December). The main attraction of this festival is Yomari, a steamed dumpling made from freshly harvested rice flour and filled with sweet molasses (chaku) or condensed milk (khuwa). The dumpling, shaped like a fish, symbolizes prosperity and is believed to provide warmth during the winter season.
The Newar community also celebrates the day as Jyapu Diwas to preserve Jyapu culture.
Similarly, Udhauli is celebrated by the Kirat community of eastern Nepal to mark the onset of winter and the seasonal migration to lower, warmer regions. The festival is also organized to thank god and nature for providing a good harvest. Special prayers and offerings are made to nature spirits and deities, seeking blessings for future prosperity. The festival is marked with traditional dances like Sakela, where men and women, dressed in cultural attire, perform rhythmic steps to the beat of drums.
Some communities also celebrate Dhanya Poornima festival on this day. Dhanya Poornima marks the conclusion of the paddy harvest. Many communities also observe Dewali, or worship of their family deity, on this day.
